The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-15
rnE MAN WHO sWORE OFF.
NY DENNIS H. sTovALL.

tcopynrht. 1904, by Daily Story Pub.
 .Co.)
 It hapr--ed several years ago down in the old mining town of Jackson vile. and, ftsa all incidents that are preserved for !. decade, this case had a woman in it. She was good wo- man. too-a sorl <Sf guardian angel of the camp. Her Esme was Lucy Ma son. She had bi ~ther, Dick, one of tae Iuckiest miners ',f the district. It seemed he was boiN under a lucky star, but when som, of us suggested such a possibility te nim one day he declared he was only born under the northwest end of t& Milky Way, { which would bring it scmewhere near ' Pike County, Missouri.
 Tom Davis was the AsSn to whom befell large share of Bssk Mason's gold, which is to say he wsSs a ,gamb- Ter. wore a big white hat red tir and a brace of six-shoonNrs. Tom manipulated a faro bank in Tcckson- vile for several years, and cleaned up more money than the best six claims produced.
 But all this time Lucy Maseu was doing her good work in the camp. If a gold digger took sick she was Che first to reach his side. We consideress 1t a crime to be caught groggy iD Lucy Mason's presence. We all had a warm spot in our hearts for Lucy. and there was not a grizzled miner in the camp but who would have waded through fire knee deep for her. She influenced all of us. with the excep- ton of her brother Dick. Her plead ings. her tears had no more effect on him than shot on a castiron roof.
 In the course of her rounds Lucy met Tom Davis, the handsome gamb- Ter. Tom was always polite and civil to her, but it was long time before she could reach in him that tender spot which she had located in all the rest of us.
 Then the camp awoke one morning to find Tom reincarnated. He closed his faro bank, "swore off' on gamb- ling and drinking, discarded his red tie and donned a red flannel shirt and brown overalls. The next morning he was shoveling gravel in a ground sluice--an honest digger with the rest of us. The sequel is not far to seek he fell in love with Lucy.
 Though Tom had quit his old tricks he never failed to call in at the sa- looms when he was in camp, just to meet the boys, for he was the same jovial fellow he was before experience ing a change of heart.
 One day, just as he was entering saloon, Lucy met him and with tears in her eyes begged him to watch her brother Dick. who had just arrived in camp with his usual bag of dust. She was sure he would bank it all on faro and lose, just as he had always done before.
 "He. will not listen to me, Tom, but think he will listen to you. Don't let him lose his hard-earned gold"
 Lucy" Tom replied, taking her slight fingers in his own big palm, q won't let him lose his money, not if I have to drag him out by the scruft of the neck"
 Tom found Dick just as he was mak- ing ready to stake four ounces on the red" Tom touched him on the shoul- der.
 Hello, Tom," said Dick, mighty glad to see you: ain't seen you since the chaparral bloomed. Come up and have one"
 'No thanks, old mar." Tom answer cd. i've quit"
 Quit? That's what you told me six months ago."
 Yes, know it, and I'm still telling you.'
 Well, blamed if you ain't as firm as Q baked government mule. Come have a iittle game of double-ante, then"
 Cant do 1t, Dick; there's no more gambling for me, either"
 "Oh. gambIin' your Aunt Peggy! This won't be gamblin'-just a quiet little game of poker for old friend- ships sake
 It was harmless-appearing amuse- ment. so Tom acquiesced, and they found a table in a quiet corner. The chips were divided, the deck shufied and the game begun. After a round or two Dick showed back his chair im- patiently and exclaimed:
 Bring us a pitcher of water and a