Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1914-03-20


tables"
He glanced down at himself rue
fully. His clothes needed brushing
and pressing, his shoes needed polish
ing, his face needed shaving.
''I'll give you four guesses., he Of
fered. with an attempt at his old
gayety.
Il only need one" she replied.
''You wouldn't listen to your Aunt
Bessie, and they got YOU"
"Yes," he admitted, they got me
and they got me good. l haven't a
dollar"
What are you going to do?"
II don't know he said, and, in
spite of his attempt to carry it off
manfully, there was a catch in his
voice. The ginger was all out of him.
'T'll get another start somehow, L
guess
ooh, yes" she agreed. Some OF
your friends are sure to help you get
back on your feet again; Beauty
Phillips, for instance"
Hang Beauty Phillips!" he said.
but nevertheless she secretly delight
ed in it, this time. Il guess you're
about ready to go back to Prosperity"
she decided.
He drew sharp breath.
I'D die first!" he declared iii
live some way, though. They always
live," and he laughed bitterly. IT
passed group of just such men as
I may become, sitting on the stone
bench at Herald square; but I'll keep
on living, I am sure of that
He seemed to be afraid that he
would not. He seemed to be afraid
of himself and suddenly Miss Will
liams saw with shock that he was
zone of the tragedy kind" It set
her to swift thought, and sudden
bold idea came to her.
II believe l know of an opening for
you," she said, with a suppressed
gasp at her own temerity; "a part
nership that would be about the best
thing you ever had offered to you
Come around and see me next Nom
day afternoon"
What kind of business is it," he
asked eagerly, a new light of hope
springing in his eyes.
"You mustn't ask questions" she
warned him, because don't want to-
disappoint you. I feel very sure,
| though, that can land it for you.'
That afternoon between work she
wrote a letter, a proceeding which
always made the boss barber nervous.
Billy, however, managed to get
glimpse at the envelope before it was
mailed and felt better about it, for
the letter was addressed to Elizabeth
Ruth Emery, Prosperity, Indiana.
On Monday morning, Elizabeth Ruth
Emery and her sister arrived, and
Elizabeth Ruth sent down word that
she would like to see Miss Williams.
That young lady promptly went up to
the room, and was confronted by
girl almost as pretty as Jimmy had
tried to describe.
The two girls shook hands, and if
there had been any distrust in the
bosom of Miss Edwards it melted in
moment as she looked into the
truthful eyes of Bessie Williams.
Where is Mr.. Carroll?" asked the
girl from Prosperity, with trembling
eagerness. "How i'll is he? Has he
a good doctor?"
Tim his only DOCTOR" responded
Miss Williams, "and the only pre-
scription I've given him was the one
/ wrote to you. You see, it isn't his
body that's sick, it's his mind.
Jimmy CAROLS good boy, but he's
fool"
Miss Emery flushed a bit, indig-
nantly, but her sister smiled.
II suspected as much" she said.
IT think your description is about
right, Miss Williams. He is a good
boy, and I'm afraid he is the rest
of it."
II guess he's cured of that" said
Miss Williams, laughing, "but after
all, he's no bigger fool than the crowd
that put him on the reefs. He thought
he could play the bucket shops, and
no living man has ever kept at that
and finished on the cozy side of it.
For about a month he thought he
owned New York, and now he's down
and out: that's all. tried to get him
| to go home, but he wouldn't go, so I
sent for the sheriff"
The girl from Prosperity was nom
plussed; also she was honest
IT don't quite know whether to
thank you for inducing me to take
this trip or not" she said, little
coldly.
wait until you see Jimmy" re-
sponded Miss Williams easily, for
she felt quite confident of the out
come
It was about two o'clock when he
came, looking worse than ever. He
was pale now and also shabby, and
she judged that maybe he was hun
CRY, too, but he was shaved and his
clothes were brushed. She looked at
his hand. The ring was gone. He
had made that sacrifice to appear
neatly in case the partnership
I