The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-05-15

make Il splinter I'm going to make a
cradle of this bootleg and bandage it up
bit. and see if I can't get you into town
to my office. Do you think you can
rilies''
Il guess So. Twon't be no worse'n
settin' here an cussin' for comply while
You ride into town an send arter me-"
He evidently considered that, Royal
having laid his hand TO the case, he him.
self was exempt from further concern
about arrangements
Royal bound up the leg in such fashion
as to prevent further mischief, admin
istered 4 drug to allly the pain and help
ed bus patient to mount. 1t was not ac-
conplished without a groan or two and
a deepening of the gray pallor, but ne
was a plucky soul and used to rough ex-
periences. so he made the best OF 1t with
a fortitude that won on Royal. Nor was
he deficient in gratitude 0r a sense or
courtesy, which he evinced by word or
two of thanks and regret for the trouble
he was giving
eff I'd l1nowed how drunk was I'd
ha' staid in camp" he remarked penl-
tently. 1.-THE boys had birthday up
thar, or rutner kid from ole V1rg1nny
had, an he's a green hand an lowed
we'd all got to drink luck to him. An
we done it. an then drunk luck TO all
hands; SO time we got aroun' the camp
guess I'd more ON board then | could
carry"
To Royal the conclusion admitted of
no doubt
SID promised Mollie I'd come down
this week, the man went ON, IAN twas
on my mind even whenst got dr1nk1n
with the fellows, an sorr'r stuck by me,
for drunk as | was | started for home,
not wantin' to disapp'int her"
"Your sweetheart
'My WIFE
Royal was walking beside the horse
with his hand on the rein.
''This viii be bad job for her." he
observed gravely. '.This sort OF thing
Comes hard on a woman"
Were a good bit ahead, an own the
shanty," the miner said, seeking self
justification. ''She needn't poster about
money if I'm laid up six months" Then,
more humbly: She'll mind about my
bein' drunk She's always arter me to
| quit, an I've good as promised would
a hun'ed times, but the devil gifts aroun'
me somehow Idon't spree nigh as much
as used to, though it looks like it hurt
her so bad. She's a sensible woman, is
Mollie, an can make allowance for a
fellows rot bein' game TO choke off all
at once She don't bile man to rags
! with temper every time he gifts in trouble,
mother. I'm sorry, Jack, that's about al
ell say; an she'll be sorry, too, right
down close beside you. not on a house
top, o. bein' better'n you. She's a rare
good un, is Mollie."
The pain. combined with the action OF
| the drug, excited his nerves and made
him loquacious.
''Yes, she's a good un," he repeated
''if you deal squar' with her, that is
just go plumb to her an own up what
you've done manful, an don't let her gil
knowledge o. it second hand. A woman
1 II stand most anything from a man il
so be he loves her tight an true an dom
keep nothin' hid from her. fhe doubles
an twists an aims to kiver up his track
she'll git it into her head he's afeard O
her, an she'll despise him worse'n dea(
buzzard. -
They had entered the city. The shad
ows were gathering, and electric light
had begun to fame on street corners ant
through shop windows. Royal complied
with the miners request and took hin
straight to his home. 1t was nea
little frame building on side street
The wife must have seen them from
window, for by the time the horse stopped
she had the door open and stood ready t.
help Royal bring her husband in.
/ "It's bad business, Mollie," he sail
at once, his face contorted with pain
81 got drunk ag'in an fell in a hole
worse luck. My fault, wife"
Eyes, jack" she answered patiently
I'm sorry"
Then she put her arm around him an,
helped Royal lift him ON to the bed. Sh
was a pleasant looking woman, with
quiet voice and manner, and seemed
trihe older than her husband, and also
in some indefnable way, superior to hin
due, as Royal found out later, to tn
fact of her mother having been lady.
After the patient had been made Gem
Portable, Royal took his leave, tellini
the woman that he would look in earl
the next morning. AS he left the room
the miner called after him:
IF ever you gets married, doctor
don't keep none O. your meanness hi
from your wife. 'Twon't look nigh s
low lived if you do the tellin'. Trea
her squar', an she'll make shift to fol-
give you drunk now an then. Won
she, Mollie?"
The miners idea of the proper founda
ton for conjugal happiness arreste
Royals attention. It threw new hgh
on his own affairs. He knew himsel
that he had been held back from tellin
the story to Phyllis by other considers
J tons than fear of her anger. She woul
i understand that, too, of the past. Blu
now that she was better, now that til
| cure was well nigh complete, continue
, silence would be open to miseonstructior
, He had sent his horse to the stable a
, hour before by the ubiquitous boy VIII
| haunts street corners, and instead @
going home he turned aside from tn
main street and walked over to ney
norton of tha cif-1 I11Ti1dino ONT an th