Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-06-21
SheOl Moisture.

A little office under q sidewalk. n nassino
view Of a room filed with narrow canvass cots
a few yellow gas flames, behind n desk a
young man whose naKeducss is emphasized
by an equator of crash towel, in front OF the
desk an inebriate with pale, blinking ewes
and unsteady hands. The inc briate removes
from one pocket a roll OF greenbacks, from
another a revolver, from a third a match.
from a fourth a handful Of ruined cigars lie
lays these, with bis scarf-pin on the counter.
He takes a key TO the drawer in which they
are placed by the naked youth ard he walks
loosely out through the room where the cots
stand. He staggers a little and
almost goes down 10 avoid
ing an obese foot that sticks from the
end OF one of the cots. He curses the foot
with pathetic n ~ofanity. The owner of the
foot rubs his slee py eyes and sends back a
volicy OF Oaths that blister the stone floor.
The inebrlate stumbles on around TO a room
which an attendaut-a duplicate OF the Youth
~ the oihce-has assigned him. lie removes
his clothing after a desperate struggle with
his suspenders aud a collar.and elbow wrestle
with his shirt. Aud now he stands nude
aud alcoholicallv bashful until another euua-
tor OF towel is tied around bis blushlng form.
lie is led out TO the hot room.
The future has no terrors for any man
who has encountered the torridity of a not
room IN a Turkish batlhouse for men. You
could fry eggs on the floor. II $ hotter than
dog days In the lower regions. IL would make
a salamandcr quit in five minutes. The air is
so full Of suspended fire that a red-headed
man looks like a striking brunette. The in-
ebriate lies on a couch. He closes his ewes.
The air is heavy. lie slumbers. He dreams
lie Is h porter house steak. He Is heing
broiled. The cook is careless. lie wakes with
a start. The sheet has been pulled from un-
der him and the ierccly hot rattan top Of the
couch Is next TO his skin. He looks about
him with savage eyes. The man In
the next couch is quietly smoking. Two
others, Invested even of their towels, are spar. |
ring in a corner. None of them notices him.
lie lies down again and dreams once more.
Suddenly something pricks him like a needle.
A sharp pain runs through his back. lie
whoops and jumps up. His neighbor is still
smoking. The sperrers are still sparring.
There is nothing 10 indicate the cause of his
sudden waking except n thin spray Of water
lazily falling from the cold water faucet.
The inebriatc knows that some one has
sprayed him aud he is hotter than ever. He
offers to fight any one In the room. The boxers
say they would be glad to accommodate him,
but the doctor has warned them TO beware of
violent exercise. The man on the next couch
him that he promised the friend who
gave nm The cigar that he would smoke 1t be-
fore he killed any one.
The inebriate Is disguised. lie meanders
into an adjoining room. There are others
there before him. They are turning on the
steam. IL rises first In a vapor, then a mist.
n fog, now a cloud. The air is filed
with white light. The inebriate is stified;
he cannot breathe; he can scarcely think; he
moves his hands feebly and crawls out into
the hot room. Then lac sweats for keeps. He
first, then lie showers, then he pours.
He Is standing In q pool OF water that was
himself. lie feels his leg going: his
brain reels; he staggers out aud in another
moment Is lying on n marble slab, with soap
n his eyes, his ears, his mouth, his nose.
A muscular young man is pounding him as
though he were a rubber bag. Soapy and
sore he arises from the slab. He seeks the
shower. He turns 1t on himself. Now for
he ripping, gurgling waters OF the plunge.
He hurls himself in. He Is an inebriate no
longer. He is a nynph with whiskers and a
voice. There are other nymphs there
before him. They also have whiskers aud
lueer voices. They splash each other. They
,fck. They disport. They swim under each
)ther and tip each other up.
At S O'Clock the ex-inebrlatc meets his en-
Dloyer at the Office.
You are looking well this morning."
"Yes, sir. 1 left our church socialle about {
70 o'clock, had n good sleep and got up early.
Il was very pleasant walking dow town
'arly In the morning. You ought to try II, ,
ir.b ]
The employer says he wilL-chieago T;,aa