Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-01-25
WHOLE NO. 1851.

sNatchez' in a way that would just
make corpse dance till its teeth
ratified, and that fireman would al.
ways be called in just as we'd got 10
the place where you couldn't tell
what sort of whisky tits you're drink
ing, and, | tell you, twas so heaven
ly that fellow could forgive the
last boat that beat him on the river.
or stold landing from him. And
such whisky as Wees kept | used to
go cruising around the back country.
sampling little lots run out of private
stills. He'd always find nectar, you'd
better believe. Poor old boy th,
tremens took him off at last. H
hove his pilot overheard, jus before
he died, and put bullet into Pete
Langston, his second clcrk-they
were both trying to help him. ]
wish | knew what became of the
whisky he had on hand when be walk
ed otf-no, | don't either; what am
| thinking about But do, though
hanged if | don't !"
Fred grew pale he had heard of
drunkards growing delirious upon
ceasing to drink be had heard of
men, who, in periods of alteration,
were impellei by the action of the
last act of recollection which strong
ly impressed them; what ifathe Cap
tain suddenly become delIrious and
try to throw him overheard or shoot
him ? Fred determined to get the
Captain at once upon the guards
no, into the cabin, where there would
be no sight of water to suggest any
thing dreadful-and search his room
for pistols. But the Captain object
ed to being moved into the cabin.
'Th boys said the captain, allud-
ing to the gamblers, are mighty
sharp in the eye, and like as not
they'd see through my little game,
and then where'd. my putation be?
of the boys reminds me OF
Harry Genang, that cleared out that
rich Kentucky planter at bluff, one
night, and then swore off gambling
for life, and gave goodbye supper
aboard the boat. Twas Just at the
time when Prince Imperial cham
payne came out, and the whole sup
per was made up of that splendid
stuff. guess | must have put away
four bottles, and if I'd known how
much he'd ordered, ] could have
carried away couple. IVe always
been sorry | didn't
Fred wondered if there was any
subject of conversation which would
ant suggest liquor to the Captain ;
he even brought himself to ask ii
Crayme had eoen the new Methodist
Church at Barton since it had been
finished.
ooh, yes,' said the Captain Il
started to walk Mosher home, one
night, after we'd punished couple
of bottles of old crow whisky at our
house, and he caved in all of SUI.
den, and l laid him out on the steps
of that very church till could get a
carriage. Those were my last two
bottles of crow, too it's too bad the
yay the good things of this life ped
die off
The Captain raised himself in his
berth, sat on the edge thereof, stood
up, stared out the window, and be.
gan to pace his room with his head
down and his hands behind his back.
Little by little he raised his head,
dropped his hands, flung himself in.
to chair, beat the DEVILS tattoo on
the table, aprang up excitedly, and
exclaimed
Pm going back on all the good
times | ever had.
your only getting ready to try
pew kind, Sam, said Fred.
'Weli I'm going back on my friends. :
Not on all of them the dead ones
would pat you on the back if they got
q chance
"a world without whisky looks iD-
formally dismal to fellow that isn't
half done living
1T looks first-rate to q fellow that
hasn't got any breakdown in him.
Curse you | wish I'd made you
back down when you first talked tenn
perance to me-
go ahead Then curse your wife
don't be afraid you've been doing
it ever since you married her.
Crayme flew at Macdonald's throat;
the younger man grappled the Cap
tain and threw him into the bunk.
The Captain struggled and glared
like tiger; Fred gasped, between
the sp ecal efforts dictated by self.
preservation
Sam, promised Toto see you
through-and I'm-going to do it.,
tiff have to--break your neck
The Captain made one tremendous
effort Fred braced one foot against
the table, put q knee on the Cap
tain's breast, held both his wrists
tightly, looked full into the Captains
eyes and breathed q small prayer
for his own safety. For moment
or two, perhaps longer, the Captain
strained violently, and then relaxed
all efforts and cried
Fred, you've whipped me-
Nonsense whip YOURSELF ex-
claimed Fred, 'if you'er going to stop
drinking
The Captain turned hia face to the
wall and said nothing but be seem
ed to DO SO persistentIy swallowing
something that Fred suspected a
secret bottle, and moved an investi-
cation So suddenly that the Captain
had no time to wipe his mouth.
Hang it, Fred he said rather
brokenly, show can what's babyish
in men whip full-grown steamboat
Captain ?
The same way that it whipped a
full grown wooden-mill manager
once, | suppose, old boy said Mac
donald,
rs that so?' exclaimed the Cap.aio
astonishment getting so sudden an
advantage over shame that be turn
ed over and looked mis- companion 10