The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-02-16

in quickly and spectacularly. But
Nellie wasn't that sort. She got half
OF II away from him before he had
been in town two hours and put n in
the savings bank, a proceeding which
swell secretly admired and openly de-
rided.
The other hundred didn't last long:
something like five days all told; and
then Swell kissed Nellie goodbye
again. told her 70 be a good girl and
keep straight and he'd be buying her
diamonds yet, and returned to the
harvest field.
All that summer he S6iled diligently.
Tor while working with a two-ring
circus through Illinois, Iowa, Kansas
and Nebraska. and later working back
toward Chicago by "a zigzag route thai
took in most Of the State and county
fairs Fortune was coy until well into
the autumn. Then phenomenal crops
loosencd the farmers purse strings
ana SwelIs nimble fingers, gentleman
~ address and suave manner reaped
their reward When he reached Chi
cago he had, thanks TO the credulity Of
his rural clients and the elusiveness OF
the little pea, twenty-four hundred
dollars snugly fitted to his person.
Swell was well pleased. With twenty
four hundred that requisite four thou
sand didn't look so big nor Curly Mar
woods billiard establishment so far
away. Swell battered himself that un-
pool business was capable Of turning
out snug living; and an honest one.
too And OF late that fact had held
its appeal. Swell already saw him
self living with Nellie in a cosy little
Harlem fiat furnished with shining
mahogany chairs and tables. q gilt
tering brass bed, crimson chenille por-
there's and-yes. Swelfs vision always
included a little kiddie with red hair
just like his mothers.
toDer. lie meant 70 go straight
through. but between trains he met
an old acquaintance In the person OF
Spike Murray. A few hours later
Swell. happier and more valiant by
reason of many drinks, was PLAYING
faro in the little back room OF a West
Side gambling house In an earnest en-
deavor to swell his twenty-four hun
dred to four thousand. Swell wasn't
novice at faro-far from it; but to-
nlght was not his night. Fortune, af-
ter beaming on him for two months
turned her back. The twenty-four
hundred dwindled and dwinled, and as
his fortune diminished his thirst in
creased. Swells memory carried him
to a point some two hours after mid
night; what the subsequent happen
ings were he could only surmise. Now
It was half-dollar room in a cheap
lodging house, an empty pocket and
remorse.
AFTER While he reached out with
groan. drew his outer clothes TO him
and went through them. All he found
; in the way Of money was twenty-dol-
lar bill tucked into a vest pocket. That
was stake money. They had put IL
there before turning him out. The
sight of the bill opened the fioodgates
of his wrath.
For "A while he considered the ad-
visibility OF seeking Spike and break
ing his head, of returning 10 the gam
bling house and raising a riot. But it
had been a square game. rae knew that.
and he had no kick coming. As for
Spike-well. even Spike had found a
sucker and had roped him, just as
Swell himself would have done under
like circumstances. For the first time
I'm his life Swell experienced a twinge
OF sympathy toward his own victims.
Presently he dressed himself, and
found his way down TO the office
through dark, ill-liEhted corridors that
smelled sickening OF frying food
The fortnight that followed wasn't
pleasant one. He made several at
tempts to follow his profession. but
Chicago was undergoing one OF it's
periodic spasms OF virtue. and after
two narrow escapes from arrest he
gave II up. He nuraed the twenty
dollars carefully. and Il was well ne
did, for IL was many days before
more coin flowed his way. He wrote
once to Nellie. briefly telling her that
his health was good. the weather rot
ten. and that ne had postponed his
return TO New York for a while. but
hoped 10 get back there by Christ
mas. He established himself at q
lodging house where for twenty-five