The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-07-25

Smiling at my double |
left the house. And as walked
toward Carey's my resolution grew
stronger. If a man can't live as a
gentleman should live, why live at
all? Life is rather uncomfortable at
best; only comfort and luxury miti-
gate its severity. | laughed as |
passed rows of tenements. What
fools these people were to continue
in the prison of life! A tragically
humorous thought occurred to me;
suppose that these people who lived
IN these grimy tenements, and in
similar or worse habitations all
over the world should decide to quit
the bitter struggle for mere exist
encc? Suppose, instead of going on
strike or starting riots, or turning
Bolshevik, they chose by lot GER
tain number, and that certain num-
Der Immediately killed themselves?
On the next day, another num-
Der would will themselves, and
the remainder would declare pub
llc!y their intention of following the
suicidal example. In week or two
society would be so alarmed that
1t would be offering palaces on
Fifth Avenue to the poor if they
would merely consent to live.
1t was, flattered myself, quaint
concert, as sane as most revolu
tionary nostrums, and | was smiling
as entered Carey's. | was still
smiling as finished Il very salts
factory meal, and leaning back in
my chair, consumed my eighth Gig
| arct. Life was not complex thing,
after all. At least, if one didn't
find it simple, one simply stepped
out of its absurd complexities.
For instance, that girl who sat
across the narrow room from me
would be Individually better off if
she Joined me on my stroll to the
dock than if she remained with the
gross beast who was her dinner COM
panion. For she PATIENTLY showed
that he Disguised her. Pretty, ex
tremely so, with black hair and
blue eyes and, ] guessed from what
| appeared above the table, charm
ing figure, she belonged to youth,
that her eyes were hard and mer-
cenary made no difference. They
were so merely because advantages
had been denied her. | could dis
Germ that the attentions of her com
panion sickened her.
Yet though | could see her shrink
at the touch of his flabby hand up
on her own, she did not push it
away She smiled and apparently
answered terms of cndearment with
verbal caresses. Unquestionably he
was wealth. Well, | was glad to be
about to leave world where such
things were endured.
l raised my hand to beckon to my
waiter. Then | dropped it, for into
friend, advancing to the table where
sat the couple who had excited my
disguised interest, greeting them
cordially. being hailed delightcdly.
l wondered if these were part of
the gang which l suspected must be
associated with him. Then, noting
Il meaning glance exchanged be-
tween him and the girl, l knew that
while she might be an associate OF
his, her gross companion was, If
not already Il victim, destined to
be one. l postponed my departure.
l had two cigarets left; amusement
would go we'll with my last tobacco.
And inasmuch us my acquaintance
Of the early evening had turned his
back to. me as he sat down, there
was no danger that my presence
would interfere with his plans
provided, of course, that he had any
plans, and that had not misinter-
preted the pregnant glance between
him and the girl.
As I watched the three, the gross
man produced little box, from his
waistcoat pocket. 1t was the sort
of box that would contain ring,
and the sight of it evoked men,
cries. ] wondered that / had not
recognized the hugcfeatured man
before. For years ago | had more
than once entered his jewelry es-
tablishment on Fifth Avenue. l
knew him to be Daragon, one of the
most famous jewelers. of America,
and one of it's most notorious roues.
He had changed greatly since l
had seen him striding pompously
through the aisles of his fashionable
establishment. Added years of loose
living had brought more flesh and
that dead pallor to his face. But l
recognized him; the sight Of the lit