The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1901-01-04
HIS DESPERATE CASE

Perciyal felt that the world was
come to an end for him and he wac
trying TO convince himself that he
didn't care a continental If it was.
lie sat in u chair that seemed incom-
patible with any sort Of discomfort,
his pipe was between his teeth. and
be had been notified Of a raise in his
salary that very week; nevertheless
the chair could not hold him in lie
padded embrace, and he got up and
paced about the room in the rcgula-
ton style Of the Gagged panther: his
pipe had gone out long ago, and as for
salary, what to him was salary!
lie felt in the breast pocket Of his
coat and drew out a letter, or rather a
note. which he read with a scowl cor
rugating hi, brow. Then. with o sue
ccssion Of angry jerks, hctorc it acros,
and acro,,. and dropped the pieces,
Tutoring on the hearth. \ moment
later he gathered the piece. ira heap,
and. striking a match. set iircto them,
As the flame gradually died out from
the msiling finder a thought seemed
TO strike him. and he fclt IL his breast
pocket again. This time IT, took out
a pocket book and extracted u small
package, wrapped in tissue paper
from a special compartment; this alsc
he laid on the hearth. anl. with III,
same expression Of angrydctcrmina'
ton on his face, stru& another
match and held it TO th paper. II
did not burn as freely rs he other fol
n minute, hut suddenly itlarod up ST
that he had TO start backo avoid tn,
flame. The next instar there wa
nothing on the hearth br ashes and 1
particularly unpleasant mcll pcrmc
ated the room.
Perciyal drew n dccl breath ant
remained staring modify at th'
blackcncd fragments c the hcaril
for several minutes. TIN, with wha'
seemed TO he an effort, ! rose and be
gan TO whistle. What id il matter
after all? What did Sything mat
ter? No girl was wort a moment
worry.
In accordance with is decision, h,
sat down again and ruck n thir,
match. with which | lighted hi
pipe. He pulled away it'll prcternat
ural calm for a little lille, aud thoi
took the evening papdrom thciabl
and turned to the tatrical adver
tisements.
81 might as well ioy myself" h
said. That's probly what She
doing. III simply Gote the rest o
my existence to hasg a good tim,
II she ever hears one at all, il vii
be as a light-head nan abou
town. Let, see, vi is on. No, In
not going to airoiher the f%atisfaC
ton OF rey.aE ,G,'c@p into 81 earl
grave. Ny harp esn't hang on an
weeping willow Pc. III tune ne
up and pick out g-time tunes"
The paper dr1ed to the floor, an
he continued, VI a melancholy ey
on the engrayi of Napoleon Mt S
Helena, which ny on the wall: ~
dissipate: tharwhat I'll do-fll tn
Gun that clea,o-day of past regret
and future fd-whoop FER up Eliz
Jane. | belf I'll drink a bottle {
beer before . to bed tonight, ju,
as A starterlhey will 60 to her an
tell her wi I'm doing, and the
maybe shjill be sorry. | don
know. thh, why | should cal
whether is sorry or not, don
suppos ally do. My mind
naturallisturbed now, just as
would I | suddenly broke myse
Of any er habit. In a week | sha
Inc woping what | ever saw in h,
and | Il be ahead SO much exper
.nce. uppose every man has TO 9
throuit once, just as puppies g
the fmper, and | ought to
tbol that | found out in tin
bcillous and frivolous women ca
h We had all | want Of them, that
neing sure"
Tgot up and walked about II
roo and then suddenly sat dow
lgawith an impatient exclamation