The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-01-08
w. @. T. u.
sAMuELKTTA DICKSON.

rest.
Nature was in her balmiest mood, fra
GRANGE Heated from tree and plant on
the air that was warm and mellow; the
insects liummed while they sped their
little busy rounds; the butterflies fitted
about III airy lightness as ifthey remem-
bered their former groveling condition,
and now eXulted in their expanded
capacities; the birds sung love ditties to
each other among the green leaves; all
these combined To lu,l the tired SENSES
of the proprietor of the Orient, and he
gradually seemed to lose
of his surroundings.
Suddenly the noise and hustle of city
sounds broke on his ear, and he found
himself in front Of the Orient saloon.
He went in and was surprised to find
no n there.
Presently an old customer came to the
door, Hello, Dan!'' said the proprie-
tor in a CHEEKY, inviting voice.
But Dan did not reply, he held I'm his
hand u bottle having on il large label
OF the Orient saloon, and with Il gnu
ming leer, he pointed his finger down
the open neck.
The proprietor looked in and seemed
to see floating in the red, fiery liquid
within, Dams baby, and while he look
ed the bottle seemed to enlarge; ard
another of Dams children was struggling
with all its feeble energy in the scald-
ing liquid, and soon a third followed.
The proprietor was too astonished TO
do aught but look dumbly at the strange
scene.
The bottle now expanded into a huge
caldron that filled the whole room, the
children mad sunk, and the glaring broth
boiled and seethed, and seemed to
thrust out red tongues like a hungry
beast to seize its prey.
Dan was dancing about the caldron
like a maniac, when the form of mis- wife
appeared; her sweet, pale face like u
lily in red wine, her fair hair floating
On its dark surface. Her eyes looked
b~eseechingly at her raving husband, but
her lips uttered no cry till just as she
pleaded, dan, o Dan, my husband!"
and then she was gone. Dan watched
the circling eddies where she sank, and
then shouting, 80, Nell! darling Nell!"
spIang in alter her.
At this moment, the proprietor heard
a piteous voice say in trembling tones,
'For the love of God, sir, have pity!'
and turning, he saw the bowed form of
al old woman, whose white hair fell
about a face that once must have been
wondrouslv fair, there was q dignity
even now in spite of her suppliant at
titude.
"What is it, good mother" asked the
proprietor.
"Do not call me mother, while you
are running my only child. O, sir! do
have mercy on a widowed mother, and
spare my son."
"Who is your SOM"
"Do you not know Ned who spends
his whole time in this accursed place.
',Oh! you are Ned's mother, are you?
l can't help it because he is so weak
that a glass of beer will turn his head.
He will drink somewhere, he can't let
drink alone"
80, sir!" cried the anguished mother,
with clasped hands and streaming eyes,
"if you saw a helpless babe living in
your path, would you drive headlong
over it, because it was weak and could
not get out of the way of danger? My
poor boys father left him lands and
gold, but also a terrible inheritance in a
weak will that cannot resist temptation,
cannot say, MOP to the fiery passion
and appetite that control him. | beg
you, don't yon give HIM drink, o, pity
an old mothers grief"
Just at this instant Ned himself came
staggering along, seeing his mother
frenzied him, and he heaped abuses up
on her and cursed her fercely, and see
ing the caldron, he seized her and jump
ed into Tie fiery lake.
Another figure appeared now, stand
ing by the rim of the caldron, a man of
noble mein, on whose brow was a laurel
crown, the reward of foresic struggles
and triumph. The proprietor recog-
niZed him as one of his newest custom
ers, and he bowed most deferentIally,
for he was proud Il have the Orient
saloon ~patronized by men of position
and responsibility. For a while the new
conner watched the eddies Of the seeth-
ing caldron, with the fasination that
one feels In watching the rolling, resist
less stream at Niagara that seems as it
glides over the precipice with swift,
subtle current, to say, jim me! join
me! And, together we will make one
Wild. mad leap!"
First he snatched from his head the
laurel crown, and threw it into the red
liquid, then he threw II bags of money
and laughed as they sank, then a beau
Now a friend whom lie had loved from
the days of his boyhood, came to him
and laying a hand on his shoulder, be-
gan to entreat him to desist from his
folly, but reproof maddened him.
With al angry oath, he struck his
friend to the ground, and then seizing
him, hurled him into the vortex where
the other victims had gone down, cry
ing, "You tool" Then he held out his
hands emptied of everything but the
stains of the blood of his friend, and,
saving, Take the iast!" leaped in after
his victim.
Now appeared a CHASTITY sight, for on
the surface of the horrid whirlpool of
death, the dead bodies began to float.
There was Dams wife, and in her arms
were clasped her three children. They
did not look as In the days when Dan
of Sunday had their mother dress
them up in their best, and felt that
none had fairer children than he; no,
now their little wasted bodies were
barely covered with rags, and their
mothers long, tangled hair was wrap
hloated face, without a single trace of
his former m~anliness.
There too, was Ned's mother, her
once handsome face pinched with star
walton, for her proud soul would not
ask for help from others when her own
son would take his mothers bread to
supply his own unnatural appetite.
the proprietor of the Orient saloon
turned away from the sickening sight,
when a strange sound fell on his ear.
There was a strange commotion among
the bottles on the shelves; there was an
ominous rumbling, and suddenly the
cork of a champagne bottle flew off, and
out jumped a wicked-looking imp whom
the proprietor recognized as the tradit-
ional confined champagne devil.
Instantly every champagne cork flew
off, and out trooped the liveliest ofllttle
devils, who danced and capered as if
wild with the delight of freedom.
The beer bottles cracked, and from
them emerged the tiniest ofimps, shout
ing, "They say that We are small, but
we belong to old Alchohol's family, and
we do as much harm as any of them!"
Yes, more!" shouted another, "for we
are 80 small that we can gain access
where u larger brothers cannot CO."
"Ha! Ha!' they all laughed, in shrill,
fiendish chorus.
Then from bottles of wine, came dashy
brilliant imps, from the cider bottles
and grumbled, from the whisky and rum
bottles came p~ugnaclous little fellows
that at once fell to fighting. In the
midst of the pandemoniuIn, a strong,
commanding voice rang forth, ITO
arms!" and there stood the king of the
imps. Alcohol himself. At this COM
mand all the boxes of cigars turned in
to weapons, and all the little imps seiz-
ing them stood in rank and file awaiting
orders.
"Chargel' came the command, and in
an instant the proprietor found himself
SURROUNDED rS neu oy " the he Llllipu, niaa ho 81