The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-03-08

the zine. to please the others. Hecould
not Dear liquor. Phillips might sit and
tipple all night and be comparatively
cool and sober in the end, but single
glass made fool Of Moore; the second
made him mailman.
/ Nobody had ever known him SO witty.
He kept the table in roar. The means
Of such fun was there In abundance. and
they urged him to drink more.
When Charley Hill drank, he grew
surly. you've had enough" be growled.
YOU'D better go home, Moore, to your
mother. wish she and Clara Wilson
might see you, and I'll call onsCIans in
the morning, and tell her how and where
! [ left her sweetheart
Now, in fact, Ned cared more for his
old chum, Hill. than for all the Claras
in the world, but he was in no mood to
bejeered about woman, 80 be faced Hill.
white with rage.
You play the spy, do youl Coward p
As / said, the liquor made him very
snrly. He was reused at once, and
struck Ned full in the face. Ned was
the slimmest of the two, and fell heavily
to the ground. He sprang up and closed
with hiIa and was thrown again and
again, before their companions could sep
arate them.
s.He's a little fellow beside You r
cried Joe Wilson, holding Ned back,
trembling and coloriess. "Shame on
you'll Shame, Hill"
Hill stood dumb and sulky. But the
liquor and defeat had driven Moore
quite mad.
''Let me go. Am l to bear a blow
say, let me go, Joe! l never was
struck before"
There was a dangerous CLEAN in his
eyes, that frightened the boys. Phillips
motioned Joe to take him out He led
him into the cool air outside.
You shall not touch Hill. Ned You
don't know what you're doing, boy.
You know Charley is the best friend
you have in the world wiping the white
foam from his lips "Come, let me take
you home
''Tn go home alone Go in l want
neither help nor advice" He turned of,
and Joe thOughtlessly went in.
Hill had already repented. am over
take him and make it up" he said, rising
and going out. The door closed behind
him.
ats curious" said Phillips, s'that
one or two glasses of vsae should make
such an idiot of that fellow Ned"
There was a sharp cry outside, then a
dull, heavy thud on the ground, and
then silence
When the men rushed cut, Ned Moore
stood, sober and motionless, looking up
ON his old friend, Charley, who quietly
lay before him, with blood oozing from
wounds on his head He had been vio-
lently knocked down, and, as he fell, his
head struck the curb-stone, inficting a
mortal wound
began to write this stery (which,
but for the change of names, is alto
gether true,) simply because l thought
it ought to be told to the thousands of
boys who will read it heEe. But when
the remembrance of the day of pain
that followed comes upon me, l feel that
must be content to set down the facts
as briefly as may bea
The dead boy was taken to his own
home Where his friend had gone who
had killed him, no one knew. In the
confusion he had disappeared. 1t was
curious how strong the remembrance
was now, how near the friendship had
heen between the two boys. Even the
mother of the dead boy placed the guilt
where it belonged.
sit was the wine that did it," she
said, Il have no singer against Ned. He
would have. given his life for my poor
Charley"
But the police were not so lenient-
There was talk of malice being proved
by his watching outside for his friend.
Still, their search was of the feeblest,
and singularly unsuccessful. ''They
were giving him time to escape people
said, under their breath.
1t was gray. cold day in November,
the fOgs lying heavily in the valleys.
Late in the afternoon, Joe Wilson,
mounted on strong, swift horse, left
the town by the by-streets, and crossed
the hills to the South. Just before sun
set he met Ned Moore, wandering aim
lessly by the side of the river.
He rode up to him, and, dismountiAg,
stood beside him.
81 thought I'd find you hereabOuts,
on your old hunting ground. I've
brought you this horse, Ned, and all
the money / could raise You had
better keep IN the hills for day or
two"
But he saw that Moore did not
hear him, though his eyes were fixed on
| his face.
'Fve been waiting to hear" he said
ssIs he dead?"
Joe did not speak.
The boy turned his back on him, and
stood looking in the river.
.'Nobedy blames you, Ned" Joe whis
pered. Charley, himself, if he were
alive"
sIt's not Charley" said Moore, with
the same dry, hard tone. "He knows
how / loved him-he'd forgive nae. It's
mother l think of-mother. It's all
over with me now"
''No, no. There are plenty of chances
yet. Take the money, old fellow, and
the horse. You'll start all fair again.
Ned went on as though he had MOI
heard him. "Tell the boys that it wa.
the liquor. Don't let it ruin their lives
nc # has mine Goodzbve Zoe " H,