The Minneapolis journal., 1901-10-15

| own store was the very first to be wired and
| lighted. All the first weeek afterward link
| himself did nothing much but march around
with swarming rural customers, and flash
| lghts into every dark hole and corner from
the third story to the cellar In the flashing
he incidentally made them sure there was no
danger Of getting stroke of lightning.
| OtherWise trade might have suffered
say, this yere projick, it Jest knocks
the socks off'n anything ever / saw Squire
| Cane said as Jink made the cellar dark
or light by the mere turning of button
AIterward he explained that the cellar would
De always light. Then everybody smiled
That meant something to Travis customers.
Ever since the store opened there had been 4
barrel Of the best whisky conveniently remote
from general view, but free to whoever
chose TO 70 and take drink II was or
course, a point Of honor not to drink unless
you We're pretty good customer Major
Borum was a pretty good customer, in spite
! of social complications, but nobody ever sus
pected him Of even knowing where the bar
rel stood
1t lay bung up with the thief hanging upon
a mandy nail in the wall foot away The
thief, understand, was only an innocent tin
TUBE, open at both ends and slender enough
70 SIP easily through the bunghnle In use
IL was thrust down into the liquor omen
ended Then finger held close over the
upper end made II fetch out enough Iiouor
for drink. stiff or mild, according 10 the
depth of the plunge. BY way of keeping the
thlef IN place little ring had been soldered
on TO the upper end, long wire twisted in
! the ring, and likewise made fast to the nail
in the wall Careless drinkers might other
wise have dropped the invaluable tube. or
| absent-minded ones-after the third drink
| have gone off with it in the pocket
| Throughout the summer Major Borum came
| into the store only when he had business
| but as the days grew short and nipping he
fell into a way OF sitting into the group
around the stove, listening when he had to
that was rather seldom-and talking when
| ne could-that was most of the time
Towards Christmas the major haunted the
store more than ever, especially late in the
day when there was always plenty of trade
He had got so familiar he went everywhere
upstairs or down, without exciting comment.
Some few said he was simmering down
They reckoned it would be all right between
Jink and Molly by-well, say next spring
But Jink and Molly knew better Indeed,
they had almost lost hope when Dan Brown
came to their help
The lights had been working badly, SO Dan
chased down into the celler about dusk one
night TO look after the switchboard In a
minute he came up his eyes staring like
saucers, Deckoned Jink 10 him, and plunged
again below. Nobody saw any more Of them
that night. They worked in the cellar until
near u O'Clock, and went home chucklng
aloud
| All next day Jink moved like a man in a
dream, waiting upon customers with his head
half turned over his shoulder Ii was a
busy day-Saturday-and the world and his
wife were in town. About noon, when the
crush was greatest, everybody was startled
by a succession Of yells, muffied unearthly,
agorizing, coming up, it seemed, from right
under their feet. Three parts OF the hearers
dashed into the street, two women tainted.
and old lady Buckley snatched up her basket
OF eggs crying out that she ''allus knew
SOM pm was bound ter happen to that store.
ever sence they took an made candles outen
the Lord Amighty's own thunder. But
half dozen rushed below where the screams
still kept up, intermingled now with roars OF
strenuous laughter.
There was more laughing when they saw
the whole thing-Major Borum, thief in hand,
bowling, hopping from one foot to the other.
unable to let go. and between bowls swearing
like pirate at Dan Brown, who stood with
his hand upon an innocent looking key newly
set in the switchboard.
Dan was saying between gasps: You've
got to agree, major. Let Jink have Molly,
or here you stay all day. You cant let go
that thief-it's got a full lamp voltage. We
fixed it, Jink and !, as soon as ever caughC
you taking a drink on the sly
"No, no, Dan! I cant let you persecute
Moly's uncle" Jink said. reaching his hand
for the key I'm awfu1ly obliged to you,
though, for watching here he went on.
"You know to those behind him. I'VE could
not afford to turn on the eurrent-until we
were sure Of our man"
II sorter reckon you've made sure O your
GAL" old man Buckley said as the crestfallen
major vanished up the stair. Sure enough,
it turned out that Jink had.