The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-09-04

his own land, not forty rods away,
a dead man was lying, who had per-
haps persisted from lack ofproperfood
ard care! Then a better sentiment
stirred his heart. He was a narrow
souled man, but nothard- hearted.
Take your lantern andcome ahead,
Martin; no morgue on my premises, if
| can help it."
They stepped out into the chill and
darkness, carefully locking the door
behind them as a precaution against
iawless mtruders. As they left behind
them the tall lumber-piles with their
scent of the woods, and ap-
preached the border of Mission Creek,
malarial poisons filled the air, and a
host of unsavory odors assailed them.
Reeking vapors seemed to arise from
the putrid heaps and clutch at their
throats with phantom fingers. Their
feet slipped and sank into the masses
OF fostering decay. 1t was Brewster's
first visit to this choice portion of his
recently acquired possessions, and
the thought came to his mind that it
was a poor stick of q man who would
deny a fell%ow-creature the hospitality
OF such an accursed spot, on any other
grounds than that OF it's total unfit
ness for human occupancy. Suddenly
Martin brought up with a short step,
swinging his lantern around to illumin-
ate the spot for his employers inspec-
ton.
!fHere we are SIR rs
Brewster leanedforward anddescried
q low, irregular structure, notfourfeet
above the ground at it's highest point.
His preconceived notions OF the style
OF building operations pursued in these
primitive dwellings We're completely
overturned. Instead of neat and shin
ing rows OF tin cans, rising tier D O
tier into a pretentious and %fanciful
structure, he beheld u rudeframe work
of refuse boards, imperfectly covered
with rusty strips of tin, an humble de-
fence against wind and weather; the
merest Notwithstanding. He had
time to take but a cursory glance at
these details, when a weak voice from
the interior hailed the visitors
"Who's there?"
Brewster hesitated a minute before
replying. He could not announce
himself as a friend, for his mission was
far from friendly. He resolved to pre-
sent himself on strictly neutral
grounds.
"Your landlord"
Sorry not to give you a more fit
ting reception, mine host, but as I'm
hardly in shape to receive company
it you'll be kind enough to slip your
bill under the door"
Brewster's dignity was offended. 1t
was all very well for him, the. man of
property and position to condescend
ajoketo the vagabond who trespassed
on his domain;for the rascalto presume
to assume a jocular tone towardshim
in turn, was mtolerable! He thought
of the underwriters and the increased
premium, and interrupted the fellow
angrily.
"Comenow, this won't do! Get out
ofnere, and away with you!"
Sorry to be unable to comply with
your polite request, sir, but ! don't
think | could walk verv far tonight"
"Humbug! i want you to under
stand that you are on my ground, sir.
Every moment you stay endangers my
property. Out of this place in two
minutes, orI1lhaveyouunder arrest"
Brewster had worked himself into a
fine rage, and felt that he was acquit-
ting himself with credit. His self
congratulatory meditations were in
te1rupted by movement within the
tramp'sdomicile. The highest section
of the roof a pushed away by a
thin hand, and a tall erect figure rose
through the aperture like ajack-in-the-
box. Something more than the unex-
pected nature of the apparitioncaused
Brewster to fall back with a start, as
il he had seen q ghost. He was not a
fanciful man, but theuncannylocality,
thenoisome smells, the curling wreaths
of vapor, the moon strugglingto pierce
the thick veil OF mist overhead, cou-
pied, perhaps, withS the afternoons
"reminiscences, carried him back twenty
wears, and he was in the pens of An
Jacksonville, waking from q troubled
sleep to see the thin form of Lenoir
stealing to his side at midnight, to
thrust into the lads pocket a crust OF
bread saved from his own scanty ra-
tions. He put the recollection of that
-wretched experience resolutely from
his mind, but it left it's impression.
Along with visionary plans OF
riotous feasts and gluttonous indul-
gence commonly planned by hungry
men in such extremities, to be carried
out in case of release, he had taken
one solemn oath. He hadvowed that
if ever he escaped from that wretched
hole, SO lived and had it in his power
he would never fail to feed a hungry
human being. Through all the fluctn-
ations of his business career and the
manifold duties of his busy life he had
kept this pledge inyiolate, as many a
drunken loafer and disreputable bum
mer in Steuart-st. could attest. Re
solve had grown into a principle OF
action, and principle into habit. He
recalled this custom now.
"Here, sir; this will get you a round
meal down yonder," nodding in the
direction OF the cheap eating.houses in
Fourth-st., as he extended a quarter
he had extracted from his trousers
pocket, carefully weighing it in his
hand to make sure that he was in no
danger of giving away q gold piece by
mistake.
"Do you think that ifIwanted chart
ty ! would be occupying this palatial
mansion and fasting until refuse gar
bage seems a mess for a king?"
Brester recalled what Martin had
said, and drew back his well-meant Of
fering with n sense of personal injury.
"Oh, come now! Be off, like a good
fellow, and make no more trouble"
The lumberman was impatient to
bring the interview to aclose. He still
fingered the silver-piece with an uneasy
sense that it would be better in the
possession of vagabond. The man
raised his tattered hat, with a mock