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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 1895)
IHVlBVar?HtMf?4nH THE HESPERIAN ular like the ticking of a clock, but rather like ti wood-pecker; now stopping as though wearied, now beginning afreah. I gathered myself together and proceeded to the place whence came the noise. Two lights as faint stars glimmered in the distance As I ap proached, two dirty, grimy figures appeared picking away at the coal on all sides of them. UI feol awful Btilf. " said one. "This is my forty-third year in the mine. It nover gives out, but become no richer than before. It appears to mo now that I shall nover see the day-light again." Tho younger companion Hpoko kindly to tho old man; "Don't say that Grimsoy don't got discouraged." How pathotic it was that tho young man, not yet thirty, should try to comfort tho haggard, worn patriarch. Ho, himsolf, was bent and furrowed. Yot I could seo that once his figure had been stalwart. I don't know why, but Bomo how a Sampson bound appeals to us more than a lilliputian. As I looked the dust filled my eyes. Whon I clsarod them again tho imp waB standing on his oyster box. "Diamonds are trumps" callod ho. I now sat in a largo danco hall. "And beautiful maidens moved down in the dance With the magic of motion and the sunshine of glance; And white arms wreathed lightly, and tresses fell tree. As the plumage of birds in some tropical tree." Tho music lifted one out of his soul. Tho gods had come back to dwell with tho sons of men. Soon the music ceased. The ladios wore seated or takon to tho drossing room; tho men sauntorod ovortoono cornor. Ono handsome man touched anothor on tho shoulder; diamonds gloamod brilliantly in their shirt bosoms not tho black diamonds that begrimed tho other man a moniont before but those sparkliug ones which are registered and known tho world over. The mon stood immediately in front of mo. Said ono, "Old Grimesy's dead; what'U wo do to fill his place?" "1 don't know" replied the other, "ho owes us rent for two months past; we'll have to turn tho old woman and her brats out, I guess." The military schot tische now began and the two men were gone. In their placo tho imp was grinning on the oyster box. Somewhat anxiously I enquired, "Was ho the king of diamonds?" with reference to tho more handsomely dressod gentleman. "No," said tho imp, "the knave." Then ho cried, "Clubs are trumps." I was standing before a poor tenomont house. Tho two young mon whom I had before soon tho ono in tho mine, tho other in tho ball room wore talking excitod ly on the door steps. "You shan't turn them out," said tho first; "the old woman's sick. She'll die." "But I must and I will," was tho answer. A whistle was put to his lips. Two blue uniformed officers camo running down tho street. "Put this rascal behind tho bars, for blocking tho entrance into my own houso." A fight ensued. Tho young man fought with the strength of a maniac. Ho grabbed a pick; but the two officers had their billies handy; tho clubs struck his head a terrific blow and ho lay stretched upon tho stops. Tho imp again, oven more hatefully grinned at mo from tho oyster box. Ho began to pack up his camera. "Hold," cried I, "you havo not shown mo hearts trumps as yot." "No" hissed he, "hearts are nover trumps with Jealousy." I grabbed him by tho throat. My hands mot each other. The imp was gone. "Hearts, hearts, I say I want hearts u A gentle laugh was the answer. I looked up dazed into tho eyes of Constance, stand ing beside my chair. "Why, what's' the matter?" said she. Then turning to the tall man whom I hated, tho singer upon whom she had smiled, she said, "Ho must have been dreaming of cards." Thon looking Bweotly at me she continued, "My dear, this is my brother Jack. You know ho said in his letter ho was going to surprise ub and 1108 kopt his word." Ned: 0. Aunorr.
