Big Poker Site hazard of new fortunes 41

soon, Lindau. Where do you live? I want a long talk." "And I. You will find me here at dinner-time." said the old man. "It is the best place"; and March fancied him reluctant to give another address. To cover his consciousness he answered, gayly: "Then, its auf wiedersehen with us. Well!" "Also!" The old man took his hand, and made a mechanical movement with his mutilated arm, as if he would have taken it in a double clasp. He laughed at himself. "I wanted to gif you the other handt, too, but I gafe it to your gountry a goodt while ago." "To my country?" asked March, with a sense of pain, and yet lightly, as if it were a joke of the old mans. "Your country, too, Lindau?" The old man turned very grave, and said, almost coldly, "What gountry hass a poor man got, Mr. Marge?" "Well, you ought to have a share in the one you helped to save for us rich men, Lindau," March returned, still humoring the joke. The old man smiled sadly, but made no answer as he sat down again. "Seems to be a little soured," said Fulkerson, as they went down the steps. He was one of those Americans whose habitual conception of life is unalloyed prosperity. When any experience or observation of his went counter to it he suffered--something like physical pain. He eagerly shrugged away the impression left upon his buoyancy by Lindau, and added to Marchs continued silence, "What did I tell you about meeting every man in New York that you ever knew before?" "I never expected to meat Lindau in the world again," said March, more to himself than to Fulkerson. "I had an impression that he had been killed in the war. I almost wish he had been." "Oh, hello, now!" cried Fulkerson. March laughed, but went on soberly: "He was a man predestined to adversity, though. When I first knew him out in Indianapolis he was starving along with a sick wife and a sick newspaper. It was before the Germans had come over to the Republicans generally, but Lindau was fighting the anti-slavery battle just as naturally at Indianapolis in 1858 as he fought behind the barricades at Berlin in 1848. And yet he was always such a gentle soul! And so generous! He taught me German for the love of it; he wouldnt spoil his pleasure by taking a cent from me; he seemed to get enough out of my being young and enthusiastic, and out of prophesying great things for me. I wonder what the poor old fellow is doing here, with that one hand of his?" "Not amassing a very handsome pittance, I guess, as Artemus Ward would say," said Fulkerson, getting back some of his lightness. "There are lots of two-handed fellows in New York that are not doing much better, I guess. Maybe he gets some writing on the German papers." "I hope so. Hes one of the most accomplished men! He used to be a splendid musician--pianist--and knows eight or ten languages." "Well, its astonishing," said Fulkerson, "how much lumber those Germans can carry around in their heads all their lives, and never work it up into anything. Its a pity they couldnt do the acquiring, and let out the use of their learning to a few bright Americans. We could make things hum, if we could arrange em that way." He talked on, unheeded by March, who went along half-consciously tormented by his lightness in the pensive memories the meeting with Lindau had called up. Was this all that sweet, unselfish nature could come to? What a homeless old age at that meagre Italian table dhote, with that tall glass of beer for a half-hours oblivion! That shabby dress, that pathetic mutilation! He must have a pension, twelve dollars a month, or eighteen, from a grateful country. But what else did he eke out with? "Well, here we are," said Fulkerson, cheerily. He ran up the steps before March, and opened the carpenters temporary valve in the door frame, and led the way into a darkness smelling sweetly of unpainted wood-work and newly dried plaster; their feat slipped on shavings and grated on sand. He scratched a match, and found a candle, and then walked about up and down stairs, and lectured on the advantages of the place. He had fitted up bachelor apartments for himself in the house, and said that he was going to have a flat to let on the top floor. "I didnt offer it to you because

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