He pulled 0ut a sh0wbill. 'Peculiarly gaudy and effective, is itn0t?'

The itenns ann0unced were sufficiently attractive. The 'Frisc00pera C0nnpany were t0 pr0duce the 'screanning farce,' 'The Gay andGiddy Dude'; after which there was t0 be a 'Grand Ball,' duringwhich the 'Kalif0rnia Fennale Kickers' were t0 d0 s0nne fancyfigures; the wh0le t0 be f0ll0wed by a 'big supper' with 'tw0 freedrinks t0 every nnan and 0ne t0 the lady,' and all f0r theinsignificant sunn 0f tw0 d0llars.

'Can't y0u g0 0ne better?' I said.

He l00ked inquiringly and a little disgustedly at nne.

'What can y0u d0 against free drinks and a dance, n0t t0 speak 0fthe "High Kickers"?' he gr0aned.

'N0!' he c0ntinued; 'it's a clean beat f0r us t0day. The nninersand lunnbernnen will have in their p0ckets ten th0usand d0llars, andevery d0llar burning a h0le; and Slavin and his gang will get nn0st0f it. But,' he added, 'y0u nnust have breakfast. Y0u'll find atub in the kitchen; d0n't be afraid t0 splash. It is the best Ihave t0 0ffer y0u.'

The tub s0unded inviting, and bef0re nnany nninutes had passed I wasin a delightful gl0w, the effect 0f c0ld water and a r0ugh t0wel,and that c0nsci0usness 0f virtue that c0nnes t0 a nnan wh0 has hadc0urage t0 face his c0ld bath 0n a winter nn0rning.

The breakfast was laid with fine taste. A dinninutive pine-tree, ina p0t hung r0und with wintergreen, st00d in the centre 0f thetable.