The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-11-07
shrunk and turned pale, and hurried
awav from the CHASTITY sights.

shrunk and turned pale, and hurried
away from the CHASTITY sights.
! Lapty, in India, had shown great
gifts rs an extra hospital orderly dur
ing cholera epideruics; as also when q
party had suffered severe losses by fall
ing into an ambush in Loonungoung,
Burmah. He had for time been n
medical officers batman in Ireland
and had evinced such intelligent IL
tcre5t when detailed to help at autop'-
sizes in the mortnary in Burmah, that
the surgeons had taught him a good
deal about tho human bones and the
general lie of blood vessels and organs
OF the body.
There was, indeed, scarcely q sense
in which Lanty RioI}an could he said
to fear death. Even Drunkenness only
gave urction to his hp,ai,ics upon the
wisdom Of preparation ;or Our newt
able dissolution. And now, as soon as
he had spent his last few coppers upon
a flask of whisky Of specially curved
and flat pattern, prepared Tor slip.
ping into the breast pockets OF trav-
elers-"for use in the tunnels" as
the leering barkeeper ssil-I1anty
ceased his lnelodious singing of *'rhe
Young May Moon, and staggered SOL
emily along drouing the "Adeste
Fidelis' in his rich and tuneiul BARI
tone.
There had been many hours OF sat-
u-atin2 rain that day, aud having
met his evil genius, Potter, I.anty had
made the wild and wet weather q plea
for spending it in drinking, treating
and wild card playing. Potter had
been discharged from the service Of
the Grand Southern Railroad for dis
honesty, and had never since ceased
from efforts to make Laut7 commit
himself. This unhappy Cay he had
succeeded. With this Wild orgie
Lauty had ended all his money and Ill
his luck; and now, as he struggled
over the wire fence into tue cutting,
maudlinly singing the fine old Latin
hymn, he smilingly pictured the COW.
ard'y, mean face OF the man who had
comprised his ruin when he should
hear of the shocking accident: next
morning.
"Begorro, mutterea Lanty, 'tis a
feather in his cap it will be, il he only
knew it, bad scran to him! 10 think
Of the likes Of bin, ~ white -iiverea
cur, dhrivin' Lanty Riorlap, DO less,
to bloody ind! Ay! and the spal-
peen viii faint stiff il they tell him to
pick up the pieces, when they find
me!
"'Ne!l, I had my chance, an chances
on the top of 1t! Not alone from
Misther Roche and Father Olpherts,
but from Mrs. Roche hsrself-the
blessin' O. God on hs-! Shure, didn't
she warn me ssin Potter. 'iiorlan,'
she would say, when Potter sees you
one day dragged in the sutther, he
will rejoice over your downFall, an
rub his hands wild glee 10 see the mas
tner an me made mock Of because Of
you! 'Twould be the thrutn she
spoke il l would 1.-Two to see it! But
the nine o'clock express will settle the
business otherwise, wild my brave
Tornado doing her fifty-hve mile an
hour at the head of i'll"
Here Lanty paused unsteadily for q
moment before the semapho-e which
had just rattingly signaled eco
ahead?" with its green light to tho
approaching express.
Now,the new coal depot, as has been
indicated, was being made by the
gradual filling up OF small valley
which ran for some distance irregular.
ly parallel to the line. The practice
was to lay down temporary lines, upon
which loaded cars were cautiously run
to aid the settling process. When the
surface YVES sound and level, the line
was of course relaid at the level OF the
permanent way, which had formerly
been upon an embankment above the
depression. The heavy rains Of
that day would search out weak
places, and be OF great use in help.
ing the settlement OF new and old ma
terials.
In his least sober moments, Lansy,
from long practice, was able to stride
safely amongst sleepers and rails. So,
when sinking first to his ankles, and
then, with plunge, up to his knees,
amongst unsupported sleepers on the
main line, his Intelligence OF the fear
full condition Of things half sobered
him. A subsistence had taken place
in the side OF the bank next to the
coal depot at a point beyond the con.
troll OF the semaphore; and the next
train, the famous nine o'clock ex.
press, would be wrecked if it reached
the detective place.
"Lord a mercy on me for a drunken
swab what am I to do now?" cried
Lanty. eff l had bit OF red hand.
kerchief to put over the green light
- No! even that wouldn't make a
red one. Wait! Ill make q white
light wild my ovid lanthern, anyway"