The Harlowton news., 1913-01-10
Expectations
By EDUARD K. DRoANE


l esteem IlIOSG UOyS WHO dEE ODASGN
to fight their own way up In tile world
most fortunate and those brought up
to wealth most unfortunate. s.s#
came OF fanily Of the middle
class and from childhood was made to
understandable would have to fight
my own way IN the world. But ! was
given an education, which Is consider
ed and usually Is essential to success.
At sixteen was about to accept pO-
sition in business when an uncle Of
Y mine suddenly made a fortune by
deal in the stock market. He. had the
good sense to invest his gains1in. good
first mortgage bonds and never after
ward risked a cent intspeculation. 4.
My uncle was abachelor. sixty years
old, and my mother was his favorite
sister. He had always shown par
tiality for me and proposed to my
mother that he should send messsto col
lege andf make me his heir, / for he
claimed that he had nossdesire to marry
and II he should marry at his time Of
life he would wish he had not mar
ried. i longed for a college. educa
ton and for my part was glad to ac-
cept my uncle's proposition.
spent four years at college, my ex-
penses being paid by my uncle In
deed, he gave me an allowance that
enabled me to associate with such of
my fellow students as were not oblig-
ed to earn their living or part Of it
while getting their education.
When I was graduated with a fair
standing in my class / was one Of
the all around prominent men Of it.
| began the study OF a professional
my uncle's expense-and had nearly
finished 1t when I received telegram
that my uncle was very i'll. went to
him at once and assumed the direction
of his household. His illness was
destined to be protracted one, and.
there being no one but myself to do
anything for him. I assumed charge not
only Of his domestic but his other af-
fairs.
spent five years ministering to the
old man, living in his house with him
and devoting myself exclusively to
him. regretted that my professional
studies had been broken into, but since
was heir to fortune and had what
money needed did not repine. True,
my uncle was very irritable and often
tried my patience, but the doctors as
sured me that he could live only few
years at most and then, having means
at my command, could make up for
lost time, for, be it understood, was
not content to live in idleness and es-
pecially desired a career.
NV uncle fingered longer than had
been expected, and toward the last !
found the work Of amusing him very
/, trying suggested cards, and he was
!! pleased with the idea. He had been
poker player in his time. and by
playing with him for small stake |
got through many hours that would
otherwise have been a burden. Never
theless playing penny ante with a
broken down old man hour after hour
was not to me pleasing way of spend
ing my time, and when my uncle pro-
posed to raise the stake to S cents l
acquiesced.
This was a mistake. He was nat
ural gambler, and it was a knowledge
of this fact-a fear that he would lose
what he had made in the stock mar
ket-that led him to quit "the street"
Since then his passion for gambling
had lain dormant. 1t was now excit.
ed anew He kept raising the stake
and did not dare to oppose him
When he got the value of a chip up tc
25 cents began to be troubled. How
ever. | hoped that by refusing to win
| might keep out Of trouble, for real
lied that to win any considerable
: amount from him would irritate him
and in his broken condition feared he
might break with me.
One afternoon when he was more
fretful than usual got out the cards
and the chips. During the sitting there
occurred one Of those marvellous runs
of luck by which players are enabled
to break banks. A jack pot had beer
growing on the table for some time
when | was dealt three queens ant
drew a fourth. would have bet
small sum, but since the cards mus
be shown l feared to irritate my uncle
by appearing to favor him. At thu
showdown he had full Of aces, which
gave me the pot.
From that time the devil seemed tx
!, be in the cards. Whenever | dealt
: gave myself large hands and invari
! ably gave my uncle hands but httl'
!, below mine. i. When l had a stra1gh
: flush he would have full; when hat
), three aces he would have three lowe
, cards. .Terrifed,;sI attempted to dea
him hand larger. than mine. Il
caught me in the act
; For some time i had seen by his ez
. preston that hessuspected | was in
tenhonallys dealing to myself larg'
hands and to him hands but littl
smaller to draw him on. When b
caught me trying to deal him a win
ner he fell back on the pillows benin
him and pointed to the door. In val
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