The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-09-20
~ a SINISTER INCIDENT.
A Fragmentary Story without End or
Moral

The thin, spicy smoke of Manila ci-
gars gave club room sleepy look,
which was increased by the quota of il
lun ination now looking from several
expired wax lights. -y..a.aa,
Young De Haas conversation had be-
come somewhat aimless in tone, besides
being briefly but frequently penetrated
with fits of doing. Rice was singing
a song at three or four gentlemen,
whose enthusiasm was now but slightly
aroused by the singers toast 1.-The
ladies'"
Drumway sat overlooking the scene.
He was quite alone at the 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-
proval of the uproarious efforts of Mr..
Rice, again as though to remove from
his palate flavor of staleness.
Mr.. Drumway's singularity, or rather
plurality, of vision was not occasioned
by the wine. A better understanding
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 lost
pride. 1t was this old self that approx
ed of Mr. Rice's song and the empty
bottles upon the floor and the illogical
gentleman at the other end of the table
and the advanced hour to which the
clock decorously pointed. His new self
had gradually acquired some interest in
the business and the people of the East
ern land, some philosophy wherewith to
shield him from the assaults of circum-
stance and temptation to excess, and
sufficient cheerfulness to render life not
altogether unpleasant in spite of its un-
dertone of sadness. 1t was the new self
that looked upon his present surround
ings with a consciousness of staleness in
their flavor which has been before re-
marked.
Drumway's old self had kept him ali
night at the club the new self sum-
moned his hilosophy-which was, per-
haps, no tardier than most peoples s.
and suggested that it was time to 60
home. Mr. Rice had given over sing
ing, fact that in his particular case
implied total absence of any one to
listen.
The sober New Years dawn faded
the artificial light to 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, q
should like"
Happy new year 'S3, and the
ladies :" roared Rice.
Yes, yes. So it is. The same to
ycu," returned the doctor, distracted
ly, as he advanced to the table and cast
around it a glance of thorough acquain-
tance with every liver in the company.
Happy New Year to you Mr.. Drum
way. Thank you, Twill swallow glass
of wine, but can't stay. The fact is
I've a bad case on hand. Poor devil
from some ship, take it, been knock
ed down and stabbed in the thigh, and
what with drunkenness and lying about
in the streets so long, the, ah, leg has
to come off / just run over here to see
if, ah-Mr. Drumway, would you mind
holding that moment
Doctor Spooner filed wine glass
until the liquor trembled above the
brim. Drumway took the glass care
fully from the table, held it up few
seconds and set it down. Not drop
was spilled.
"Good said the doctor. +" Nerves
firm. You don't mind the sight of
blood, suppose ? Some people are
peculiar about that Perhaps you
won't object to render me little assist
ance in the operation ? 1t 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
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 6ears !"
Walking through the raw morning air
and keeping pace with the speedy, but
unhurried steps of the good doctor,
Drumway felt as though he had been
shaken awake by the reality of life
The room which they entered seemed
to be waiting. 1t waited for the doctor
when he excused himself and went into
an adjoining chamber waited for the
dull, tagging day, and for future scenes
of pain and danger. Along table stood
waiting for its next bLrden-Drumwav