The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-08-21
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| drink soda, but the suggestion, coming a:
| it did in his exhausted state, was over
towering. He drew near awkwardly, put
| on his glasses, and examined the list OF
| SvrupS with great care. The young man
| being for the moment at leisure. surveyed
critically the gaunt figure, the faded ban
dana, the antique claw hammer coat and
the battered stove-pipe hat, with a gradu-
| ally relaxing countenance. He even called
| the prescription clerks attention by a
cough and quick jerk of the thumb. The
| prescription clerk smiled freely, and con-
| tinued his assaults upon piece of blue
mass.
Il reckon" said the Elder, resting his
hands upon his knees and bending down to
| the list, ''you may gimme sassprilla an q
| little strawberry. Sassprilla's good foI
the blood this time er year, an straw
| berry's good any time"
The spruce young man let the svrur
stream into the glass as he smiled atfablv.
| Thinking, perhaps. TO draw out the odd
character. he ventured upon a Jest him.
self, repeating pun invented by the man
| who made the first soda fountain. With q
sweep of his arm he cleared away the
swarm of insects as he remarked: "People
who ike fly in theirs are easily accom-
modated."
1t was from sheer good mature only that
Elder Brown replied, with his usual broad
social smile: "Well, a fly now an then
! don't hurt nobody"
Now if there is anybody in the world
who prideS himself on knowing thing or
two. it is the spruce young man who pre-
sides over a soda fountain. This particular
young gentleman did not even deem a
reply necessary. He vanished an instant,
and when he returned close observer
might have seen that the mixture in
the glass he bore had slightly changed
color and increased in quantity. But the
elder saw only the whizzing stream of
water dart into its center, and the rosy
foam rise and treml.e on the glass's rim.
The next instant he was holding his breath
and slipping the cooling drink.
As Elder Brown paid his small score he
was at peace with the world. firmly be-
lieve that when he had finished his trading.
and the little blue-stringed packages had
been stored away, could the poor donkey
have made his appearance at the door, and
gazed with his meek, fawn-like ewes into
his masters. he would have obtained full
and free forgiveness.
Elder Brown paused at the door as he
was about to leave. A roSv-cheeked
schoolgirl was just lifting a creamy mix
ture to her lips before the fountain. 1t was
pretty picture, aud he turned back. re-
solved to indulge in one more glass of the
delightful beverage before beginning his
long ride homeward.
Fix it up again, sonny" he said, re-
newing his broad, confiding smile, as the
spruce young man poised a glass inquir-
ingly. The living autOmaton went through
the same motions as before, and again
Elder Brown quaifed the fatal mixture.
What singular power is habit: Up to
this time Elder Brown had been entirely
innocent of transgressiOn, but with the old
alcoholic fire in his veins, twenty years
dropped from his shoulders, and feeling
4,
has been ''in his cups" As matter of
fact. the elder would have been a confirmed
drunSard twenty years before had his wife
been less Strong-minded. She took the
reins into her own hands when she found
that his business and strong drink did not
mix well. worked him into the church. and
sustained his resolutions by making it
difficult and dangerous for him to get to
his toidy. She became the business head
OF the family, and he the spiritual. Only
at rare intervals did he ever "backslide"
during the twenty years OF the new era,
and Mrs. Brown herself used to say that
the sugar in his'n turned to gall before
the backslide ended" People who knew
her never doubted it.
But Elder Browns sin during the re-
mainder of the day contained an element
ofresponsibility. As he moved majestically
down toward where Balaam slept in the
sunlight. he felt no fatigue. There was a
glow upon his cheek bones. and . faint
tinge upon his prominent nose. He
nodded Familiarity to people a. be met
them, and saw not the look of amusement
which succeeded astonishment upon the
various faces. When he reached the neigh
borhood OF Balaam it suddenly occurred to
him that he might have forgotten some one
of his numerous commissions, and he
paused to think. Then brilliant idea rose
in his mind. He would forestall blame
and disarm anger with kindness-he
would purchase Hannah bonnet.
What woman's heart ever failed to soften
at sight of a new bonnet.
As have stated, the elder was q man OF
action. He entered a store near at hand.
sc BOD morning." said an affable gem
tleman with, a Hebrew countenance, ap.
preaching.
",iood-rnornin'. oi-mornin'." said the
Elder, piln, his buniies Oh tho counter.
Il hope You ara weli:" Elder Brown ex-
tended his hand fervidly.
''Quite well, thank YOU. What"
'And the little wife:" said Elder Brown,
affectiOnately retaining the Jews hand.
"Quite well. SIR"
''AnC the little ones-quite well, hope,
too:''
"Yes, sir: all well. Aank you. Some
thing can do for vou:'
The affable merchant was trying to re.
call his customers name.
Not now, not now, thankee. II you
please to let my bundles stay untell l come
back"
Cant 1 show you something: Hat,
coat
Mot now. Be back bimeby."
Was it chance or fate that brought Elder
Brown in front of bar. Tn. glasses
shone bright upon the shelves as the swing
ing door tapped back to let out a coatless
clerk. who passed him with rush, chew
Ing upon a farewell mouthful of brown
bread and bologna. Elder Brown beheld
for an instan: the familiar scene within.
The screws of his resolution had been loos-
ened. At sight of the glistening bar the
whole moral structure of twenty years
came tumbling down. Mechanically he
entered the saloon. and LAID a silver quar-
ter upon the bar as he said:
"A little whisky an suger.' The arms
OF the bartender worked like a fakr'S in
a side show as be set out the glass with its
little quota OF short Swe-tening" and
cua- glass decanter, and sent half-tumbler
of water spinning alonc from the upper
end of the bar with q dime in change.
WHISKY is hisher'n Used TO be- said
Elder Brown: but the bartender was
taking another order. and lid not hear him.
Elder Brown stirred away the sugar, and
let a steady stream of red liquid flow into
the glass. He swallowed the drink as un-
as though his morning tod had
never been suspended, snd pocketei the
'But il ainA my better than it
was" he concluded. as he passed out. He
did not even seem to realize that he had
done anything extraordinary.
There was millinery store up the street, |
and thither with uncertain step he wended
his way, feeling a little more eIate, and |
altogether socisbie. A pretty, biack-eyed 4!
girl. struggling to keep down her mirth, !
came forward and faced him behind the (.
counter. Elder Brown lifted his faded hat |
With the politeness, II not the grace, Of = !