Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-12-05


passed through my mind, for he glanced
hnrriedly-and half sadly, as IL seemed to
me--over his foriorn garments, and then
raising hts eyes TO mine. aud with CLEAN
OF humor lurking beneath his shaggy
brows, said:
And pray, sir, how came gentleman
OF your education and intelligence down
in this God forsaken countrys''
smiled, aud attributed my advent to
the adventurous spirit of the Nineteenth
century, for want OF better reason. He
took my answer in the spirit In which it
was given, and appeared In sense TO be
relieved by IT, as Ii IL established a bond
of union between us IL struck me- But
he resisted ali inquiries OF mine into his
antecedents or past history, meeting my
hints and questions with adroit evasion
and skillful changes of the subject.
And SO, ia the quiet night--for the rain
had now ceased, and the moon, riding
high, silyered the wan landscape, aud
fringed the dripping foliage with flashing
gems--we drifted back to the topic with
which we began and talked OF literary
themes. 1t has been my privilege to con-
verse with not q few cultured and learned
men, and to enjoy the society Of some OF
tha most brilliant of modern conversa-
tionists; but, as l sat and listened that
e.aning 10 the words that fell from the
lips OF this frontier bohemian, It seemed
to me that my acquaintance with the ma
ture of true eloquence had just begun. 1t
was like reading Homer by flashes OF
lightning" What wealth of bold
imagery, of keen appreciation, of sug-
gestive analogy, OF marvellous insight was
therei And what treasure house of
memoryi And when he finally lapsed
into monologue, and indulging In rhap-
sody upon the wonders of Milton, quoted
from Paradise Lost by paragraph and
page, thought OF Macaulay's boast that
II the great poets immortal epic should
by any chance be lost to men, he might
hope to reproduce IL; and my admiration
for the attainments of the man swept over
me In one vast wave of wonder. And
then, as lay there, listening to his deep
voice, which had grown singuiarly rich
and sonorous as ii in sympathy with the
dignity of those grand periods, pondering
what strange chance or force OF circum-
stance had compelled this incongruous
being TO such surroundings, his form sud
denly dilated, his lips parted as IL In
terror, Lis eyes became fixed on vacancy
and staring, and with a sudden spring TO
his feet, he stood erect and menacing.
.'Ayauntn' he cried, gazing with q
wild and frenzied stare into the empty air.
eAvaunt! and quit my sight Begone,
sayl Think 81 thou to dog my footsteps
alwayss To hound me TO the day OF my
deaths Back Back G-r-r-rhrl Take
your grip from of my neckl Avauntr'
He dashed his hands to his throat,
clutching il wildly, and striding to the
door, flung 1t wide open, ciaring long and
fiercely out into the quiet night with q
frenzied and hunted expression. Then he
came slowly back to the table, tottering
feebly and muttering incoherently, threw
himself into his chair, and, covering his
hnggard face with both his trembling
hands, shuddered and gasped alternately.
Great beads of agony stood upon his
brow.
was so startled by this sudden out
burst that ] could only stare and sit
speechless. When he first rose i was
under the impression that IL was to give
greater force to some terrific denuncia-
tion. Not until he tore open the door
did | realize that IL WAS the hallucina-
tion OF illness, and even then my con-
sternation was SO great as to deprive
me of all power to act or speak.
The paroxysm soon passed. Meanwhile,
had poured some brandy into the cup of
my pocket flask and offered Ii TO him. He
drank 1t with fcverish eagerness. BY
degrees the stimnlant seemed TO overcome
his nervous apprehension. He sat for q
long time with listless, leaden eyes. Then
he rose wearily and asked, in a humble,
deprecating fashion, IL there were any
place where he might sleep that night.
There was something SO piteous, so un-
utterably wretched In this appeal, coming
from one whose wonderful discourse had
SO delighted me, that WAS indescribabiy
j touched. .'Surely," said / to myself
'.sueh abilities as | have recognized this
night shall not be without shelter"
Instantly placed my bed ut his disposal
After much remonstrance aud reluctance,
/, at last, got him to bed, and he laid
] himself down with long low, agonizing
sigh-the sigh of one to whom life Is
WEAKNESS and existence burden.
/ As | stepped to the table near which he
had been sitting, l observed small tin
box, something like tobacco box. lying
in his empty chair. picked 1t up me-
chanically. Such singular odor rose
from this box that was tempted 20 open
1t almost nnconsciously. 1t was half full
of a grayish brown drug. / examined IL
curiously. 0pinml
l glanced toward the bed. He was
lying apparently In a heavy sleep.
/ closed the lid of the box aud placed IL
/ quietly beside him. Full OF conjecture
| for the past OF the unfortunate being who
occupied my bed, ! wrapped myself In my
1 blanket and lay down beneath the win
| dow. There was no sound in the quiet
/ night save the occasional long howl OF the
coyote from the hill. For long time |
lay awake, pofidering over the singular
conversation of the evening and its start
i ling denouemept. I wondered ii his
hallucinaiion could be directly traced 10
/ opium, and what strange misfortune could
have placed him under the thrail OF the
deadly drug. And then my thoughts re-
Cured To his quotation from Macaulay,
.Bnt we know that there are remedies
that will assuage pain What was the
pain or what the sorrowp
| Ineonseiously In my long reverie had
/ turned toward him lie was sleeping
peacefully in the wan light. The pale
moon, looking over the crest of a western
divide, stole through the files of sentinel
mnsquites In a long pencil, and rested like
! n tostly arm upon his breast. / thought,
s'I#e sister Of Apollo has him In her
! Keeping and / fell asleep. But ia the
morning, the hands folded upon the breast
were pulseless and cold, the face was
waxen and still, and, hushed In the fear
ful calm of life's great mystery, the old
man eloquent was dead. Howard Seely
In The Argonaut.
i
The Italian Way.
AS ! sat by the window the other
afternoon said sick mum, land looked
at ha rDnst1a tbm,s trxas1sF3l aIa..w a.. a..