Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-12-23
LARAWAY'S SWEAR-0FF
By @. 3. Durham.

ON a cold and starless March even
J ing, in the face of a keen NORTH
west wind, we were riding home to the
ranch. We had been to the railroad
with a bunch of beeves, and preferred
night riding to making another camp.
The cow-ponies logged steadily along,
and the men, tired and chilled, sat
stiff1y in their saddles. There was no
talk between man and man, but to his
mount each spoke word from time to
I time-a word of encouragement when
| he Jagged, or of reproof if he stumbled.
Toward ten o'clock, when nearing
! the gate of the pasture, a light appeared
! ahead and to the left of our course As
we came up to the fence, we saw that it
+ was lantern hung on a fence-post
some 20 rods off the road, and swinging
in the wind. By its ftful flare a man
| in a long ulster was digging in the
hard soil with short-handled spade
In the uncertain light he looked to be
| of enormous size, and as he thrust the
| spade with quick strokes again and
again into the frozen ground, the long
tails of his coat swished about him Or
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, at
| least, had not noticed US. The loose
horses turned in at the gate. struck Ut
a lively gallop; there was a general
| shaking up of hridle-reins and a ring
| ing of spur-chains. Up long hill and
| down steep short one, and we were at
the ranch-house. and the grumbling
cook was turning out to get us hot
supper. He always grumbled-that
| cook-about getting meals after hours.
but once when a couple of us sneaked
| in late and we4t to bed without waking
him, he raised such a ruction that we
never tried it again.
Half an hour later we were we'll
| warmed and eating a good meal in the
mess-house.
"Laraway is digging up his Bible
again. remarked the cook. as he
| poured strong black coffee into big
cups.
81 know it," said the foreman.
Frank Laraway was 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 70
carry two average men through life u
honorable careers. surrounded by
friends and family, and pass them on
with Al credentials to better world
After wrestling with, and being period
ically thrown by, the appetite fer
liquor for many years, he left his worl:
in the city and took to a ranch life. On
the ranch and range he became a valued
employe, but twice or more each year
he would disappear for time. return
ing haggard, shrunken, and dead
broke, and with a fresh determination
to conquer the appetite. II don't want
to be good. or great, oErich, said he;
81 just want to be my own boss"
It CHANGED one day that Laraway.
then SOLDERING up in little railroad
town, heard a man say: I'm going TO
swear off this time on the biggest
Bible in town. Re asked if he might
go, too.
Sure" said the man. becoming COM
municati3e at once; I've swore off or
numbers of them little Bibles; I've
swore off before Judge Blank and Fa-
Their Ryan. This time Tn, going to the
big church"
The two men went to pastors study
and the section-hand, requesting him TO
produce the large pulpit Bible, was
solemnly sworn, with his hand on its
open page to abstain forever from all
Intoxicating beverages.
THAT is a long while" was Laraway's
comment.
do you keep the Bible locked up?''
asked the 1rishman. anxiouslyo
THE building is always closed when
not in use,'' replied the pastor.
''Why did you ask him that?" de-
manded Laraway, when they had como
away.
The 1rishman marveled at the ques-
ton. why don't you see?" said he;
Its because If I can get at the book
when the first is on me I can get let
off,
! Swearing off, is a common industry
Ia frontier town, but it had never be
fore come to Laraway's notice. II
seemed TO him. on reflection. to promise
some assistance to himself in his per
petual fight. He bought a Bible and
he promised himself. with mis- hand
upon it. that he would taste no liquor
for six months. Then he came home
and went to work. He wrote the date
in the book. and kept the book in his
pocket He kept the promise to the
letter and the day After that spree he
made an entry on the fiyleaf agreeing
to abstain for one year. This time he
did not carry the, book in his pocket;
he took 1t out on the range and
buried it.
THAT crazy Irishman's notion about !