The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1905-05-18
TIE SUN IMAGE
IOriglnal.1

A shutter was closed, n the sunlight
shone through the spaces at the ends
of the Stats. Now. though the spaces
were not round, we noticed that a
round spot of light from each crack felt
IN the wall opposite the window. | had
often seen the phenomenon before and
called Adams attention 10 1t. A sim
gular expression came over his face as
Ne looked at them.
"Can you explain the circular form9'
7 asked,
only that the spots OF light are mi
hute images of the SUM- lie replied.
"But it isn't this that interests me. I
can never look Mt one OF those little sun
images without being profoundly
moved"
"Out with It," I said, for l knew there
was a story behind his emotion.
rWheni I was married" he said, ''to
fhe best woman IN the world-I drew
d matrimonial prize among hundreds of
bfhfks-I was doing we'll in business
and was able to provide for the three
little kids that came along during the
hrst five years of my married life. My
Wife was not extravagant; indeed, she
BOXED ont for the nickels very care
fully. Nevertheless, no matter how
careful q woman may be In this respect,
she is a natural pfunger, and I found
out my Daisy was one of that kind.
zone evening In midsummer when
my family al out of town l vas per-
suaded to go into a gambling house. |
never dreamed of betting when l enter
ed but 1 soon caught the fever, and
when I left the place / had won some
thing like 500. l was so well pleased
with my venture that I tried It again
the next night. I won steadily for a
week; then I began to lose. To make
d long story short, by the time my wife
came home I was ruined. l sold out
my business to pay my debts and had
$3.50 over with which to begin the
world again. My wife was plucky
about II an and refrained from what
nineteen In twenty mn would have
lone under the circumstances. She new
er spoke a word of blame.
II received my $3.50 one morning and
in the afternoon went with it to try
to recover my losses, telling Daisy l
was going to take a walk. l won over
$1,000. but lost IT the same night, win
hing and losing alternately. Ny wife
knew as Wen as 1 what I was doing,
but never said d word. pretending ig-
norance. When 1 had lost all my win
nings and 5000 besides she began to
look anxious. Not that | said Il word
I didn't need to. She could tell by my
face how l stood, and wben she want.
ed to know exactly sire would examine
my pocketbools after | was asleep.
Zone afternoon l went to the den
with but $40 In my pocket. and I must
have looked pretty miserable, for my
wife kissed rde before l left the house
aud said, BE sure to be home for din
her. just as If she didn't know that
II I got absorbed l wouldn't pay any
attention to dinner or any other meal.
l played very close, seldom risking
much at one time, for my capital was a
bagatelle. Despite my caution my pile
grew lower and lower, and at last |
had but one white chip left. The deal
er wasn't aging much attention to me
and was 5awning necessarily. having
l@ao,, - III. .-..rl- oil tj,. ..~g,A 1..F..o
l was described that | didn't notice
q young fellow who came and leaned
over me. watching my game. put
my last chip on the ten and lost. |
was broke.
The dealer. Ignorant that / had moth
ing to bet with. went on with the game.
And now I'm getting to the point of my
story. Through Il crack in the window
one of these little Suns came in and
lighted ON the jack. The dealer blink
ed at 1t and didn't seem sure whether
It was a white chip or Il silver dollar.
TIE young man behind me said,
Deal This decided the sleepy man.
lind he dealt. The jack won, and he
tossed fre a white check. The young
Ahfh OChfIu bnCI WlolOut 1ShlbS ptA-
mission. pushed the chip over between
the king a1d queen, and 1t won. | sat
stupidity looking IN, the young man
making my bets for me and winning
every time.
1.-THE dealer began TO wake up and
take an interest. Ny bet placer was
taking awful chances. and | wanted to
stop him, but l remembered that all
my winnings had been on an image of
the sun and didn't dare say II word for
fear he'd fare up and give 1t away.
The piles before me grew and grew,
and suddenly l was startled by hearing
the dealer cry. 'Bustedi' The first
thing l did after that was to turn to
look at the man behind me to see IL
the devil had done 1t all to get my soul
with the winnings. Great heavens.
whori do you suppose l saw? Under a
sombrero drawn down over the face
QIittered a pair Of eyas and tllaso evcs