The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-16
Story Of a
Spendthrift
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

|
was at the beginning of the nineteenth
century, when 100000 was considered
gigantic sum. But 1t was not too
big for Jimmie to get away with in a
few years. He spent 1t in every con-
ceivable way. First and foremost, he
was devoted to horses; second, he
dotted on dogs; third, he was fond Of
cards; fourth, he was always want
ing to fight some one. Jimmie veered
between these attractions as a wealth
er cock swings between the four points
Of the compass. BY the by, this re-
minds me that he was also given to
cockflghting.
| Well, after Jimmie had run through
all his money he continued to spend
on tick. This lasted till he heard the
bailiffs were after him, when, in order
to escape them, he enlisted in the cav
airy and was sent to his regiment fight
ing Indians in territory which is now
called the middle west. This gave him
one of his favorite amusements, for he
was On a horse all the while. Occa-
sionally there were races at the post.
| ana he Inquired as Jockey.
| There was no reason why Jimmie
Temple should not have continued to
serve indefinitely In the army, where
he was very happy, for he secured
commission, except that he loved
girl in Baltimore. Miss Belle Ashurst
was the daughter of rich man, but
his wealth didn't do her any good, 80
far as uniting her to Lieutenant Tenn
pie, for her father had no idea Of per-
hitting his daughter to marry such
scapegrace. But the lovers pinned for
each other, and Belle was continually
writing Jim to come back, Just as II
he could 60 where he pleased.
So 1t was that in time Jim resigned,
and when his resignation was accept
ed headed straight for Baltimore.
Naturally enough. Jim's creditors
were on the lookout for him, and as
soon as he appeared in Baltimore some
! Of them got wind Of the fact. Jim
realized that II he was to enjoy the So
ciety Of his girl he must keep out Of
limbo, so he went into hiding. He
kept dark during the daytime and, like
the animals Of the forest. did his PROV
ling at night An attorney employed
by his creditors discovered his lair, but
dare not force an entrance. for this
would render him liable to action for
trespass.
This attorney-Markham was his
name-having learned about Jim's lido
syncrasies, especially his fondness for
horses, one morning sent boy in the
uniform of a jockey to ride horse
that was anything but racer back
and forth before the debtors abode 1t
was not long before Jim threw up a
window and called out: "Hi, you, there!
Do you expect to win race with that
bundle of bones?' Markham, who was
under the window, began to read Jim
summons, but he had not read half
dozen words before down came the
sash.
This ruse having failed, Markham
bethought himself of another. One
bright morning he and deputy
brought couple Of cocks to a vacant
lot beside Jim's hiding place and SET
them to fighting. The cocks were fur.
nished with steel spurs, but spur on
one Of the cocks was turned so that
1t was useless to the bird who wore It.
Jim watched the fight from behind
blinds, and when he saw one Of the
birds being slaughtered for the lack OF
properly fixed spur it was too much
for him. Throwing open the blinds, he
called out: "What do you want to
treat cock that way for? Don't you
see
He got no further. Some one on the
ground beneath the window thrust a
pole under the sash so that Jim could
not lower 1t, and voice began to read
legal document. Jim jumped out the
window, knocked the paper out of the
hands OF the reader, sent the man who
held the pole sprawling, in a fifty was
back through the window, and the
sash came down.
One night when he was leaving Miss
Ashurst's home he was accosted on the
street by a gentleman. who said to
him:
my friend, l have been playing the
bank at Watson's recently. I have in
, vented a system by which 1 expect to
break 1t. I am in love with young
lady whose father has informed me
that If I ever enter a gambling house
again 1t shall be all up between me
and his daughter. Would you kindly
, consent to play for me tonight?'
The man gave Jim his system, and
Jim was seized with a desire to see
how 1t worked. He took 500 the man
! gave him and suffered himself to be
conducted to Watson's. He had scarce
, ~ entered the well lighted rooms
. when he was bereft of his disguise
and, being recognized, was forced to
listen to the reading Of a summons.
for the door was locked behind him.
5 Jim spent term In the debtors
! prison, which was ended by the death
of his girls father. The day after the
] funeral Belle paid her lovers debts.
h He was released from the prison and
appeared on the fashionable prone
made of Baltimore with a beautiful
2 buttonhole bouquet In his coat with
not the shadow of blush on his face