Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25
Israel looked reaec.ively at the other

would bo pretty tight squeeze.
I'm good walker" said the strang-
er, and as he spoke be drew a fiat pocket
flask frsm his pocket. uucorked il with
his teeth, and drank copious draught.
Israel Esmayne watched him with eager,
glittering eyes. like those Of some famish-
ed wild animal that scents blood.
! "Haye drink, friend 2" said the
stranger, prolfcring the flask. Israel Es-
mayne shook his head, with set teeth and
lividly pale cheek
II never drink" said he. hoarsely.
"You would, l guess, if you could get
such stuff as this" said the man; "soft as
oil and strong as Gre My father import
ed it. There is not much like it in the
country. Taste it, if you don't believe
me-"
Israel stood fer moment. hesitating.
Then he cast an eager glance to the right
and to the left. as if half-f lest some
one should see him, and grasping at the
bottlc-drank
The fevered blood mounted to his cheek;
strange sparkle came into bis eyes.
Have you, got more like that" he
whispered hoarsely, approaching his burn
ing lips SO closely to the mass ear that
he invountarily started. More"
i've got another flask, but"
"Will you leave it behind? I'll pay
you good price for it"
| "What for z" t'--
Israers eyes fell guiltily. "In--in case
Of sickness, you know. We can't buy
such liquor here-and it's lonely spot -
"You are right enough there" said the
man, laughing, as he drew out another
| fiat flask, the mate to the first. Here,
take it, Pshaw, friend, put up your purse
You're welcome to it as a gift"
And he was gone, plunging through
the high grass and bushes, all fringed
with scarlet cardinal flowers and nodding
marigolds before Israel could stay him
Israel Esmaype crept back to bis house,
or, rather, the rude log cabin which was
u sort Of hostage that one day real home
should rise On its foundations, holding the
Hat bottle close to him. and glancing a.
round with turtive, wandering eyes.
II needed it. he said to himself; eyes
needed it. | didn't know how much
until | tasted it. 1t Slips over ones pal
ate like glass 80 smooth, SO nice, 50 full
of strength One more taste, and then"
When the clock struck nine the whistle
of the way train sounded faint and far off,
and Israel E,nlayne rose uncertainty to
bis feet. The subtle, burning fumes of
the liquid flame had entered into his brain;
the walls seemed 20 rec. about him, the
stars to swim III the great firm ament over
head. Nothing was real-~all was faint
and far off and visionary. But the chains
of habit are hard to shake off; and Israel
had gone cut at nine clock every night
for over year Cropping his way. and
walking with slow. unsteady steps, he
went, still elaspipg the partially emptied
fnsk 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 under a cluster of spice
bushes for the switch key, he knelt down
| aud stupidity funbled there an instant
1.-The way train" he muttered to him :
self. ITS all right. And then the
freight train-half past niae--a quarter to
ten and"
He stopped down by the river shore and
wet his burning forehead with the cool
drops he could scoup up in the hollow of
his hand He sat down on a fallen tree,
and let his head fall on his palms.
"Am drunk 7" he muttered, half
aloud, 20 God have come to this in
spite OF everything Z"
A MI ha nf 4
his sacred promise to her rose up in his
mind, as one sometimes remembers prem
ises made to the dead In all the wild,
wide, reeling, rocking world of his brain
there was but one certainty. He had lost
Dorothy, his soft-stepping, sweet-eyed,
redeemng angcl-the one in all the world
! who loved and trusted him most implicit
ly.
II don't deserve her, he thought scarce
able to shape definite thought in his cha
otic mind ''but-if | had only fallen
down dead before-before touched that
accursed stuff. She would have believed
in me then"
The fresh, cool night air on his brow
was SOLDERING him little; the touch of
the cold river water cleared the mists of
his clouded brain in some degree. He
rose up, steadyiug himself by the slender
stem of young white birch tree that
grew close beside him and looked around
Hark A clear whistle, half a mile
away, cleaving the silence like the call of
some sweet throatcd bird
1t was the express, whose plume of
lurid smoke spauned half continent
the long serpent-like train, glittering with
lights, and carrying great eye Of FIRE in
front, which nightly thundered ever the
line of rails, and shot like meteor out of
sight into the hush and silence of the
woods, westward bound
The way train passed at nine, making
brief stoppage at Hurstley station be-
yond, mere wooden shed with platform
on either side. Half an hour afteryard a
slow and heavy freight train followed it,