Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-07
/ CHAPTER. VII.
ATE in July it grows dark as mid
night approaches, so that the
manu Ncrht, from dnor.uav and

4
4 II ATE in July it grows dark as mid
/ night approaches, so that the
4 many lights from doorway. and
- window seem less garish and
strange than they do a month earlier.
In the Northern there was good bust
ness doing. The new bar fixtures,
which had cost q kings ransom or
represented the one nights losIngs Of
I Klondike millionaire, shone rich,
dark and enticing, while the cut glass
! sparkled with iridescent hues, reflect
/ ing in measure the prismatic moods,
the dancing spirits Of the crowd that
crushed past hating at the gambling
games or patronizing the theater in
! the rear The old bar furniture,
brought down by dog team from up
river" was established at the rear e1-
tremity of the long building. Just In
| side the entrance to the dance hall.
| where patrons of the drama might,
with modicum OF delay and incon.
venience, quaff as deeply Of the bea-.
ker as of the ballet.
Now, however. the show had closed
/ the hall had been cleared Of chairs
and canvas, exposing "a CLASSY, tempt
| ing surface, and the orchestra had
| moved to the stage. They played n
rollicking. blood stirring twostep. while
the floor swan with dancers.
At certain intervals the musicians
worked feverishly up to q crashing
,rescendo, supported by the voices OF
the dancers. until all joined at the top
note in a yell, while the drummer
fired a forty-four Colt into box Of
wet sawdust beside his chair--all in
time, all in the swinging spirit of the
tune.
The men, who were mostly young,
danced like college boys, while the wo--
men, who were all young and good
dancers, foated through the measures
with the ease Of rose leaves on sum-
mer stream Faces were flushed, eyes
were bright, and but rarely voice
sounded that was, not glad. Most Of
the noise came from the men, and, al
though one caught here and there q
hint Of haggard lines about the girlish
faces and glimpsed occasional eyes
that did not smile, vet as q whole the
scene was one Of genuine enjoyment.
i Suddenly the music ceased, and the.
couples crowded to the bar The won.
en- took harmless drinks, the men most
" whisky Rarely was the choice Of
rotations criticised. though occasional
" some rnddy eschewer OF sobriety in
sisted that his lady take the same"
avowing that "hootch." having been
demonstrated beneficial in his case
was good for her also. Invariably the
lady accepted without dispute, and in
variably the man failed to note her
glance ut the bartender or the silent
substitution by that capable person of
ginger ale for whisky or Of plain wa
ter for gin. In turn the mixers collect
ed 81 from each man. Tipping to the
girl metal percentage check, which
she added to her store. In the curtain
ed boxes overhead men bought bottles
with foil about the corks, and then
subterfuge on the lady's part was idle,
but, on the other hand, she WAS able to
pocket for each bottle check redeem
able at SIS.
A stranger straight from, the east
would have remarked first upon the
good music. next upon the good looks
Of the women and then upon the shah.
by clothes of the men, Cor some OF
them were in "mukluk," others in
sweaters with huge initials and wing
ed emblems, and all were collarless
Outside in the main gambling room
there were but few women. Men
crowded in dense masses about the
faro layout. the wheel, craps, the Klon-
dixie game, pangingi and the card ta-
'bles They talked Of business, Of
home, of women, bought and sold {,
mines and bartered all things from
hams to honor. The groomed and
clean, the unkempt and filthy Jostled
shoulder to shoulder, equally affected
by the license Of the gold fields and the
exhilaration Of the new. The mystery
OF the north had touched them all The
glad. bright wine of adventure filed
their veins. and they spoke nightly Of
things they had resolved to do. or re-
counted with simple dihidence the
strange stories of their accomplish:
ment.
The Bronco Kid, familiar from Atlin
to Nome as the best bank dealer on
the Yukon. worked the shift from till
g. He was a slender man Of thirty, |
deXterous in movement. slow to smile,
soft of voice and known as living
flame among women. He had dealt
the biggest games of the early days
and had no enemies. Yet, though
many called him friend, they wondered
inwardly.
1t was strong play the Kid had
tonight, for Swede Sam Of Dawson
ventured many stacks of yellow chips,
and he was a quick aggressive gam
bier. A Jew sat at the king end with
ten neatly creased $1,000 bills before
him. together with piles Of smaller cur
rency. He adventured viciously and
without system, while outsiders to the
number Of four or Ave cut in sporadic
ally with small bets. The game was
difficult to follow, consequently the I
lookout, from his raised dais, was lean
Ing forward, chin in hand, while the 7
group was hedged about by eager on
lockers.
Faro is q closed book to most people,
for its lntricacies are confusing. Lucky
Is he who has never persevered in solv-
Ing Its mysteries nor speculated upon
the systems" of beating it. From
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