Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1907-07-19
XVIII
A WlNOFALL FROM -oENTLE
MAN JOE.

. ] =
MAN JOE
] went TO ny rooms. purposing to
! 90 straight 10 bed, and get a good
sleep. I did make a start toward IN
dressing; then I realized that I should
only lie awake with my brain wearing
me out, spinning crazy thoughts and
schemes hour after hour-for my i'm
agination rarely lets It do any effect
i've thinking after the lights are out
and the limitations OF material things
are wiped away By the darkness.
dressed myself again and vent
out-went up 10 Joe Heaiey's gam
bling place in Forty-fourth street
Most OF the well-known gamblers up
town. as well as their respectable"
down town fellow members of the fra
ternity, we're old acquaintance Of
mine; Joe Healey was as close a
friend as I bad He had great fame
for squareness-and, in z sense, de-
served il With his fellow gamblers
he was as straight as q 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 q pariah. he acted toward
them like a pariah-a prudent pariah-
He fooled them with a frank show OF
gentlemanliness, of honesty to MS
own hurt; under that cover he neeced
them well. but always judiciously-
That night, l 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 -respectabiIity-t play
ing poker in private room-and a
couple of fush-faced, fush-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 a brace box
Joe. very elegant. too elegant in
fact, in evening dress. was showing a
new piece of ststuary to the oldest
son of Melville, OF TIE National In
dustrial bank. Joe knew little some
thing about art-he was much ike the
art dealers who, as matter of bCsl-
ness, learn the difference between /
good things and bad, but in their I
hearts wonder and laugh ar people /
willing TO part with large sums OF /
money for a little paint or marble or
the like.
As soon as Joe thought re had sum
GENTLY impressed young Melville, ne /
irifted him TO a roulette table. LETT 1
him there and joined me.
Come to ny Office" said he. Il
want 60 see YOU
He led the way down the richly
,alpeted marble stairway as fsr as the
sading at the turn. There. on a sort
If mezzanine. he had gorgeous little
suit. The principal object in the sit
ing-rcon or Office was 4 huge safe.
he closed and locked the outside door
behind US
Take Z seat" said he. You'll Ike
he cigars in the second bcx on NY
lesk-the long one And he began
urning the combination lock. You
haven't dropped in on Us for the past
hree OF four months" he went on
No." said I. ge;dngsa great deal OF
lleasure out OF seeing again. and thus
Intimately. his round. rudy face
Ike yachtu-an's. not ike drinkers
and his shifty. laughing brown eyes
Tie game down town Eas gwen me
nough excitement I haven't had 20
oncinue 4 up town TO keep my hand
D."
I've noticed that you are getting
90 swell 10 ratroniTc Us fellows
aid he. his shrewc smile showing
bat my polite excuse hsd net fooled
i'm. Wei. Mate. you're Tigkt-ycu
ways did have good sound sense and
steady eye for the main chance. I
sed to think the ~cnon'5 ruin you.
ley were so crazy about that hand
pine mug and figure OF yours But i
hen saw rot zn@w exactly wneo i
, let so. knew nothing could stop I
ou~
BY this time he had the safe opsn- 5
sclosing several compartments and {
small. inside safe. He worked away
tut ecCuttu tr-lu-.-1t.I0 W. 4ae 4
exposed the Interior OF the 4
tile safe. u WAS Hiied with a great T
III OF bills He PRED this OUT q
ought il over TO The desk and began 5
rspping il up. = wsnt you 10 AXE 8
lis with ron when you 80" sad he. 5
We made several big sI:!inxu iatsty.
Id I'm going 10 get ycc &c inssst u &
oceeds.- c
Ito be ConulusdJ