The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-06-19
AN :OLD SCHOOL FRIEND.

Ihe Sad Condition to Which He Was
Brought by the Demon Drink-His First
Pledge.
1t was cold, sour eve with nothing
suggestive of spring or flowers, save
the boys and girls in merry glee hang
ing their May baskets sparse of flow
ers-jerking the bells with such gusto
that some were seriously manned :
their rushing te-he-ing'' under the
covert of post or tree to watch the
recipient open the door and obtain the
gift.
Jack and had waited upon the door
by turns all the evening with fair sue
cess. But alas! when the basket gave
out, the bell kept ringing, and Jacks
temper began to get frayed and give
out also.
"Oh, it is not worth losing your
temper over said, soothingly, after
he had made two unsuccessful trips to
the door, only to receive volley of
laughter from the boys and girls hid
behind lilac bush. ave will pay no
further attention to the door, and the
fun will cease"
So it proved.
We retired at a seasonable hour,
leaving a light in the sitting-room
Presently we were awakened from 9
sound sleep by another ring of the bell,
just as the clock was striking ten.
Those rascals!" cried Jack.
s' l don't believe it is the boys" |
said. 1T didn't sound like them--it
was too faint and timid There!
don't you seen' as there followed
another ring.
Eyes, | see! but they can't fool me
again with such trickr' was the OBJ
stinate reply as he turned over for nap.
The remainder of the night, however,
was undisturbed save as I was occa-
sionally awakened by the continual
tramp, tramp, back and forth in front
of our house; but supposing it the boys
we soon ceased to be annoyed by it.
In the cold gray of the following
morning I was awakened by hearing my
husband in earnest conversation with a
strange voice in the kitchen-I could
not make it out, neither the subject that
engrossed them. Presently Jack
stepped to the bedroom door, saying:
Il have started the fire, Aurelia, and
will be back soon"
And he was gone before could ask
a question to satisfy my curiosity, which
was at its height when a moment later
| saw my husband going down the
walk in close conversation with q tall,
wel[built stranger wearing a silk hat
These were all The points I had time to
note before they turned the corner and
were out of sight.
In the course of two hours Jack re-
turned, but alone.
"Who was your mysterious morning
caller?" l asked, with ill-concealed GU
rioslty, as we sat down to the savory
breakfast.
':An old school friendr' was the
somewhat short reply.
Noticing his desire to conceal some
thing, was, of course, bristling with
interrogation points.
''It's no use, I see," said Jack,
breaking into sunny laugh at my
many questions, "and perhaps ought
to tell you, though the poor fellow
begged I would not mention it to YOU.
His name is Burt Latimer-we were
schoolmates at Hilton Academy twenty
years ago. He was a bright, generous
fellow-his father was wealthy, and
Burt always had lots of money. 1t
seems that he is married and living in
New York, and travels for large
wholesale firm there-has for number
of years. He confesses he has drank
moderately for some time and occa-
sionally had spree
"It seems that while wait NJ here an
hour for the train, a fellow hummer in
vited him to one of our first-class hotels
to pass the time. They got to drinking,
and after the fellow had helped Burt
spend generous sum of money he left
him here in strange place, penniless
and dead drunk.
/! ''That was two weeks ago, and ever
since he has been on a terrible spree
He pawned and re-pawned his clothes
until he was almost naked, and had
absolutely. nothing with which to pur-
chase liquor or lodgings, and for week
he has walked the streets nights, and
gradually got sober enough to realize
what has happened.
Outdoors in these drenching night
ralnsP" / cried, the tears filing my
eyes.
Eyes; and he has scarcely tasted food
in all this time. He began his debauch
at the stylish bsr of Hotel De LEVER, but
went from grade to grade, until he took
his last drink at the lowest groggery in
Thieves Alley
''Oh! isn't it terrible! But how did
he happen 60 find us?''
''Well, as he came to himself he tried
to think how he could get some decent
clothes and get home. George! twas
dark outlook! Finally, he said, he
recalled the fact that I lived here when
at school-that my father was wealthy,
and that was good. generous fellow,
to use his words. So he got directory
and found us; and he is the fellow who
rung the bell at ten o clock last night"
There, what did tell your
''And patrolled the street until morn
ing, watching to catch me when first
got up. tell you the poor fellow was
blue with cold and drenched with rain,
and glad enough to see fre!''
but why didn't you ask him to stay
to breakfast?''
Il did, of course, but l couldn't per-
suade him, he is SO used up over look
ing So"
s'But what can we do for him?n |
asked, seriously realizing that we now
belonged to that class 'swho had seen
better days.
'.Not much, [ fear, but he says if he
can get to L he has cousin there
who can help him to clothes and money.
think can get some of the boys to
pass him as far as L.. He will be
around sson and am going with him
to see"