The Minneapolis journal., 1901-10-15
Copyright 1901 by Martha MccullOch-

Copyright 1901 by Martha McCulloch-
Williams)
Old man Buckley, one of Marshalltown's S
| three inveterate topers, was trying to sober
up against his daughters wedding. When
] he had his complement of drinks he was to
outward seeming as sober as a judge. Lack
Of them set him reeling upon his horse and
! guiding the sagacious beast in letter SIS all
! over the road.
Look Major Borum said to Molly, his
niece and adopted heiress. That's what
I'm trying to save you from-the thing which
biteth like serpent and stingeth like an
adder.
| You needn't try to make out poor Jink
| Is snake" Molly said spirtedly. I'm
| sure he wouldn't crawl-not even to get me. ="
oh no! You think it was his independ-
ence that kept him from signing the pledge
when l demanded it of him. the major said
with fine, lofty scorn. Again Molly tossed
her head.
Il would have said no to him if he had
! signed il" she said. why, Jink was never
drunk but once in his life; and that was in
! the way of business. If he had not drunk to
match that Long Hollow crowd his pa would
have lost all their trade-and it's worth
| thousand dollars clear profit every year"
! The major groaned. He was a round.
pursy man, rosyfaced, with little eyes twink
! ling through smothering fat. He had come
! back to his native town the year before
| breathing out a vague aroma of riches and
! ready TO give advice off-hand to anything
from divine providence to the town council
Marshalltown folk said he was cram full Of
crank notions, which he had had no chance
to spend properly in governing a wife or
bringing up children of his own.
| He struck Marshalltown teetotaer of the
| first water, the second water, and also the
| third. Water was indeed his creed and rally
| ing cry for the time being. His mind and
heart were set upon organizing a temperance
knighthood after ideas peculiarly his own.
Marshalltown would have none Of the
knighthood. 1t was so temperate, letting
the single saloon languish except at Christ
mas time and the Fourth of July, that it re-
sented organized temperance much as it
| might have resented the organization of an
anti-stealing brotherhood To it's mind a
man ought to drink when he felt like 1t and
| had good liquor handy, but should never be
| tempted into swallowing stuff he did not
really care for by giving it the tang Of for
hidden fruit So it heartily applauded Jinlz
| Travis refusal to become the first fruits Of
the majors enthusiasm. 1t was a fine thing,
everybody admitted, seeing how matters
| stood, Jink as good as engaged to Molly, and
| Molly's heiress- ship contingent on her marry
ing to suit the major
Jlnk and Molly had been lovers time out OF
mind. 1t was all settled that they should
marry when JlEk was taken into the firm.
But the major came down upon them three
months before the sign
TRAVIS & SON,
| Groceries, Hardware, Provisions, Liquors,
Wholesale and Retail"
went up upon the big block at the head OF
the main street. Molly had eight younger
brothers and sisters. Her father could not
hope to do more than feed and clothe them
So the major and his fortune had to be takeE
into account especially when he asked tC
have Molly, the same as his own child
That was where the pinch came. Fol
herself and Jink, Molly could have bidder
thief ortune go hang. But the children! She
could not shut out her mothers anxious eyes
her fathers patient, troubled face. AS long
as she did not rebel openly she was free tC
help with both hands. So she contented her
sslf with vowing she would die an old maid
unless she might marry Jink, and smiling hel
sweetest at link himself whenever she go
the chance.
Jink could not well be so patient. HI
wanted wife, home of his own-and MOLLY
! for that wife. He was ready to do anything
reasonable to get her. He might have gone
| in for that knighthood foolishness if he ha(
not known she would be the first to despis'
him for 1t. He might even have done it ant
tried to square himself later with his sweet
nedrI II ne hdu peen sure tAe maJor WAS Hoh
est in his crankery. Somehow the major''
enthusiasm rang false to him. Under and
behind the flow Of words he saw something
in the unctuous lips, the beady twinklinl
eyes, which made him suspect that the major
like other self-deluded mortals. was more
anxious to pose as a great moral force thar
to rule strictly his own appetites
Indeed, as Dan Brown put it: "The Gu
of the majors jib give him away for {
blamed old hypocrite." Dan Brown wa!
Jinks chum, the head man at the new elec
trio light plant. which Travis & Son had done
SO much to get installed. OF course, thei