The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-07-19

glittering eyes, like those of some fam
lshed wild animal that scents blood.
s. Have drink, friend? p said the stran-
ger, proffering the flask. Israel Esmayne
shook his head, with set teeth and ividly |
pale cheek.
- never drink, p said he, hoarsely.
You would, guess, if you could get
such stun as this," said the man; s'soft |
as Oil and strong as fire. My father i'm
ported it. There's not much like it in the |
country. Taste, il you don't believe |
me - ~"
Israel stood for a moment, hesitatine.
Then he cast an eager glance to the right |
and to the left, as If half fearful lest some |
one should see him, and grast.ing at the !
sbottle-drank!
The fevered blood mounted to his
cheek; strange sparkle came into his
eyes. ---r,-q,-D-e,- -----..y -.s
'ssHave you got more ike thatg' he
whispered. hoarsely, approaching his
burning lips so closely to the mans ear
that he involuntarily started. "More?"
I've got another flask, but"
"Win you leave it behind? I'll pay
you good price for it,
"What for?''
:. Israel's eyes fell guiltily. "K-in case
of sickness, you know. We can't buy
o~SAA hAAO AOAC"duu IL . a 1OlC 6pOGs
. ou're right enough there" said the
man, laughing, as he drew out another
flat flask, the mate to the first. "Here,
takeit. Pshaw, friend, put up your purse.
You're welcome to it as gift.''
And he was gone, plunging through
the high grass and bushes, all fringed
with scarlet cardinal flowers and noddng
marig olds, before Israel could stay him.
Israel Esmayne crept back to bis house,
or, rather, the rude log cabin which was
sort of hostage that one day real home
should rise on its foundations, holding the
| fiat bottle close to him, and glancing
round with furtive, wandering eyes.
~ needed it, he said to himself; ''yes,
| til tasted it. just one more taste. It
I slips over ones palate, like glass, so
smooth, so rich, SO full Of strength. One
more taste, and Them
| When the clock struck nine the whistle
of the way train sounded faint and far of,
and Israel Esmayne rose uncertainty to
his feet. The subtle, burning fumes of the
liquid flame had entered into his brain !;
the walls seemed to reel about him, the
stars to swim in the great blue armament
overhead. Nothing was real-an was
faint and far off and visionary. But the
chains of habit are hard to shake off and
Israel had gone out at nine O'Clock every
night for year. Cropping his way, and
walking with slow, unsteady steps, he
went, still clasping the partially emptied
flask to his breast in the inner pocket OF
his coat.
He could hear the rush of the river be-
low; he could see the rails of the track
glistening in the faint starlight and me-
chanically feeling under4 cluster of spice
I bushes, for the switch key. he knelt down
and stupidity fumbled there an instant.
ssThe wav train,'' he muttered to him.
self. .'It's all right. And then the freight
train-half past nine-a quarter t" ten
and"
He stopped down by the river-shore and
wet his burning forehead with the COO
drops he could scoop up in the hollow OF
his hand. He sal down on a fallen tree
and let his head fall on his palms. :,
IAN I-drunk?' he muttered, hall
aloud. go God have / come to this IL
spite of evervthing?"
And the memory of Dorothy Beers and
his sacred promise to her rose up In his
mind. as one sometimes remembers prom
ises made to the dad. In all the wild
wide. reeling, rocking world of his brai1
there was but one certainty. He had los
, Dorothy, his soft stepping, sweet-eyed
redeeming angel-the one in all the worlt
who loved and trusted him most implicitly
81 don't deserve her." he thought
scarce able to shape detirite thought IN nj
chaotic mind; ''but-if had only fallel
down dead before-before l touched tina
accursed stuff! She would have believed
in me then"
The fresh, cool night air on his brow
was sobering him a little; the touch o
: the cold river-water cleared the mists 9
his clouded brai in some degree. ID
rose up, steadying himself by the slende
stem of a young white-birch tree ina
q grew close beside him, and looked around
: Hark! A clear whistle, half mil
Il away, cleaving the ilence like the call Q
:, some sweet-throated bird.
It was the express, whose plume OF III
y rid smoke spanned half continent-th
{ long serpent-like train, glitteringo wit
lights, and carrying great eye OF fire
Il front, which nightly thundered over In
line of rails, and shot like a meteor out
! sight into the hush and silence Oh Ill
- woods, Westward bound.
The way train passed at nine, MAKING
u brief stoppage at Hurstiey sta1lon ~ ~
d form on either side. Half an hour atte
II ward slow and heavy freight-traln 10
3. lowed it. running off on side track q
E. ward the river until the express shoui
a have M safely passed. And it was tt
"a snecial business of Israel Esmayne to g
the switch for the freight, and subsequen
d ly replace it for the hurrying express
Had he done this? =
70 With an awful doubt poisoning b
OF heart. he pressed his hands 20 his tempt
X and tried to think. He had been there
IL he could recall just how the deWy ral q
looked, wet and glistening in the starligh
I'd He had had the switch key in his ma hana ID