Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-01-24

WYNN 10 va ION WI va
like this.
The first customer was a teamster.
A great draught of cold air herald
ed his coming.
"Mornin', Abe" he drawled after
he had unravelled the huge muller
from his throat sufficient for him
to enter into conversation.
bad weather." he added. mot
more'n fit for a dog to be out let
alone a man."
Mine host WINGED as he asked:
"What'll you have?"
"Somethin' hot" was the answer,
land mind, pretty stiff SOS to keep
the cold out" with a significant
wink.
Another and another guest came
in, for the fame of Abe Keyes's
good stuff" had spread far and
wide. The landlords gloomy
thoughts were fast passing away.
Business certainly was lively.
awful night" said a stranger
in the corner.
"Well you'd better believe it
was," said his companion. Heard
about that man down at the sta
tion?"
what man." asked a dozen
voices.
"Why, the fellow that was froze
to death; crawled into baggage
car, poor devil"
Froze to death! Abe Reyes
hand trembled as he put the bottle
back upon the shelf. Could it bep-
why didn't they thaw him out?'
returned stout man, laughing at
what he considered a very good joke
"Thaw him outp" said the strang.
er between gulps. IF you saw him
as | did, stiff and stark lying on the
bench at the depot, you wouldn't
ask that question"
HE amt a bad-looking chap
neither" he went on. "Youngish
with light hair. Can't make out
how he froze. Good chinchilla ov.
ercoat and, by gosh! just like me, v
he calculated, to forget to give this
to the coroner. It's his scarf
picked up near the body. Might
identify him. Perhaps some of you
fellows" he stopped short at sight
of Abe Reyes face. The color
had died from his lips. Great beads
of perspiration stood out upon his
brow.
"Give it to me-" he cried hoarse-
ly, stretching out his hand. my
God! It's Joel's scarf"
He fell UNCONSCIOUS at their feet.
Between the tightly closed lips they
tried to pour stlmulants while others
chafed his hands.
They lifted him gently. With
all his faults they pitied him now
that retribution had come.
When Myrtle came to his assist
ance the scarf was thrust out of
sight.
"Poor thing" they whispered,
shell take it hard" She came
and knelt beside the sufferer. I'm
der the cool touch of her fingers
consciousness returned.
"He's froze, Myrtle" murmured
her father, frozen to death"
He turned his face away antici-
pating the look of accusation. She
did not cry aloud as they fully ex-
pected. Perhaps she was going
mad. They had read of such things.
mo, father, not JOEL" she said.
"But tell you it is, girl. Show
her the scarf, the one she knit with
her own fingers"
Listen, father" she went on
gently: After you had fallen
asleep, | took the lantern and went
out to search for Joel. l found
him near the barn well nigh frozen.
He had given his coat and scarf
to poor fellow he met en- the road.
It is he who lies dead at the station
and not JOEL"
THANK Godw murmured her
father fervently.
For many days the keeper of the
tavern lowered between life and
death.
In the meantime the body of the
unfortunate wayfarer had been laid
lecently to rest. 1t was Myrtie's
little savings that kept him from
filing a pauper's grave.
Hes somebody's brother, per-