152 THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



squash, sweet corn, potatoes; meat — l)eef-steak, stew and lamb 

 chops. Eating what his stomach would allow him of this fare and 

 paying for it in "bits." he made his return to receive instructions. 

 "Back again, Mr. Johnson, well then let us begin," leading him to 

 a back room with cobwebs over the door as portieres, he supposed, 

 with shoes, clothes and everything in disorder, and upon the bed 

 two water spaniel dogs lying peacefully in slumber. No windows 

 for light or ventilation, but a hole in a transom over the door lead- 

 ing to the side street which looked as if the former clerk had with 

 hygienic thought smashed it with a broom. Mr. Johnson, this is 

 your room, as we expect to have you tend to night calls, open at 

 7 A. M. and close at ii P. M." "Do you expect me to sleep here?" 

 he asked. (The picture shone upon him a place good enough for 

 diQgs. is good enough for you.) "You don't expect the proprietor 

 to sleep here do you, Mr. Johnson?" "I don't expect it, Mr. Blake, 

 but a pen like this is just as comfortable for the proprietor as for 

 the clerk." After many words between them and settling with 

 him for telegrams interchanged, Johnson was so angered as to fly 

 back home which was now so far away. Night came' on when he 

 retired at the "Hotel Grande," the best of this modern city of the 

 plains, sleeping in a room of five occupants the best he could. The 

 days wore on, and in a sort of trance wondered what would happen 

 next. Gazing idly from the hotel lobby was often startled by a 

 rumbling sound, a hey-ho, git up, and the old-fashioned mail coach 

 with trunks and packs, cowboys and Indians passed by on its way 

 to ranches and mining camps. Well, Johnson knew that he was 

 now in the heart of the wild and wooly "West," as one day he 

 visited the largest gambling den with another party where hundreds 

 were drinking, singing, shouting, many in private booths playing 

 faro, chips and spinning the roulette wheel, handfuls of gold and 

 silver pieces changing hands every minute, a stage on which vaude- 

 ville performances were given as one of the attractions. In one 

 corner a ticker telling the turn of the races from far and near. 

 Here and there a cowboy sitting with legs perched upon a table, 

 empty chairs around him, with a Colt lying by his side to which 

 no one dared to approach or a brawl would ensue and the whole 

 audience perhaps fall in tumult. The town built on the banks of 

 the Missouri River, depended on a copper smelting and reducing 

 works. Its streets lined with cotton-wood trees to beautify its 

 appearance stood in defiance to the vast plains around. Johnson 

 was much amused in attending the service of a church in which 

 the congregation numbered a dozen or so. 



(to be continued). 



