Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-07
customer. nodded and supplied TIL


with the other customers. whom the
barman was cNpelling with great show
Of zeal and respect for the licensing
act. .,
Before he reached SALISBURY lven-
ne. the SIX had twice found it's way
to his lips. Then. with a great effort
Of wcll-nigh forgotten will power, it
was screwed up and consigned to the
breast pocket Of 1.-The threabare frock
coat. which seemed but n pitiful pro-
lection against the biting east. wind.
There was something in the action sug-
gestive Of a mission yet to be fulfilled,
before he could safely indulge in any
more sips of the fiery liquor; and.
from the course he was following. his
destination appeared to lie in the dircc-
| ton of Fleet street. Onward he
slouched through the raw, foggy mist,
AZ forlorn-looking an object as could
well have been found, even in the Lon
don streets. that night.
"Halloa, Webb! Is that you?"
| The voice had cheerful hearty ring,
and Il friendly grip upon his arm
brought tho wrctcllcd wayfarcr to Il
standstill .. "
YES" replied the latter, irritably.
Cant you see it is?''
Nv ell. not over-rlearly in this con-
founded fog" was the gooh-naturpd re-
jcinder. WHITTIER bound? Morning
| Express office, eh?"
Yes: and no time to waste about il,
either
Come along. then: I'll see YOU that
far 1t isn't much out of my way
why go out Of your way at ALP
| n oc1- ri
| you to accompany me''
| The stranger released his sulky ac-
Quai1.tance's arm. and seemed about to
quit him in sheer disgust; but. SUP
pressing the momentary feeling of irri-
taticn, he walked along by his side
''Why go out of my way for YOU,
Tom?" he repeated. We'll. because 1
don't like to see an old schoolfellow,
! who once called me his friend. going to
the dogs at the pace YOU seem to have
set for YOURSELF
ESPECIALLY if the old schoolfellow
upon. ell. Ralph Weston: sneered the
other.
quite so" assentcd Weston. That
OF course. adds very considerably to
the Interest feel in your welfare. And
promise to your sister to do my utmost
to serve YOU. l wish you would make
| it easier for ME to keep that promise,
Tom. | do, illdeed.'
What do you mean:''
"Oh. you know well enough Knock
off nine-tenths of the drink YOU are
now wallowing in, and be your old self
again. l tell you. Tom. when L re-
| 1,1f
| you came up to London with GOOD
Press introductions. an excellent edu-
cation. and acknowledged literary abil-
| ity to back you up. it just brings a
i lump in my throat to see YOU now: a
seedy, broken-down tout for half-crown
para: graphs. With neither wish nor
thought in the world save to satisfy
your morbid craving for drink. For
| Heavens sake, Tom. be Il man. and
give it up
Give it up?" echoed the drunkard.
bitterly. THAT is rather a hard order
for fellow who (as you truly remark,
| has nothing else in the world to wish
for. isn't it?''
Il don't mean that YOU need neces-
sarily give it up altogether" urged his
| adviser. I'm no teetotaler myself. as
| y
| excess
THAT is sheer NONSENSE" was the
vaga bonds comment. "See here. West
on. believe you mean me well, and
daresay you are Il very clever fellow
/ i'll your own line. But you evidently
/ know nothing of drunkards and their
| ways. l do. l have had a wide eXpe-
rience of both. And you make take it
hat
refrigerated to moderate drinking. He
may for some cause unintelligible to
mel give up drink altogether. But par
tally? Never
Ralph Weston shrugged his shoulders
deSrcudently. and nothing more was
said until Webb had taken his scraDpy
reports of district items into the office
Of the Morning Express" He was
known to the sub-editors as being ac-
curate in such odds and ends of report
ing as he did manage to put together.
and. possibly. they sometimes strained
a point in his favor. AT all events. he
could usually count upon his stuff
being accepted. and now felt secure
that rs Cd would be paid to him on de.
mand by the cashier in the morning.
Rum and the minor neceSsalies of life
the next twenty-four hours; beyond
which limited period his foresight rare.
ly extended. Upon emerging into the
mist. he was seized with Il short but
cn,incus fit of coughing.
Nasty cough you've got" remarked
Weston. surveying his shivcring com
panicn under the office lamp. "And
what on earth made YOU venture out OF
doors in this sort Of weather without
ycrr overcoat:'
What the dickens is it to you what
wear?'' was the indignant rnjoinder
"He wCver. if you must know the full
measure of my deprayity. I pawne(
my overcCnt this afternoon. in order tt
buy rum. With the help Of little
luck (say Il sensational murder. OF
even a good fire in my neighborhooD
shall get it back in a day or two. I,
your curiosity satisfied now?"
why will you persist in misjudgin.
me. TOM" asked Weston, earnestly
You have allowed yourself to run
down to very low ebb. both as re
CARDS your health and In other ways
Reject my advice in other ways. If 70,
will: but let me- mt all events. help yo,