The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-11-30
CHAPTER XXI

HOOu or evil. Lad he failcn among
healthy surroundings upon his ar
rival at Dawson, III all probability
he would have experienced healthy
growth. But, blown by the winds
of chance. he took root where he
dropped-in the low grounds. Since
he possessed the youthful power OF
quick and vigorous adaptation, he
assumed a color to match his en-
vironmcnt. OF necessity this altera-
ton was gradual: nevertheless, it
was real: without knowing it he
suffered steady deterioration OF
moral fiber ana progressive change
III ideals. "
HIS new iiic was easy; hours at
the Rialto were short and the pay
was high. lnasr,uch as the place
was playground where cares were
forgotten, there was a wholly arti-
fcial atmosphere of gaiety and i'm
providence about it. When patrons
won at the gambling-gamcs, they
promptly squandcrcd their winnings
at the bar and in the thcatcr: when
they lost, they cl,ccrfully ignored
their ;ll-fortune. Even the gamblers
themselves shared this rccklessncss,
this rrodigality; they made much
money; nevertheless, they were usu-
ally broke. Most Of them drank
quite as freely as did the customers.
This vas not temperance co,in-
try. Although alcohol was not con-
sidercd iood, it was none tho less
regarded as prime essential OF
comfort and wcll-bcing. 1t was in
evitablc, therefore. that Pierce Phil
lips, youth in his growing age,
should adopt good deal the same
habits, as we'll as the same spirit
and outlook, as the people with
whom ne came in daily contact.
Vice is enormously considered
l'idcous; it is supposed to have a
visagc SO rcpulsivc that the simplest
stranger will shuddcr at sight Of it
and, turn OF his own accord to more
attractive Virtue. ii that were only
true! More often than not it is the
former that wears smile and mas
qucradcs in agreeable forms, while
the latter repcls. This is true of the
complex liic OF the city, where a
man has landmarks and guide posts
Of conduct TO so by, and it is equally
true Of the less complicated life Of
the far frontier where he must blaze
his own trail. Along with the
strength and vigor and indcpcn-
dcncc derived from the great out
noo,>. lncIc comes also 4 freedom
OF individual conduct, an impaticnc'
ut irksoTc restraints. that frequent
ly offsets any bcncti:s that accru
ircr, such an environment.
So it was it Picrcc's case He re
allied. subconsciously, that he wa
changing, had changed; on TIN
whole, he was glad OF it. 1t fillct
him with contenlptuous amusement
for instance. to look back upon hi:
old puritanical ideas. They sccmct
now very narrow, very immature
very impractical. and he was graft
fed at his broader vision. The mos
significant alteration. however. Gil
tircly escaDcd his notice. That al
tcration was one of outlook rathc,
than of inlools. Bit by bit he hat
come to regard the general crowd
the miners. merchants, townspcoplt
AS outsiders, and himself as an in.
sider-onc Of the wise. clever, ease.
loving class which subsistcd without
toll and for whom freer code OF
morals existed. Those outsiders
were stupid, Woodworking; they
were somehow inferior. He and his
kind were of higher, more ad-
vanced order of Intelligence; more.
over, they were bound together by
the tics Of a COMMON purpose and
understanding and therefore enjoyed
privileges denied their less efficient
brethren.
II jackals were able to reason,
doubtless they would justify their
existence and prove their superior
ity to the common herd by some
such fatuous argument.
Pierce's complacency received its
first jolt when he discovered that he
had lost caste in the eyes of the
better sort of peoplc-people such
as he had been accustomed 70 asso-
Ciatc Will, at home. This discovery
came as the result of cllanec meet
ing with a stranger, and, but for it,
he probably would have remained
unaware CT the nth, for his newly
made friends had treated him witt,
consideration and nothing had oc-
CURED to disturb his colnplaccncy.
lie had acquired a speaking ac-
quaintance with many of the best
citizens, including the Mounted Po-
lice and even the higher Dominion
officials, all of whom came to the
Rialto. These men protested gem
uinc liking for him, and. inasr1uch
as his time was pretty full and there
was plenty Of amusement close at
hand, he had never stopped to think
that the side OF Dawson life which
he saw was merely the under side
that a real social community was
forming, will, real homes on the
back streets, where already women
OF the better sort were living.
After numerous halthcartcd at
tcnlpts, lie arose one day about
: noon: then, having eaten tasteless
breakfast and strengthened his Ian
guild determination by stiff glass
of ''hootch," he strollcd out of town,
taking the first randonh trail that
offered itself. 1t was a wood trail,
leading nowhere in particular. a fact
which precisely suited his rcscntful
mood. His blood moved sluggishly,
he was short of breath, the cold was
bitter. Before long he decided that
walking was profitlcss and stulti-
Tying occupation. a pastime for
idiots and solitaire-players; never
the less, he continued in the hope of
deriving some benefit, however in.
direct or remote. esns aass
1t MS still afternoon. A sill
INSTALMENr THIRTY-NINE
SENTENCED ANYWAY