Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1907-03-07

AT the age of twenty Thomas Ap-
pleby. Ir., was generally referred to
as soft Tommy While his father,
who was one of I. 2 largest railroad
contractors in the country. was known
as level headed man, his only son.
Tommy was playing going to col
lege" and making fool of himself
whenever occasion offered. \ compila
ton OF the idiotic things Tommy did
in the course Of two years would make
small volume of statistics. He got
drunk, he bet on horses, he played pok-
err he fell In love with his laundreSs.
he got into Jail he ran himself and
his father into debt To the tune of thou
sands. AS a wlndup he fell in love
with chorus girl at New York the
alter. went on Il drunk lasting two
weeks and was disgracefully expelled
from college His old man stopped
building the Colorado Midland long
enough to come east and bride the
chorus girl TO let 20, pay up Tommy's
debts, talk to him in vigorous Eng
fish and then Ike him west to fill
some unimportant position where he
could keep an eye on him.
Tommy's halcyon days We're over.
He had to knuckle down and be good.
In the course of two years he became
so good and so sensible that he was
permitted TO go east and marry the
daughter Of a locomotive builder, with
whom he had become acquainted while
she was making Il tour OF the west. 1t
was conceded on all sides that Tommy
was no longer soft" He had become
interested in his fathers work. been
given partnership. and he was looked
upon as coming man in the business
of constructing and outfittng railroads.
Tommy and his bride were to do
the east and then bring up in their fu
ture home in Denver. and everything
went according to programme until
they headed for the west. Then Tom
my received word To bring along Il
sum OF money from Wall street. The
fact that he had $4,000 buttoned UP
behind his coat caused a relapse from
virtue on Tommy's part He became
soft" again. He drank and Swag-
gered and told everybody what big
man he was in the Colorado Midland,
and soon after leaving Ashley on his
home coming he fell into the hands OF
the philistines. Three thieves and II
gambler had spotted him and were
after his money. They didn't care how
they got hold of II. but after awhile
found that the game of poker would be
the easiest way. When Tommy began
drinking he became obstinate. and,
leaving his fearful bride in the parlor
car, he took a hand in the game start
ed elsewhere for his particular benefit
Then the chorus girl made her en-
trance. She had let 80 of Tommy for
good She had never cared for him in
n sentimental way She had drifted
from the chorus in New York 10 the
vaudeville in western town OF hard
repute and was on her return from a
trip to Chicago when she ran across
Tommy and his wife. Her first emo
lions We're those of jealousy to think
that he had married, and she thirsted
for revenge against the child faced
bride. Then she reasoned that she
never intended to marry Tommy any
way and that he and his papa had
treated her very literally, and she
gave over her idea of revenge Tommy
didn't recognize her during the long
day that she occupied Il seat directly
across the aisle. but She saw that he
ha Snpathi,,,y Inv
drinking himself up 10 It, The gam
blers Were going to make up Il game
for the night, and he wanted to he
counted in and arrive In Denver with
few extra hundred dollars in his
pocket. The protesting bride was or
dercd TO the stateroom ana Tommy
went in search Of the game lie soon
found It. The eX-chorus girl had sized
up the newly married couple and the
situation. and she reasoned them out
as follows:
Tommy the soft Is not as big fool
as he was, but he is fool enough to be
taken in by those card sharpS. From
his swagger he has evidently got a lot
of money with him. lie has gone ana
forgotten me and got married instead
of pining along in single blesscaness,
but | won't hold that up against him.
That wife of his is little innocent
She may have seen circus once or
twice in her life, but her knowledge of
the world stops there If she would
take Tommy 10y the ear as [ used to
DO, instead OF playing the baby. she
could bring him to thc mark But she
hasn't the pluck. Tommy viii gamble.
lose his money and there will be a
scene when ne faces his father.
must do something FOR the helpless in
fauts"
The game was going or in the smok-
err There were only two or three pas
sengers in the ear. and it may have
been that the conductor stood in with
he biackle"s At any rate. when the
eN-chorus girl made her appearance in
the car he politely limited that she had
made mistake.
Not If the court knows herself" was
her reply. II came in here to get a
smell Of this smoke ANA watch the
IN me and | don't tbftI- +f.or,, g. ,,,.