St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-12-07
SOOTHING DRAUGHT.
BY EvERARD JACK APPLETON.

IA EREhAAhD JAIN AFfLhION.
copyrighted by Daily Story Pub. Col
Mr.. James Neweomb turned leis-
urely over in bed, rubbed his head,
rose upon one hand, and looked
dreamily at the clock. It was 8:45,
according to this busy little time-ma-
chine; and the winter sun was stream
ing in the windows Of the bachelor 5
comfortable flat.
Mark called Mr.. Newcomb,
looking toward the room adjoining
his, and occupied by his chum, DR..
Marcus Luther.
No answer being forthcoming, Mr..
Newcomb got out of bed and'envel-
oped himself in a large bathrobe, He
was about to ring for their man, the
ubiquitous Perkins, when a picture
on Luther's dresser caught his eye.
A wave of startling recollection swept
over his mind and he sank back upon
the bed and stared at it.
Thephotograph was that of a hand
some young woman, and the recollec-
tion that came to Newcomb was that
he had proposed to her the night be-
fore. This in itself was not SO dis
quieting; but he realized very clearly
at this moment that he did not love
her. Hence he grew a bit weakin the
knees, as the flood of recolleetions Of
the evening past came over him.
He had suffered from a headache,
and DR.. Luther, who, according to
Jim, was cone of those wretched med
icos who Is always praeticing on his
friends" had taken pity on him and
prescribed.
'I8 is a new thing, garnathesis
and will knock your pain higher than
GiIfoy's flying machine" said DR..
Luther, as he prepared the medicine.
"It is really soothing draught, that
will calm your nerves, suppress the
heart action slightly, and-but, here,
take it"
Jim had obediently done so and sat
before the fire in the big armchair
until it had "calmed his nerves" "
Luther disappeared and half an hour
later Newcomb remembered putting
on his dress suit without calling Per-
kins, and driving to the home of the
prettiest and dearest girl he knew
Louise Stearne. That he loved her,
he knew full well; tonight he was to
take her to dance, where he expect
ed to be bored until they came home
again. But-and here came in the
disturbing thought-he had not been
bored. He had had a remarkably in
teresting if not exactly happy time.
How it all happened he could not un-
derstand; but before the fifth dance
he had proposed to Evelyn Blouyelt
and been accepted; at the end Of the
seventh he had asked Edith Jones to
be his wife and received an affirmative
answer; and while sitting out the
1ancers with Marian Knowles had be-
come engaged to her! By the tiRe
the first intermission arrived he had
proposed no less than SIX times to as
many different girls, had been accept
ed. and had been told to be Ssure and
come to me at four tomorrow after
noonp
And this was tomorrow! How in
the name of all that was sensible had
he contrived to get into such a fear
full plight? Had the medicine made
him temporarily insane? No; for he
remembered distinctly all the little
particulars Of each different scene
how Fannie had blushed, how Evelyn
had lifted her eyes and said: "Jim,
dearn how Nina had erept into his
arms. believing him the best and
truest of men! Ye gods; no insane
man could have remembered all this.
1t was true il must be true' He
was the worst seoundrel aliye-and he
really and truly loved only Louise
With groan he sprang up and be-
gan feyerishly to get into his clothes.
Il ought to cut my own throat and
rid the world of a villain" he NUT
tered, but / cannot do 50 yet. |
must tel some ons ask advice and
see that villain, Luther! He shall