My American Friend.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 246, 14 March 1888, Page 9

My American Friend.

I mrst met him on the landing-stage upon my arrival at New York. Seeing I was a stranger, he was hind enough to volunteer some information that enabled me to clear my luggage quickly and got away. When I thanked him, he laughed in a very goodhumoured manner, and replied that he always took an inteiest in strangers. I wished him good-day and dro\e to the Fifth Avenue Hotel. In the evening J dined at Dolmonico's. At the next table sat my acquaintance of the morning. Wo nodded to each other, and towards the end of the meal entered into com ersation. I found him, like most Americans I have met upon my travels, a thorough citizen of the world and a most amusing companion. V/e spent that evening together at Walluek's Theatre, and parted in the vestibule of the hotel. The following week I was at Boston. Having a couple of hours to spare I dropped into a billiard saloon, and there was my New York acquaintance handling a cue with singular dexterity. At the conclusion of the game, which he won, we had chinks round. He expressed his pleasure at meeting me again, and I left him to catch the evening mail to Chicago. In Chicago J came across him again, this time at the bank, where he saluted me in a most friendly manner while I was talking to the manager, and asked me to wait till he was "through for a liquor up." The next time 1 saw him was at the Jerome Pmk laces, wheie he gave me a tip (which turned out a good one) for the winner. After that I met him at numberless places, but never without celebrating the event by either a meal or a drink. The last time was in Cincinnati, in a gaming- ; house to which I Jiad been token by a Senator to sec "life." My acquaintance seemed absorbed in the mysteries of baccarat, but he gave me a hearty gieeling, a quiet hint to keep my hands oft the cards, and nou to play unless 1 knew with whom I was playing, ordered me a dunk, and then settled down again to the responsibilities of banker. Aftei that, I lost sight of him. It was in the following spiing. I wa* on a pleasure excursion with ..oinc friends to the Upper Mississippi, and had ai lived in a ceibain town, the most important building of which was the gaol. Having a lettev ol introduc tion to the (Jovernor, I p-'esenLed ir> early next morning, and asked permission for my friends and myself to inspect the piisou. "You come at rather an inconvenient time," answered the Governor. "Unfortunately, there is an execution this moming, but, as I daresay your time is p/ecious, I will make on exception in your"iavour." He then called a wanler, and we weicshown round. I found that an American gaol was governed upon a much looeer and far moie free-and-easy system than obtains in England. We had almost finished our inspection and had arrived in a long corridor, when a large door at the othev end opened and what appeiued to be a kind of procession, headed by the Governor and other officials, advanced towards us. We stood on one side to alloy/ it to pass I caught sight of my acquaintance walking along in earnest conversation with another gentleman. There wa« a slight stoppage at that moment while a door was opened, so I took the oppoitunity to step forward and shake hands with him. at the same time asking him if he would lunch with me. "Sorry I can't," he replied, " I shall be some distance off by that time." " Wheie aie you going ?" "WaiU'l guess I don't exactly know. But you'll excuse me just now j I have a most important engagement," "Indeed!" "That's so; an execution, a confounded nuisance it is too, having to get up so early and go out on a wet and miserable morning like this. It's a barbarous custom to hang a man just because he tried a sixshooter on a gentleman who accused him o£ havincr a nine up his sleeve." " They ought to do away with hangingaltogether." "I wish they had! I'vo the strongest objection to it." " Then why don't you stop away now ?" "I can't very well." "Why not?" " Well, the fact is I'm sorter compelled to go. I'm the man that's going to be hanged."