Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-10-07
A TERRIBLE DREAM.

phrase is correct. | don't mean my
last drink.
have often made Il fool of myself
through drink. but never again after
had my bitter lesson: not once since
the occasion Of my last 'drunk. .
when ! caused thc-but stay, that is
anticipating. and if l tell you the
end Of my story first, YOU will not
are Ia hear the beginning of it.
have turned my hand and brain
1na waist number of things in my
ainle, hut have ncvcr--or let us say
hardly e%yer-donc any good for my
Se!t. OF course you have heard the
sld SAW alpou, lacks OF all trades, al
though that hardly applies to my
.3>p. for | tlattcr myself | have mas
tere,l y large number of trades. and IL
few arts and professions; but, from
their very multifariousncsS, none of
tl,sm have benefited me long ut Il
stretch.
Al the lime of which | speak ] was
employed in The railway police, and il
WAS also my duty 10 take i'm Il signal
maM's place if he were i'll on other
wis. ulslbl" 70 work.
just then my wife was away from
ilouAa on what l may call ITO reSor to
Ala Imitation Of IL German compound
world :: pudricl-vi>it. The cause WAS
jealousy, but IL was of so dim and
sba,iy :; nature that | ought TO have
been Thoroughly ashamed of myself
snr Niking M, the matter. So. like IL
MIC LITTLE woman. She vent AWAY To
STAY with her mother until we should
h:tve got over oar angry feelings.
Nua KNOW. of course, that !; home
i . much OF :; home when lis pre-
siding deity is away. : oyou will easily
understand ,liat my mental condition
"as much Nil>ct. and This led To my
ltle IHjDg inluv more public houses
than WAS Conducive either to my
health "r my pocket. 50 it Glanced
titit on a certain day. when there
was not much doing. happening tn
NJ ~ one of these temples dedicated
10 the Worship OF a%dulleratcd spirits.
mage ihr acquaintance of Il stlang-
rr ssiIo haA ju.i ON To oilr mcighbur.
liovsi. His name WIS Chris Weir. lie
Aa'! Travelled pretty nearly all over
The world: was. perhaps, what some
people wotild cali an advcnturcr: but
n. talked TO me in The most incrcst-
.ng manner ON many subjects. He.
t'p, bad worked on railways. and
knew Ill about the French and Amer
ican systems. He had been in Ar
gefitina, too, and told me how every
tliiMg suffered there through tie rise
III the gold premium.
Weir, IN fact. possessed for me one
u those extraordinary magnetic at
siaitioilS which are so difficult to ac-
rtun- Cor or to explain. In short he
was Il man after my own heart. and
III The course of IL few hours. and
more than Il few drinks. he and | be-
cam" firm friends.
Suddenly, while we were cngrossed
III conversation. IL band was laid
ulon my arm. and | heard some one
say:
"Nallo. MIR. Markham. So I've
icuihu You at last,
turned and confronted ono of the
luricr> from llc station.
well. what do you WANT"
i believe in keeping people to their
places: l don't like too much equality.
but I'm greatly afraid my manner. as
spike these words. rather suggested
sanns than dignity.
What do ! want: Why the sta
thon-lnaster'S sent for YOU. I've been
- Youi 'o,i>c. and then from one pub
~ another"
''Tbai,S neither here nor there"
Amt IL: No more wasn't vou.."
ADDn'1 Try to he funny. Look
after Noilr grammcr first What are
yoii gong I" have odd MANI" asked,
vaguely feeling the necessity To spare
him
drop Of old >iN. thank you. sir"
Well. What do YOU want me for
>Sou'le 10 90 III once 10 No. IL
signal poN. .Iohn>on's fallen in IL fit.
and you're 10 take his place"
As Il rule | did moi care a button
frf sIation-iiia>tcr manager. or dirrc-
tors either: bu, Il chill terror now
seized my heart. a clalnmy pcrspira-
eIon came out upon my hands and
yo,rleal al thought of these grave
responsibilities which, in my present
state. ] WAS so Until to accept.
Right. III 20 at once" | said.
notwithstanding.
''Dh, stop a minn,c:.' the porter ex-
claimed. ''lIcrc'> a letter for you.
The postman was at YOUR place. and
couldn't make anyone hear. so | Of
scresi to take ii 10 yo,,.'
81 say Weir," cried. .this is from
nhy wife. She says she's coming home
by the 9:l5 express Tonight. Rather
awk ~ard under the circumstances.
can remember that l WAS unable
to pronounce this last word, and also
that l told ali my family affairs Is
niy companion inonc of those cNuber.
ant bursts of confidence of which ono
feels so thoroughly ashamed the neNl
morning.
fly this time VIC were in the erect
1t was now dark. The cool nigh