Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-08-17
4 SINISTER INCIDENT


4 SINISTER INCIDENT
A Fragmentary Story Without End
Or Moral
The thin, spicy smoke ofManila cigars
gave a club room 8 sleepy look, which
was increased by Che quota Of illumina.
ton now lacking from several expired
wax lights.
Young De Haas conversation had be-
come somewhat aimless in tone, besides
being briefly but frequently punctuated
with fits of doing. Rice was singing
song at three or four gentlemen, whose
enthusiasm was now but slightly aroused
by the singers toast, "The ladies',
Drumaway sat overlooking the scene.
He was quite alone at that end Of the
table, his immediate neighbors having
gone home or fallen asleep, which
amounted to much the same thing.
Drumway saw everything double and
he slipped his wine now in smiling ap.
prevail of the uproarious efforts Of Mr..
Rice, again as though to remove from
his palate flavor Of stalenesg.
Mr.: Drumway's singularity, or rather
plurality, of vision was not occasioned
by The wine A better und erstanding
Of it might be given by the statement
that there were two Of him. His old
self had lost his heart and lost the lady
she married Reginald Rivers in 1871
lost ambition, and, to some extent per
haps, pride. 1t was this old self chat
approved Of Mr.. Rjce's song and the
empty bottles upon the floor and the
illogical gentlemen at the other end of
the table and the advanced hour to
His new self had gradually acquired
some interest in the business and peo-
pie of the Eastern land, some philoso-
ply wherewth to shield him from the
assaults of circumstance and tempta-
ton. to excess, and sufficient cheerful
ness to render life not altogether un-
pleasant in spite of it's undertone of sad
ness. It Was the new self that looked
upon his present surroundings with a
consciousness of staieness in their flavor
which has been before remarked.
Druanway:s old self had kept him all
night at the club; the new self sum-
moned bis PHILOSOPHY was. per-
haps, no tardier than most peoples
and suggested that it WAS time to go
home. Mr.. Rice had given over sing
ing fact that in his particular case i'm
piled total absence of any one to lis
ten.
The sober New Years dawn faded the
artificial light to q sickly hue, and
seemed to scatter ashes upon the young
face of De Haas as he slept with his
head upon the table.
Excuse me, gentlemen" said DR..
Spooner, looking in at the door, Il
should like"
"Happy New Year! 'S3, and the la
dies! p roared Rice.
Eyes, yes. So it is. The same to you,"
returned the doctor abstractedly, as he
advanced to the table and cast around it
glance. Of thorough acquaintance with
every liver IN the company. Happy
you will swallow glass Of wine, but /
can't stay. The fact is, I've bad case
on hand Poor devil from some ship, I
take il, been knocked down and stabbed
in the thigh, and what with drunken
ness and lying about in the streets SO
Just ran over here to see if, ah-Mr.
Drumway, would you mind holding that
a moment?"
Doctor Spooner filled wine glass until
the liquid trembled above the brim.
Drumway took the glass carefully from
the table, held 1T up for few seconds,
and set it down. Not a drop was
spilled. :,
firm. You don't rnind the sight of blood,
7 Inv
about that. Perhaps you wouldn't object
to render me little assistance in the
operation? Ct will not take long"
"Not in the least" said Drumway.
Young De Haas, with the gray light Of
the morning upon him, would not have
looked whittier had he been dead. Rice
was red and loud. He poured a few
drops of the wine upon De Haas pallid
temple, and drank the remainder Of the
glass to the exceeding good health of
spooner's patients and to 1.-THE ladies,
the dears!"
Walking through the sawmorning air,
and keeping pace with the speedy but
unhurried steps of the doctor, Drumway
felt as though he had been shaken awake
by the reality Of life.
The room which they entered seemed
to pc waiting. It waited for the doctor
when he excused himself and went into
An adjoining chamber waited for the
dull, tagging day, and for the future
scenes of pain and danger. A long ia
BILE stood wa iting for it's next burden
Drumway wondered what had been its
last--and upon one end of it were a case
OF instruments and bottle labelled
"ether"-both expectant. A .signif-
cant scufiing of feet dissipated most of
these Impressions, and they were quite
put to flight by the appearance of the
doctor, experimenting movements of
two coolies who carried faced bum
die which they laid upon the table IS
Spooner directed. The bundle was
dirty and wretched, yet the room and
she table and the Instruments seem ed
to be satiafed now they had got il. The
doctor laia out the instruments to his
mind, and R1nwound the bandages from
the slfferevss leg.
There said he, dipping the ether
bottle upom a sponge, and dividing the |
remark betw,esn DrumWay and himself. |
mo time to be- kost here take It,"
! The meaning .odor of tn ether bottle |
filled the room. -. |
aWhat-What are you going to do?"' |
asked the patient in a stupid, half |
frightened tone, and trying to keep the |
doctor in sight.
.'To save your liffe-T think" |
mol noFs exclaimed the nam, as the I
sponge was placed over his mouth and /
nostrils. Not that! I'd rather"
Hold himw said Spooner; with quiet |
lies astoaishingly