The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-02-23

AIbl1IAT Ia ACAAlsI AeSDAJ e@-AA~~- -
he read, some one remarked:
sIike enough it's from some woman who's
taken with his style, an wants him TO make
love to her.
Tom began to lay the letter On the bar: but
as the speaker ended the remark, the drunk
ard changed his mind and placed the missive
between his teeth-then he picked up chair
and felled his tormenter to the floor. There
was a dad silence for moment, such as
usually follows any manifestation of honora-
BILE feeling In a bar-room; meanwhile, Tom
went to basin in corner, washed his hands,
took the envelope from its somewhat inap-
propriafe position, and left the room.
What could Mrs. Arthray want OF hima
He supposed that she had forgotten him long
ago. Not that he had forgotten her; he
never saw her in the street-where she al
ways passed him without recognition with
out realizing keenly for monaenss how wide
and deep was the gulf thss sepd1 ated him
from the friends of his youth; for had not
that glorious woman's hand often made his
coat-sleeve feel little fuller than usual In
the old days-had not his voice blended in
the church choir-had not he and she taken
part in many an innocent village frolic9
Some of his early acquaintance had
grown sad and old, but she seemed to
Rave discovered the secret of perpetual
youth. Gould it be that-enraging thought
that now she, who once had been his compan-
ion, wanted him for some menial service on
the morrow, some service such as he was
often called on to do for other peoplea
He went to the stable-loft and broke the
he lady's name, and the line: "At home,
y. 20 ~
"Great heavens" exclaimed Tom, "it must
mean that / am invited to call on her! Then
she can't know that-she can't ever have
seen or heard-she-oh, my God!"
The poor wretch imagined for moment
Mrs. Arthray and himself standing face to
face, and his little strength deserted him SO
entirely that he fell as if struck by paralysis.
He covered his face with his hands, groaned,
swore, cried, ana exclaimed, "awful, awful,
awful"
Suddenly he sprang to his feet, hurried out
of the stable and toward the river. The sun
had set, the shopkeepers were lighting their
lamps, but no matter, "the darker the better, u
muttered Tom to himself; II don't want any
body to see me now" He went through the
least frequented streets, he almost ran, and
before the darkness had entirely closed
around him he reached the shore.
He had meant to end his misery bv sud
den plunge, but his feeble nerves were al
ready exhausted by his unusual exertion, and
he paused to recover courage He tried to
regain strength and resolution, by withdraw
ing from his pocket the little bit of paste
board that had worked such a change i'll his
apathetic, british life. But the spell did
not work as he wished. Into his bewildered
brain came the thought that Alice Arthray
hersef-the handsomest woman in Thornton,
the noblest woman he had ever known or
heard of, had touched that same card-bad
sent it to him. He seemed to profane the
card by touching it, yet at the same time the
insensate thing seemed to be placing before
his eyes incident after incident of his early
life. In imagination he became his old seh
again, and at last he turned again toward
the town, saying to himself
"Better be a happy fool, while it lasts, than
dead one."
But the charm did not last. BY the time
he reached the tavern he had sworn to reform
and then sworn to steal rum and get blind
drunk as soon as possible; he did not keep
either oath, but SUNK into his own place in
the bar-room and gratefully took glass OF
rum which the barkeeper, in admiration OF
the only man who had ever In that room re-
| sented an insult to a lady, silently handed him
| The stuff made him entirely his old self again
| he forgot Mrs. Arthray, his good resolutions
| his bad resolves, and everything else but the
| thought that at II o'clock he was to have q
| pint of whisky, and from daylight of the
| next morning he was to have Unlimited
| liquor for week.
| 1t seemed to him the hours FRI m o'clock te
IL would never pass. He tried to sleep, but
| could not. The smell of the liquor that begar
| to flow in profusion as the evening lounger.
| gathered, almost maddened him, and ht
| begged one man after another to give hin
| Just one drink, but all were obdurate, fol
| they knew of the part that Tom was to play
and they wanted him to be sober enough tx
| do all that was planned for him.
| At the stroke of II, he arose in desperation
and went out Of doors to keep the sight ant
| smell Of his liquid enemy from tormentin,
him any longer. The night was bitter cold
so he sneaked into little bedroom in th,
/ stable, and stole the sleeping coachman'
ulster to keep him warm while he walked; il
| q short time he would have pint of rum
| then he would be warm enough. He tnrnee
| up the great collar of the coat, so that 1
covered his ears; he thrust his hands deep il
| the pockets; he felt gloves; he put them on
Then he laughed to himself and muttered:
GNobody could tell me from gentleman
here in the dark. wonder how it woult
1 feel to wear overcoat and gloves by dayligh
againa By, half feel as if was MAJ
again; wonder
/ What he wondered he could never after
| ward remember, for he suddenly encountered
| something that felt like post, but which, as
1 it fell over, proved to be a man with
| lantern, beside whom woman appeared tx
have been walking.
/ @You stupid fellowin exclaimed the man a.
he regained his feet; "who are you2"
/ "Tom Dolser," replied the drunkard de
| fiantsy: be seemed to have absorbed a grea
deal of courage from the coachnan's Goa
| and gloves 'sNow do you knowT'
| The man with the lantern brushed snow
from his sleeves and muttered something t.
himself, to the effect that he had never heard
the name before and hoped he might never
meet its owner again, but the lady broke int
q musical laugh and exclaimed:
| "What an odd way to meet an old friend
Don't you remember me, Tom, Alice Barrow
| and let me make you acquainted with m,
husband, Mr. Arthray.'
/ 1This materially alters the case,n sal
Arthray, extending his hand. "Any old frien'
Of my wife may run against me in the stree
| whenever he likes
oscar is going to ring the chimes in on
old church tonight, and I'm going with hin
for company" said Mrs. Arthray. 4Won'
you como with us, SO / can chat with yo
about old timesi Oh. Oscar. this very Tor
DoIser beat these very same chimes ON on
wedding -day--didn't you, Tom"
i Eyes" is very small word, but Tom ha
great difficulty in uttering it. He asked hin
self what he was to do in these Unforeseen an
/ embarrassing circumstances. Mrs. Arthra
answered the question by taking one of b
arms and telling her husband to take th
other and hurry along.
/ @Else the year viii get there before us,
she explained. Then, after q little pause, sh
continued: @You don't seem overioyed a
| ,,,nak;,.<r Tor,