SATISFYING CONSCIENCE.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 262, 22 March 1898, Page 4

SATISFYING CONSCIENCE .

" John !" " Yes, dear." "Is that you ? You needn't take so much trouble to come in quietly ; I've been awake these three mortal hours. Do you know what time it is ?" "I should say about a quarter after three " " A p-etty time for you to be ecttinc, home, isn't it? Where have you been?" " Over at Mr Fraley's." "Mr Fraley, indeed ! I suppose you mean that d'srcmttable ' Bill' Fraley. Who el?o was there?" " Well, my dear, since it iutercsts you so deeply, the other members ot the party were Dr. Barton, Mr Ncwkirk and Colonel Hall." " A nice s< tof ruffians ! What were you doing ?" " Having a sociable little chat. The time s'ipped " " What else did you do ?" '• Part of the time we played cards." " Fart of the time ! By that I suppose you mean that there were five minutes when you came and before you left that you weren't playing." Acquiescent silence fiom the direction of John, who all this while has been engaged in disrobing, and now, having made ready for slumber, is loth to carry on the exchange of hostilities to the destruction of sweet repose. " What game were you playiDg ? " " Klizabeth, it was a game familiarly known us draw poker. Now, may I hope that yon are satisfied ? I'd like to go to sleep," A brief period of regular breathing followed ; then, in a loud whisper : " John ! ' No answer. " John ! " Another silence, broken only by the sound of respivation from the now unconse'eus sleeper. "John."-" Huh?" " Wake up. Did you win or lose ? " " Won, I guess." More silence. This time John clearly got to sleep. A tug at his elbow brought him to his senses. ■• John, how much did you win ? " " Pono. Gimme rest—go to sleep ! " " Put about how much ? " John sighed. "As nearly as I can recollect, about 42 dols." " Now, aren't you ashamed ! Outrageous ! I never should have thought such a thing in the world. Why, John " " What did you want mo to dolose?" "There's no need trying to treat the matter flippantly. You can just go right back and return every cent of that money to the gentlemen you won it from." •' But they've goDC to bed." "Then the first thing to-morrow morning." John explained the involved character of the pecuniary relationships in which it was possible, he said, for every man to be a loser to cveiy one of his opponents. A return of the spoils was out of the question. The argument seemed satisfactory—for several minutes. Then the prosecution reopened. " I'll forgive you on one condition." " And never mention the subject again? - ' " Yrs." " Name the condition." V That you give me 10 dols. of that money for our missionary society, and every'cent of the rest of it for some new clothes for myself." Ten minutes later :—" I guess 5 dols. ought to do for the missionary society. Don't you think so, John ?"—Chicago Times-Herald.