Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-11-13
Daylight was now stealing into the

room.
''My poor fellow" exclaimed the as
siduous one, "how do you feel now ?
You will wonder, no doubt, at being in
my bed, but the fact is you were ill last
night, were you not?"
"Ill?" l said; ''ill?' and put my hand
mechanically to my head. "Well, l
think l must have been; my head does
ache SOP
He smiled, and replied: "Well, my
dear fellow, not to put too fine point
upon it, l found you late last night in
the gutter, just little bit the worse for
liquor, and two somewhat disreputable-
looking men who were with you asked
me if could manage to look after you
for the night
1 expressed my profound thanks to
my good friend for his unselfish kind
ness, but he modestly waved them
aside, saying deprecatingly:
DUTY, sir, duty! l cannot neglect a
genuine case of human suffering or dan
ger without some attempt, however
slight, at succor."
thanked him again.
81 am ILL.," l said 81 had too much
brandy yesterday. 1 must have a hair
of the dog that bit me; 1 must have a
nip now. 1t is the only thing which
will put me right. If you have any
brandy in the house, for heavens sake.
sir, bring me drop!'
He hesitated a moment, then rejoin-
ed: Certainly; lie there, and I'll be
back with it in a moment" and disap-
peared.
Much quicker than l can relate it, l
sprang up, went to the bird cage, drew
the sliding tray, transferred all the
contents into my handkerchief, and
thence into my coat pockets, finally re-
placing the tray. Not a moment too
soon was l back between the sheets,
for in an instant my good Samaritan
arrived with the brandy. l drank, and
professed to be much better. / dressed,
and so did he.
Would have breakfast? No; most
reluctantly asked to be excused, being
in haste to catch the first train possi-
bly, could back to town.
I searched in my trousers pockets for
my money, gave a start of surprise,
''They have robbed me, those villains
robbed me last nightr" and simulated
as well as could most woeful express
sion of grief and despair. My good
friend sympathized deeply with me. He
invoked maledictions on the head of
any one who could be base enough to
rob an unfortunate stranger, and with
generosity well-nigh unparalleled he
pressed upon me to accept, seeing was
penniless, as temporary loan if l
liked, the sum of ten shillings."
''Do take it," he urged. 81 am not
rich myself, but few shillings are at
your disposal if you care to take them"
So, with renewed assurances of in
debtedness, wished my estimable ben
efactor adieu, told him should never
forget him as long as I lived and de-
parted. What the locality was 1 knew
not, but wandered-nay, rushed on
and on, until l saw sleepy-looking
jehu, whom 1 bade drive me with all
possible speed to the station. The
train was just starting, and l jumped
into an empty compartment. Hastily l
united the bag and scanned it's contents.
Lo and beholdI l found that 1 had
swept the bfrd-cage clean, for when l
counted the money there was almost
ESQ.
l advertised in vain for the owner of
the bag, and failed to recall the place
where had spent the night. Now am
happily and peacefully settled in life,
and when round the fireside am called
on for story nothing delights me bet
ter than to tell my tale of how the trap
pers were trapped.