Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-01-09
mere turning of a button Afterward
he explained that the cellar would be

mere turning of button Afterward
he explained that the cellar would be
always light. Then everybody smiled.
| That i..ea.lt something to Travis Gus
to.aers Ever since the store opened
there had been barrel of the best
whisky conveniently remote from gen
eral view. but free to whoever chose
| to go and take a drink. 1t was, of
course, a point of homer not to drink
unless you We're a pretty good Gus
toner. Major Borum was pretty
good customer, in spite of social com
plications, but nobody ever suspected
him OF even knowing where the bar
rel stood
1t lay bung up, with the thief hang
ing upon handy nail in the wall a
foot away. The thief, understand, was
only an innocent tin tube, open at both
ends and slender enough to slip easily
through the bunghole. In use it was
thrust down into the liquor open end
ed. Then a finger held close over the
upper end made it fetch out enough
liquor for drink, stiff or mild accord
ing to the depth of the plunge. By
way of keeping the thief in place lit
tie ring had been soldered on to the up
per end, long wire twisted in the
ring and likewise made fast to the nail
in the wall. Careless drinkers might
otherwise have dropped the invaluable
tube or absentminded ones, after the
third drink have gone off with it in the
pocket.
Throughout the summer Major Bo-
rum came into the store only when he
had business, but as the days grew
short and nipping he fell into way of
sitting into the group around the stove,
listening when he had to-that was
rather seldom-and talking when he
could-that was most of the time
Toward Christmas the major haunted
the store more than ever, especially
late in the day when there was al
ways plenty of trade. He had got so
familiar he went everywhere, up stairs
or down, without exciting comment.
Some few said he was simmering down.
They reckoned it would be all right be-
twixt 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 cellar
about dusk one night to look after the
switchboard. In minute he came up,
his eyes staring like saucers, beckoned
Jink to him and plunged again below.
Nobody saw any more of them that
night. They worked in the cellar until
near - o'clock and went home chuc-
king aloud.
All next day Jink moved like man
in a dream, waiting upon customers
with his head half turned over his
shoulder. 1t was a busy day, Satur-
day, and the world and his wife were
in town. About noon. when the crush
was greatest, everybody was startled
by succession of yells, unearth-
ly, agonizing, coming up, it seemed.
from right under their feet. Three
street, two women tainted, and old
lady Buckley snatched up her basket
of eggs, crying out that she "allus
knew somp'n' was bound ter happen
ter that store ever sence they took an
made candles outen the Lord A'migh-
tvs own thunder" But half q 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,
their in hand, bowling, hopping from
one foot to the other, unable to let go
and between bowls swearing like a
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 can't let go that thief. It's
got full lamp voltage. We fixed
1t, Jink and l, as soon as ever caught
you taking drink on the sly
mo, no, Dan. 1 can't let you perse-
cute Molly's uncle" Jink said, reach
ing for the key. "I'm awfully obliged
to you, though, for watching here" he
went Oh. You know" to those be-
hind him, 1--WE could not afford to turn
on the current-until we were sure of
our man.
II sorter reckon you've made sure of
your gal" old man Buckley said as the
crestfallen major vanished up the stair.
Sure enough, it turned out that Jink
had.
"The Light That Failed.