Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-12-14
customer, nodded and supplied

The late arrival clutched the Hask
| greedily and passed out n the lgh
| with the other customers, whom the
barman was expelling with great show
| OF zeal and respect for the licensing
act.
Before he reached SALISBURY aven-
ue, the flask had twice found its way
to his lips. Then, with a great effort
of well-nigh forgotten will-power, II
was screwed up and consigned to the
breast pocket Of the threabare frock
| coat. which seemed but a pitiful pro-
lection against the biting east wind.
| There was something in the action sug-
gestiye 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 direc-
| ton of Fleet street. Onward he
slouched through the raw, foggy mist,
as forlorn-loOking an object as could
well have been found, even in the Lon
don streets, that night.
'Halloa. Webb! Is that your
The voice had a cheerful, hearty ring,
and a friendly grip upon his arm
brought the wretched wayfarer to a
standstill.
Yes" replied the latter, irritably.
Cant you see it isT'
Nv ell, not overclearly in this con-
founded fog" was the go~Od-natured re-
jOinder. 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 90 out of your way at alp
was the short retort. II haven't asked
you to accompany me-"
The stranger released his sulky ac-
quaiIitance'S arm, and seemed about TO
quit him in sheer disgust: but, sup
| pressing the momentary feeling of irri-
tatiOn, he walked along by his side.
why go Out of my way for you,
Tom?" he repeated. Well. because l
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
happens to have a sister you're sweet
upon, ell, Ralph Weston?' sneered the
other.
Quite So" assented Weston. "That,
of course, adds very considerably to
the Interest / feel in your welfare. And
as a matter Of fact-I am under
promise to your sister to do my utmost
10 serve you. l wish you would make
it easier for me to keep that promise,
Tom. ! do, indeed!'
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 1 re-
member that, less than two years ago,
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
lump in my throat to see you now; a
seedy, broken-down tout for half-crown
paragraphs, with neither wish nor
thought in the world save to satisfy
your morbid craving for drink. For
Heavens sake, Tom, be a man, and
give it up!'
Give it up?' echoed the drunkard.
bitterly. THAT is rather a hard order
for a fellow who (as you truly remark)
has nothing else in the world to wish
for, isn't it,"
II don't mean that you need neces-
sarily give it up altogether" urged his
adviser. I'm no ~teetotaler myself. as
you know. All ask of you is to avoid
excess"
THAT is sheer nonsense was the
vagabond's comment. "See here, West
on. L believe you meal me well, and I
daresay you are n very clever fellow
in your own line. But you evidently
know nothing Of drunkards and their
ways. | do. l have had a wide expe-
rience Of both. And you make take II
from me that no drunkard ever vet
refrigerated to moderate drinking. He
may for some cause unintelliCible TO
mel give up drink altogether. But par
TALLY? Never
Ralph Weston shrugged his shoulders
despondently, and nothing more was
said until Webb had taken his scrappy
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 IS Cd would be paid to him on de.
mand by the cashier in the morning.
Rum and the minor necessaries of life
were, therefore, reasonably safe for
the next twenty-four hours; beyond
which limited period his foresight rare
ly extended. Upon emerging into the
mist. he was seized with a. short but
omincus fit OF coughing.
NASTY cough you've got" remarked
Weston. surveying his shivering com
panion under the Office lamp. "And
what on earth made you venture out of
doors In this sort of weather without
your o~vercoatI'
What the dickens is 1t to you what
/ wear?' was the indignant rajoinder
However, If you must know the full
measure OF my d~epravity, l pawned
my overccat this afternoon, in order tc
buy rum. With the help OF a little
luck (say n sensational murder, OF
even a good fire in my neighborhood)
shall get il back I'm a day or two. Is
your curiosity satisfied nowi'
why will you persist In misjudginp