The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-04-18
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the matter.
D So he paused for breath, and in his ar
e dent desire to "tackle" the enemy. 1onr
e ed out another dram and swallowed If:
r Seems to me, Grimes" said a farme,
! who had run into the tavern to warm
!, himself on his way home, "seems to mt
that whisky's a master hand at whippin
you out, and gittin' you into CUTTERS ana
before the courts. I reckon it's too mas.
terful for YOU" :,
''Ob, that amt whisky!', he drawled.
that's pure misfortune and trouble. I'm
awtully poor, and everything works aginn
, poor folks"
swell. don't believe in hard drink.
!, ing myself, but such night as this. sleet-
ing and cutting like razor blade. and ter,
miles of awful road ahead Of me, why.- 4
man needs something to warm HIM " Il
or he'd freeze to death. A stiff toddy:
kolfe' and right off, for I'm in q desper.
ate hurry. Why, Harry Newton" to a
line looking youth who entered the room.
what brings you hear to-Dight:"' ''':'''
I'm on my way to Somers. L heard
Mrs. Rolfe wanted to send parcel to,
her sister there, and so I stopped for it,,
10 Somers tonight! Why, what on
earth are you going there for?' came
from chorus Of voices.
"Father has some business at the bank:
which must be attended to early to.mor-
row. He didn't know anything of it un.s
til late this evening, and he wasn't we'll
enough to 90 himsclf'' =!
"Why, you'll freeze to death, boy" said
the tavern-keeper.
No danger" laughed Harry, "Ive
good horse, and am warmly wrapped
up" -
"1ou can't go on hc4seback, Harry"
SAID Mr.. Harvey. II live, you know, lust
two miles this side of Somers, and you'll
take seat in the buggy with me. You
can take it on to Somers after we oct
home, and if you wish I'll seod you back
mere. Leave your pony here. I'll be
glad to have company tonight
I'm sure I'm ever so much obliged.
Mr.: Harncy,' he answered, gratefully.
I'll 60 in for the bundle, and be back 10
a minute"
Take drink, Harry" said Rolfe, per-
suasively. ''It'll keep the cold out"
"Ihank you, no" he answered, laugh
ing. ut may keep the cold out, but it's
ap, to put something in that's ten times
worse than cold. You know l never
touch liquor, and don't suppose ever
lie walked out, leaving sneerine laugh
behind HIM.
The impotence of that boy" calculated
Bill Grimes, whose face was rcdder and
voice hoarser since he last opened his
lips, "preachiE' to his elders and betters.
and scttin' hlseif above 'em!'
''Oh, he's a good boy" answered Mr..
Rolfe, ''only he's got foolish notions, and
hes set in 'em. Take another toddy, Mr..
Harvey. You'll need all the warmth YOU
can get before you get home"
MIR. Harney. an industrious farmer. was
by no means an habitual drinkcr. No
man abhorred drunkard more than he
did, and weeks and months would elapse
without his touching drop of LIQUOR.
But he thought a total abstinence
pledge was the worst OF folly for men who
could control their appetite for strong
drink.
For Instance, Oh such night as this.
how necessary foddy was to men com.
pelled to expose themselves to inclement
weather. In his utter Ignorance, he be-
llevcd that he laid up store OF warmth
IN his blood with every drink l,e took, to
resist the cold outside. So he swallowed
another toddy, and tclt glowing and COM
'ortable
I'm ready, Mr.. Harney;" and Harry
stood of ho .3n>,
Zone more drink!' cried the solicitous
Mr.. Reeves, and Of course Mr. Harney
could not refuse. But that one drink set
his head whirling very strangely. lie
went to the buggy, scrambled in, and
gathered up the reins.
Il declare, Harry, l can't see we'll to
drive. The colds made me stupid-like.
You know the road, and il you didnt.
old Ball does. Just take the reins. will
you, and let him 90 ahead?'
1t was a pitch-dsrk night, sleeting
heavily, and the cold growing more in
tense every momcnt. The horse made
his way but slowly in the thick mud, and
sometimes stuck fast in a deep hole.
Through Harry's warm coverings, the
cold penetrated until his blood seemed
turning to ice. He spoke to his compan-
ion, but found he was sleeping heavily.
Hes drank too much,' te thought.
"Maybe he'll sleep it off,
So he pulled thick blanket over Mr..
Harncy's shoulders, covered his knees
with the buggy-cloth, and made him as
comfortable as possible. He himself be-
gan to suffer severely, until strange
numbness crept over him. With thrill
of terror, he remembered all he had
heard Of people freezing to death.
"What am I to do? I'm getting SO
drowsy can not keep awake. must try
and get my blood in circulation.'
He jumped out and trudged on foot by
the horse, holding the reins. He stamped
on the ground, leaped up, threw his arm
about, did everything he had ever heard
or read of to keep himself awake and in
motion. He pulled Mr. Harney, shook
him. tried to get him out OF the buggy,
but the drunken stupor could not Le
broken. The man moved groaned little.
but stretched himself in his corner, and
relapsed into his heavy sleep. His hands
were getting cold, and Harry rubbed them
with might and main, until they seemed
warmer.
The poor boy walked along, his heart
heavy as lead, and feeling his strength
failing him. But he pnsl,cd rcsolutcly
on, through cold and darkness, until his
temperate blood began to flow more free
ly in his viens.
When they began to near Mr.. Harney's
farm, he stepped in the buggy again to
examine him. A gray dawn was break
ing in the east, and by its light he saw.
on unfas e"lng the cloak wrapped around
the poor mans head. that his drunken
stupor had passed into death. Will and
strength paralyzed by the zone drink
vitality, and unable to make a struggle to
regain it.
Never did Harry forget the scene when
the poor mans corpse was carried into the