The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1898-12-15
LARAWAY'S SWEAR-OFF
by O. d. Durham.


| BY o. d. Durham. !
ON cold and staTleKs March even.
u Ing. In the face OF keen north.
west wind, we were riding home to the
ranch. We had been TO the railroad
with bunch OF beeves, and preferred
night riding 10 making another camp
The eow.ponies logged steadily along
| and the men, tired and chilled, sat
stifiiy Ia their saddles. There was no
talk between man and man. but TO his
mount each spoke word from time a.
time-a word Of encouragement when
he Jagged. OF Of Feproof II he stumbled
Toward ten O'Clock. WHEN nearing
the gate OF the pasture, light appeared
ahead and to the left OF our course As
We came up 10 the fence. we saw that 1t
was q lantern hung on t. icaee-posi
some 20 rods of the road. and swinging
In the wind. BY Its iltiul fare n man
In long ulster was digging 10 the
hard soil with a short.hundled spade
In the uncertain light be looked 90 te
% sToTIs5sz s.zs, and ss he :hrG=: :ae
spade with quick strokes again and
again Into the frozen ground, The long
tails Of his coat kNvished about him q
streamed In the wind.
Looks like the devil a-dancing, said
one Of the men as he got down to open
the gate.
"The devil Is making him dance, no
doubt about that replied the fore.
man.
No more was said. The man en-.
crossed in his task had not seen or, ht
least, had not noticed us. The loose
horses turned In at the gate, struck Il;
a lively gnllop; there was a general
shaking up Of bridle.reins aud a ring
ing Of Apur-chRlns. TIP long hill and
down o steep short one. and we were at
the ranch-house. and the grumbling
cook was turning out TO get 's no.
supper. He always grumbled--th1t
cook--about getting meals after hours.
but once when a couple of us sneakel
In late and went TO bed without waking
him. he raised such q ruetion that we
never tried II again.
Half an hour later We were wel!
warmed and eating good meal in the
mess-hou&c.
"Laraway is digging up his Bible
again" remarked the cook, rs he
poured strong black coffee into big
eups
81 know it, said the foreman.
Frank LRraway was a better man BY
half than half the men you know. He
had spent as much will-power In resist
ing the drink habit as would suffice 10
carry two average men through life r.
honorable careers, surrounded hy
friends and family. and pass them OF
with Al credentials to a better world
After wrestling with, and being period
icaily thrown by, the appetite fcF
liquor for many years. he left his wori
In the city aud took TO a ranch life. ON
the ranch and range he became n valued
employe, but twice or more each year
he would disappear for a time. return
Ing haggard, shrunken, and dead
broke, and with fresh determination
to conquer the appetite. Il don't want
to be good. or great, or rich. said he:
81 just want TO be my own boss"
II ehaneed one day that Laraway
then SOLDERING up Ia little railroad
town. heard a man say: "i'm going to
swear OIL this time on the biggest
bible In town." lie asked II he might
go, too.
Sure said the man. becoming com
municatiye at once; 1--WE Kwore of on
numbers of them little bibles: I've
kwore of before Judge Blank and Ia
Their Ryan. This time I'm going to the
big church"
The two men went TO pastors study
aud the scetion-hand, requesting him to
produce the large pulpit Bible. was
solemnly sworn. with hiz hand ON It's
open page TO abstain forever from ali
Intoxicating beverages.
''rhat lsa long while, y was Laraway's
comment.
do you keep The Bible locked ups"
asked the freshman. auxieusly.
1.-THE building Is always closed when
not In saSe." replied the pastor.
"wky did you AJAX him thst7'' de.
mauded Laraway, when they had came
away.
The freshman marvsied al the aues4
tIon. "why, don't you sees~ said he:
"it's because II can get at the book
when the first IL on me can get iet
on"
Swearing of" 10 common Industry
In fFontier town, but n had never h. |
fore come to T4araway's notice. III
seemed TO him. on reflection. TO preuslxa
some aEsistanea to himself I'd his per
petnaI fight. He bought Isshte aud
Nc promised himself with his hand |
upon II, that he would taste M liquor
for SIX months. Then he came husne |
and went 10 work. He wrote The ssats |
In the book. and kept the baok ID hls
pocket Hs kept fhs premise to this
letter and The day. 1fter that spree BIZ
rsade an entry on Tho fy-iesf aEfreInr |
10 abstain cor ons year. ThI& time III /
cid not carry shs lsoak Ii hix r,oekrts
b tn1k Il mt en ths rxi9s. and
busse& II.
aThAs ernsv Irs.hmsa'k notion ahsat /
rxttinE ~ on n - ran la1 tsusis ~
IN boph 1nn1 ~ M q erat With mn
nos ma L6enWat, shut before slss
y<er = ~ III - evrsy rssshman my
uelf.~ /
The otse-yszr ple6xe prosed too hard I
y Keep Iwice siRss IA natInV N ID.
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