Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-06-13
XVIII.
A WINDFALL FROM "GENTLE
MANI. Joe.


I went to my rooms, purposing to
go straight to bed, and get a good
sleep. l did make a start toward I'M
dressing; then / realized that l should
only lie awake with my brain wearing
me out, spinning crazy thoughts and
schemes hour after hour-for my i'm
agination rarely let's it do any effect
i've thinking after the lights are out
and the limitations of material things
are wiped away by the darkness.
I dressed myself again and went
out-went up to Joe Healey's gam
bling place in F%orty-fourth street.
Most of the well-known gamblers up
town, as well as their respectable"
down town fellow members of the fra
ternity, were old acquaintances OF
mine; Joe Healey was Is close a
friend as I~had. He had great fame
for squareness-and, in a sense, de-
served II. With his fellow gamblers
he was as straight as a string at all
times-to be otherwise would have
meant that when he went broke he
would stay broke, because none of the
fraternity would stake" him. But
with his patrons-being regarded by
them as a pariah, he acted toward
them like a pariah-a prudent pariah.
He fooled them with a frank show or
gentlemanliness, Of honesty to his
own hurt; under that ove he tieeced
them well, but always judiciously.
That night, / recall, Joe's guests
were several young fellows Of the
fashionable set, rich mems sons and
their parasites, a few Of the big down
town operators who hadn't yet got
hipped on "respectability-they play
ing poker in a private room-and a
couple of fiush-faced, iush-pursed
| chaps from out of town, for whom one
of Joe's men was dealing faro from
what looked to my experienced and
accurate eye like Q brace box.
Joe, very elegant, too elegant in
fact, in evening dress, was showing a
new piece of statuary to the Oldest
son of Melville, of the National In
dustrial bank. Joe knew a little some
thing about art-he was much like the
art dealers who, as a matter of bust
ness, learn the difference between
good things and bad, but in theiI
hearts wonder and laugh at people
willing to part with large sums OF
money for a little paint or marble OIL
the like.
AS soon as Joe thought he had sufi
GENTLY impressed young Melville, he
drifted him to a roulette table, lef
him there and Joined me-.
Come to my Office" said he. q
want to see you"
He led the way down the richly
carpeted marble stairway as far as the
landing at the turn. There, on a sort
Of mezzanine, he had a gorgeous little
suit. The principal object in the sit
ting-room or office was a huge safe
He closed and locked the outside dool
behind US.
Take a seat" said he. You'll like
the cigars in the second box on my
desk-the long one" And he begaI
turning the combination lock. "Yo,
haven't dropped in on us for the pas
three or four months" he went On.
NO" said I, getting a great deal o
pleasure out of seeing again, and thu
intimately. his round, rudy face
like a y~achtman's, not like a drinker'i
and his shifty, laughing brown eyes
1.-THE game down town has given mi
enough excitement. l haven't had tt
continue it up town to keep my hant
In"
"I've noticed that you are gettini
too swell to %patronize us fellows.
said he, his shrewd smile Showing
that my polite excuse had not foole'
him. well, Matt, you're right-yol
always did have good sound sense an
a steady eye for the main chance.
used to think the women'd ruin you
they were so crazy about that hand
some mug and figure Of yours. Blu
when I saw you knew exactly whel
to let go, | knew nothing could stol
you"
BY this time he had the safe open
disclosing several compartments an
a small, inside safe. He worked ava,
at the second combination lock, an,
presently exposed the interior of tn
little safe. 1t was filled with a grea
roll of bills. He pried this Out
brought it over to the desk and bega
wrapping it UP. Il want you to TAX
this with you when you co. said Rt
i've made several big killings lately
and Pm going to get you to invest TIL
proceeds"
ITO be Continued.)