Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-04

living soldiers, in the Bible days; but, the
Bible says, he was a leper.
This splendid young man went out to the
far West, into mining camps, and consorted
with gamblers and toughs. He was followed
by delicate little girl-woman who had
hoped to become his wife, one whom he
loved as well as he could love anyone or any
thing, next to gambling. Well, she found
him in Colorado, in a hotel, one morning
after he had spent all the previous night
playing cards. He married her. and she con-
sented to live with him and be a gamblers
wife, rather than live apart from him.
He was called square man" said John
Brown, and he kept what was called "a
square game, because everyone who dealt
with him seemed to have fair show for a
winning And he always was willing to grub
stake any fellow who went broke. He was
always gentlemanly. although the strongest
man in the camp; so that his life was in no
danger in that tough community. He was
respected by all. and his physical proves
caused the treacherous to quail before him.
But, in spite of it all, his gentle, de-
voted wife often said to him, Yours will
be a sudden death some day, and when
you die | also shall die Thus she con-
tinued to warn him and to beg of him
that he would return to civilization and re-
spectability; but it was all to no purpose.
His mania was incurable. He said he was
only gambler, and that he would be gam
bier as long as he lived. He gave her plenty
of money. She had large bank account in
her own name. He told her that whenever
she was tired of him and his manner of life.
he would not blame her if she returned to
the old home. But she always replied:
Whittier thou goest | will CO. and she
learned to be in measure contented with
her lot. She clothed the hungry, and fed
the poor, and the hungry and shabby found
their way to her door. She was the strong
est pillar of the one church of the place. Her
time was occupied with the doing of good
deeds; but she never failed to look after her
gambler husband, his health, comfort, and
morality, to the best of her ability. More
over, she never went to bed until he was at
home. and she always knelt by the bedside
and thanked God for bringing him through
another day and another night. To her.
he was always gentle, courteous, and con-
siderate; but he remained a gambler
BROWN told of the gamblers having been
= obliged to use physical force to throw out
of his place stranger who had tried to
raise row there. The stranger had drawn
a gun on him; but it was kicked out
of his hand, and the fellow was roughly
handled by the throngs of people gathered
there. The gambler went to his rooms in the
hotel just before sunrise, was received with
customary affection by his wife, had light
lunch, and went to sleep, while his faithful
little wife knelt beside him. Then, worn out
with her vigils, she also went to bed and to
a sound sleep. Brown said:
There was a pistol shot close to his head,
and the gambler awoke. His wife had fallen
across his shoulder. and before him stood
the murderous stranger. The blood of his
wife was flowing upon him as he leaped up,
struck the murderer, DETECTED another bull
let, and fairly threw his assailant out of a
window. where he was MANNED for life. The
shots had drawn attention and help.
There was in the camp surgeon of SUI
perior ability. In a few minutes he was
present, and barely in time to save the life of
the little woman. Just back of her chin the
bullet had struck. and had destroyed her
jawbone completely.
The gambler was frantic. When he left
his wife in charge of the surgeon and the one
trained nurse of the place, he rushed down
stairs, and, but for the interference of others,
would have torn that fellow limb from limb
Two or three days elapsed before he was
allowed to say word to his wife. The sur
geon knew him well. and knew the little
wife; so he permitted the gambler to come
to the room and walk about where she could
coo hin, nd tpou tha he safe md cound