St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-08-25
Best Known Gambler Tells How
He Became One.
HIS GRAPHIC LIFE PICTURE.


He told the story of his meeting with
an old friend of his, Archbishop Ryan
of Philadelphia. at Saratoga. Though
they had gone to the springs for wide
" different purposes. the bishop and
the gambler instantly struck hands.
Come In and see my nieces." The
archbishop extended the invitation as
one who would not be refused. well.
if you insist. But first let's have II
pint of wine. bishop" insisted the man
of chance-"not whisky; that makes
a man of our nation want to fight.
Make it wine. the only drink that
makes a poor freshman feel like a rich
Jew"
His Start as Gambler.
They Joined the archbishop's nieces
and the gamblers wife In the drawing
room. Then came the archbishops
premeditated question:
Forgive me. Pat. my boy, but we all
want to know why such man as you
ever became gambler"
That question I'll answer, your wor-
ship, but you must first let me tell
you how it seems to me. Ii I'm
wrong, you may show me afterward.
First let me tell you that believe in
God as much as you do. Now were
ready for the start. l claim to be a
better man than you are. can't help
being a better man than you are.
Now, listen and I'll tell you the rea-
son in little story.
you and had the same start. We
are of the same nation. We were Of
families In the same circumstances,
who could give us little or no educa-
ton, so we trotted the same road un-
til we were fifteen. There we came to
crossroads We stopped and haggled
about which road to take. You want
ed to go to the right. | said No; the
left's the way You went your road
as you thought best, and took the
| other road. | hadn't gone fifty yards
before | knew 1t was the wrong road.
but my pride. my dirty pride. wouldn't
let me go back. and | admit 1t.
"You have gone on and reached q
high place and much honor. You've
looked neither to the right nor the left.
but straight ahead. have looked up
and down and back and every direc-
ton, and I've seen-God help me. what
haven't seen: But I've learned more
than you have. bishop. for I've been
to the college of experience. You
never forget what you've learned there
"Pat sheedy, the Outlaw"
"You are an honored bishop of the
church. am the man at whom every
finger of scorn is pointed, upon whom
every eye of suspicion is turned. an
Pat Sheedy, the outlaw
"And now. bishop. am coming tf
the point. We had another schoolfe
low. Well call him Michael Dillon
He loved d woman with worship II
isn't given to you to understand.
"She married him. but after awhile
she turned him out of her heart and
out of their home. 4 hate you she
said to this man who loved her. 4
don't want ever to see you again Ht
became drunkard and tramp. Years
! afterward she writes him. i was mis-
taken; come back to me- and ht
starts to walk back to his home an(
his happiness. He has walked for {
week. He Is footsore and hungry. HI
meets you at this hotel tonight. Yor
listen to him, but 1t is with a preju
diced ear. You look upon him, but Il
is not With warm eye. The derelic
drifts on with no help from you. HI
staggers out of your presence. and ht
rounds the corner of the yeranda ant
comes upon me, another old schoolfel
low. He isn't afraid to speak to me
the Ishmaeite. He tells me his story
and what dc you think do?
"'There can't be the shadow of ,
doubt about that. Pat said the bishop
"Better Man Than YOU"
Your exceIlency, II he met me HI
would ride the rest of the way home
He would get more than advice
That's the reason | claim to be u bet
ter man than you. I've been to The
college of experience. and | know
You don't know what has made any
man become what he is. That is ont
of the things we learn to ask our
selves in the college of experience
Why is this man what he is? VIVA
sorrow that we never guessed has pu
him where he ISL
The next day the archbishop cam
to the gambler and offered his hand
live been thinking over what yo1
said You drew picture of me las
night. | believe God directed me herr
to learn of you. Pat Sheedy."
Il want to teach you that circum
stances make Il man what he u.s." Pa
Sheedy said and has said a hundred
times since. Were not all PAGER
nor trotters. We have our own gait
and we go that gait and that gait
fate. Why. even fat is fate. Nv
never eaten more than bird. VIII
am | dying of fat? It's my fatN"-
|