The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1906-09-06
THE SUN IMAGE
[Original.1

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 fell
on the wall opposite the window. nad
often seen the phenomenon before and
called Adams attention to 1t. A sim
gular expression came over his face as
We looked at them.
"Can you explain the circular formr'
l asked.
"only that the spots OF light are mi
mute lmtges of the sum-" he replied.
"But 1t isn't this that interests me. l
can never look at one of those little sun
images without being profoundly
moved"
4'Out with It," I said, for I knew there
was a story behind his emotion.
"When I was married." he said, ito
the best woman In the world-I drew
a matrimonial prize among hundreds OF
blanks-I was doing well in business
and was able to provide for the three
little kids that came along during the
frst FIVE years of my married life. My
wife was not ~extravagant; indeed, she
looked out for the nickels very care
fully. Nevertheless, no matter how
careful a woman may be In this respect,
she Is a natural plunger, and l found
out my Daisy was n of that kind.
zone evening In midsummer when
my family was out of town | was per-
suaded to go into a gambling house. !
never dreamed of betting when | enter.
ed, but I soon caught the fever, and
when I left the place l had won some
thing like $50. | vas SO well pleased
with my venture that I tried 1t again
the next night. l won steadily for q
week; then l began to lose. To make
a long story short, by the time my wife
came home | was ruined. | 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 it all and refrained from what
nineteen in twenty women would have
done under the circumstances. She new.
er spoke d word OF blame.
II received my $3.50 one morning and
In the afternoon went with 1t TO try
TO recover my losses. telling Daisy |
was going to take a walk. I won over
$1,000. but lost 1t the same night. win,
ming and losing alternately. My wife
knew as well as | what I was doing.
but never said q word, pretending *
aorance. Wien | had lost all my win
nings and 5000 besides she began IL
look anxious. Not that l said ii worL
l didn't need to. She could tell by nuy
face how l stood, and whoa she want
cd to know exactly she would examine
my poclletbook after l was asleep.
"Onc afternoon l went to the den
with but $40 in my pocket. and | mus.
have looked pretty miserable. for ny
wife kissed Inc before | left tie house
ana said, BE SIRE to be home for din
ner.' just as il she didn't know thai
Il | got absorbed | wouldn't pay any
attention to dinner or any other meal.
| p!aye1 very close, seldom riJking
much ut one time. for my capital was a
bagatclie. Despite my caution ny pile
grow lower and lower, and at last
lad but II white chip left. The deal
or wasn't paying much attention TO me
AMI WAS .'awnins necessarily. having
been - his work all the night before.
l was absorbed that / didn't notice
a yorng fellow who came AID leaned
over lie, watching my game. / put
my last chip on the ten and lost. l
was broke.
THE dealer. ignorant that l had moth
Ing to bet with, went on with the game.
Ard now I'm getting to the point of my
story. Through a crack in the window
me of these little suns came In and
lighted on the Jack. The dealer blink
ell at 1t and didn't seem sure whether
1t was a white chip or a silver dollar.
The young man behind me said.
Deal This decided the sleepy man.
and he dealt. The jack won. and he
tossed me a white check. The young
man behind me, without asking per.
mission, pushed the chip ovcr between
the king a1d queen, and it won. | sat
stupidity looking on, the young man
making my bets for me and winning
every time.
.Tle dealer began to wake up and
take an interest. My 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 u and didn't dare say u word for
fear he'd fare up and give it away.
The piles before me grew and grew,
and suddenly l was startled by hearing
the dealer cry. 'Bustedv The first
thing I 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.
whom do you suppose I saw? Under a
sombrero drawn down oYer the lace
glittered a pair of eyes. and those eycs