The Globe-republican., 1903-03-05

"At these words my heart gave little
'H "No S1 " L Tom can only overlook the
insult In the tourists last words here will
be chance for him to redeem himself
show that he Ia a man, and bring some
good money into circulation In the Dia-
mond Centre Camp, said.
but the next second ! was ready 10
sink through the ground with shame OF
the thought that l had ever spoken to
Tom Howard at,
"'Seelng you don't understand the
game" said Tom a little regretfully,. like
a man who feels he is turning his back
on q decent life, II wouldn't be. fair to
play with money While you're learning
we'll use matches ror chips
.."Of course, when man, brought up
like Tom Howard had been, said thing
of that sort there wasn't but one thing
to be done. ! told the rest Of the boys
what / had heard, and we set to work
organizing lynching party. The Eng
lllsh tourist wasn't SO much TO blame, not
having had Toms advantages, so we de-
elded to give him ten minutes to leave
the camp. In some way Tom and the
tourist got wind Of what was going on.
They slid out. ~.
I'VE were all sort of relieved when we
heard Of it, at that for even If we
lynched Tom the news Of his offense
might have got around and then any man
from Diamond Centre Camp would have
been ashamed to hold up his head in the
presence Of strangers And we made up
our minds to try and forget, II we could,
that such person as Tom Howard ever
existed
About two years later I went down To
Denver to try TO sell a mine that the
boys hadn't been able to find much good
ore In. Being dusty and normally thirsty
when got Oft the train / hunted for a
place where could get q little needed
stimulant. I didn't have any trouble
finding one. After | had ordered my
drink and was standing in front of the
Eastern clothes, wore an eyeglass and
had the general look nf one OF those tel
lows that make person ashamed Of be-
Ing a man. But there was something
familiar about his face. / looked at him
again, and sure enough 1t was Tom How
ard, his self-respect gone and sunk In the
depths of degradation, hut still showing
some traces of the man who used to deal
faro for Jim Townsend and was liked and
respected by all who knew him, l slipped
my hand to my gun, for Of course | would
have had to drop him If he had insulted
me by speaking to me. But he walked
right up to the bar without noticing ME
and ordered drink
" If he takes a good drink of the ma
tional beverage there may be hope even
yet for Tom Howard, l thought to my
self
~ couldn't hear the order, but the bar
tender put two bottles out in front Of
Tom. Then, while | stood there shocked
and detected and scarcely believing my
own eyes, Tom poured some milk into
glass. He poured some settler on the
milk, and reached out his hand for the
| half drew my gun, for want
ed to save him from the disgrace of
It, Then I happened to think
that probably he had often drank the
stuff before and that it was too late to
rescue him. / sneaked out of the saloon,
went to hotel, hired room and locked
myself in. was disguised with the
world and wanted to be alone, For |
had known Tom Howard when he was q
man, And It made me sick at heart to
see the depths to which he had fallen."-
Edwin j. Webster in New York Times.