The National tribune., 1901-12-19

o'clock DR. Campbell win come TO youe
hotel with the money. and orders rs Sc
| the other things. which | shall have my
Secretary prepare. Good night. and good
| by, and good luck ~ you. Don't spare
any money or trouble in getting every
| thing through to Washington. They'll
! take care Of them there Tor the rest ot
| the way
Come along. Deacon. We have no tine
to lose, said br. Campbell. starting for
| the courtroom.
The Deacon thrust his hauJ in his
pocket for chew of tobacco ou his way
home. and it came in contact with some
| thing strSuEP-thc napkin with the sill
Yer spoons. Almost coilspsine with shame.
he furtively fe5 them over uuril there
could be no Doubt as 20 what hey were
Great Grief" he lnurmurcd tn himself
what SncakIug, dangerous devil that
champagne must be- as Dr Campbell
said. Mild and gentle a sweet eidcr inst
from the press. and yet I hadn't taken
| hut couple of drinks Of il before | I've
gan to steal the Gogrrnor's spoons. No
wonder that them fellows who drink it
right along are stealing millions from tho
| Government. | ought to 90 and own up"
TO the Governor, and hand the spoons
| hack
''CoIle on. Deacon" called Dr.. Camp
bell imbatientiy.
The butler came in, dragging the m
| lucky waiter.
Come right heah - de Gubberuor. you
wutless Tuscumby Higgph," said he but
! lei. If you don't cough M dem spoons
| right away. he'll done send you to de
penitentiary, you Alabsm' yagabone. 50
he will"
Pore Gawd." protested the waiter. Il
hain't got dem spoons. Is looked ebbcry-
whsr for dem. You kin s'arch me for
dem"
The lamp near where the Deacon had
| been sitting had been put out leaving the
stand in the shadows. He slipped the
spoons from his pocket and laid them
| back on the stand.
IF champagne II make man do one
sneaking thing it'll make bin d" another"
| he remarked to himself. - he moved
away Il feel myself still unie' the cf-
| fects of it."
Here. looking for spoons he called
| out aloud. as lac buttoned mp his coat
What's them laying over there
''Dar dey is, sh0' enough" exclaimed
the waiter. making dive for them Il
fought | laid dem samcwhar round dar.
! but | couldn't mud dem when I looked
for dem"
20. you Alaban' nigs cant see a'ter 4
o'clock" grumbled the butler. as ne count
ed over the spoons. ''You'S moon blind.
y
Il must tell this in the next class-meet-
ing" said the Deacon to himself. "to
clear my own conscience. and bear Ger
tain witness TO the dangers OF champagne
drinking"
Deacon. I'm ready" said DIR. Camp
bell, appearing with his heavy shawl
wrapped around him.
The next hour was crowded to over
flowing with hasty preparation Work
that ordinarily might have taken days
was crowded into it, but those were times
in which men did such things, and the
DeacOn'S sound common sense and prae-
teal methods made him readily grasp DIR.
Campbelfs directions and plans.
There, you have the money" said DR..
Campbell, in conclusion, as he handed the
Deacon bulky envelope, which the lat
ter carefully pinned inside his vest THE
supplies will 20 forward tomorrow by fast
freight. As soon as you get to Wash d,
ingtOn you will find our agent. no matter
what hour Of the day or night it may be,
and help him put the things in motion for
Sherman's army. You will be on the
and promptly report TO us any delay, if
there should be any. III have to trust
largely to your energy and good sense,
which L am sure viii not fail US. Good
by. and God bless you"
The Deacon dOnned his Oyercoat and
picked up his four ho0ped-skirt parcels,
his umbrella and caFpet-bag, and made his
way to the depot. Depositing his bur-
dens on seat, he made his way to the
ticket window, and producing a S10O bill
which DR.. Campbell had given him for
expenses, called for ticket The agent
handed this to him, with u pile of small
bills in change. The Deacon began labor
lously counting over the pile with his stiff
fingers, when 'aim-fammcr' on the
lockout for n victim tried an old trick.
He dropped 81 bill at the Deacon's feet,
and then touched him on the shoulder
Stranger. you've dropped a BILL his
intention being, when the Deacon stopped
to pick it up, to snatch his pile Of bills
and run.
But the Deacon laid his brawny hand
firmly on his pile before glancing down.
so | have he said calmly, and placed
one of his capacious boots squarely over
the bill to hold it while he finished his
count. He then put his change carefully
away in his leather wallet in his inside
pocket. and reaching down picked up the
50 bill, folded it and slowed il in his
vest-pocket, amid the SnicIlers of some Of
the hangers-on at the foiied fiim-fammer
Il don't think that champagne got into
my head us much as l thought it had"
muttered the Deacon to himself, as he
gathered up his belongings, and slowed
himself and them in the car 1T didn't
keep me from remembering what I'd read
about that old trick. I may come from
Posey County. but l take the papers all
the same. I'll spend that 81 on the first
sick soldier l come across. Probably it
was taken from one'
He put his hat and overeoat in the
rack, and settled himself for as comforta-
bic 4 sleep as he could get until he reached
Columbus, o.
Ito be continuedi