The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-08-04

! come back2 1t was not likely that
she even dreamed he was thousand
miles away. What were n thousand
miles. after all He had not been
long IN passing them over. 1t would
not take long to retracc them.
With these thoughts tingling in his
brain he coiild no longer lie there.
He must be upin motion.
so he arose and lameIy made his
way to the railroad track, leaving his
friend OF day to sleep it out alone
He stepped between the rails and
halted there, facing the telegraph pole.
TO the right was the way OF the free
man, without his wife or home. To
the left the way led back to her
Il have almost killed her by my
I recklessness, ''he thought; why should
| go back to complete the iob?o
He glanced over his right shoulder
But that may mean the same thing
She Is alone and helpless. Still, to go
back means-Godr' he sobbed, "why
can't L be a man?'
His eyes sought the stars
''Ies, | can be-"
He took off his hat and raised high
his hand. Then he spoke. while yet
looking up, and the still night air heard
his words:
Il swear that hereafter [ will hold
my desire for drink in check, and that
/ will strive to make myself worthy of
the good woman who bears nv name.
So helDme God. Amen"
Then down the back track he strobe
tiercely, clinching his hands as he
swung them at his sides.
Two hours latter he stepped upon
the platform of the station at Toano.
There he stopped to rest. It was still
dark, and no one was about to look at
him suspiciously as upon tramp,
and tell him to be Off"
From small building across the
way lights We're shining. Through
the open doorway he saw men sitting
about a stove. He heard their loud
jokes and hearty laughs How warm
and comfortable they seemed. And
lie was bitterly cold He went nearer
to the place, As he approached it, Il
man came and stood in the doorway.
Strange to say, this man greeted him
with cordial, Hello, pardnerw
He made some sort Of reply. in
shaky voice, for his teeth was chatter
ing.
''Trampin' to Frisco?"
Yes
"Wal, its good walkin,' amt itr'
20. yes" Why should his teeth
chatter so?
Say, now, pardner, [ kin tell You
suthin that beats walkin' all to pieces
''Why, bout half mile up the rail
way there's d heavy grade on a curve.
When the emigrant train goes up
there she don't go fast-not much
Eastern a horse and wagon. You kin
jump on without any trouble or with
out any of the train hands noticin' YOU,
as they would at Il station, and you
kin go into Aee. and sleep all the
rest of the night When you wake
up In the morning you'll be at NIesilla.
seventy-tive miles from here. That's
two big days journey for man travel
in foot"
1t IS worth trying.
Nv hen Will the train be along@
In bout an hour"
Thank YOU
Say" and the voice grew kindly.
amt you pretty blame cold! Come
inside a while and warm up"
He followed the man into the house.
There was bar there and some men
were before it drinking. His new
friend led him up to tne bar.
This would not do There was his
resolve to consider Well, he was on
his way back home that much was
settled. And as for drinking. there
would be just this one glass, to warm
him up. He was really very cold and
numb, and needed it As it was to De
just one and the last, it was well that
it should be large, warming draught.
SO he poured the glass nearly full.
He felt the fire OF it as it went down.
Yes, 1T dld warm one-that was GER
tain. Ne had eaten SO little that the
hot liquid swiftly set up its reign in
his tired brain, and when his new com
rade urged another ana still another
upon him he could not refuse.
VOW, RECKON you better CIT up
the track ii you're goin' to git that
free Pullman pass o'yourn from
Ioano to MesTlla, with no change
o keers:' remarked his ep ptertainer.
glancing at the clock.
He started up. "Goodby." he said;
God bleth you"
His tongue was thick. though his
gate was fairly steady. lie could walk
very fast now, and soon he was up
the grade and at the curve. How
strong his nerves We're No longer
did the night weigh upon him. What
a different man he was from the Great
nre who had limped along the ties a
lew hours ago. How much frmer of
purpose.
The light from an onconling loco
motive shot up the track, The iron