St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-12-31

J lluup JIll a III uuhdIu lhO JN'tAH 80 >
Who has wrecked his life?"
There was no answer, and the even
toned voice went relentlessly on:
"Who is the murderer of your child
now?'
Slavin groaned and shuddered.
Col" And the voice grew stern.
"Repent of your sin and add not an
other"
Slavin turned his eyes upon the mo-
tionless figure on the ground and then
upon the priest.
Father GouIet took one step toward
him and, stretching out his hand and
pointing with his finger, said:
"Gow
And Slavin slowly backed away and
went into his house. 1t was an eX-
traordinary scene, and it is often with
me now-the dark figure on the ground,
the slight, erect form of the priest with
outsuetched arm and inger, and Sla-
vim backing away, fear and fury strug-
| Cling in his face.
1t was near thing for the doctor,
however, and two minutes more Of
that grip would have done for him.
AS it was, we had the greatest Difficult
ty in reviving him.
What the priest did with Slavin aft
er getting him inside l know nOt-that
has always been a mystery to me-but
when we were passing the saloon that
night after taking Mrs. Mayor home
we saw a light and heard strange
sounds within. Entering, we found
another whisky raid in progress, Sla-
vim himself being the raider. We stood
some moments watching him knocking
in the heads of casks and emptying
bottles. l thought he had gone mad
and approached him cautiously.
Hello Slavinw l called out. "What
does this mean"
He paused in his strange work, and
saw that his face, though resolute
was quiet enough.
at means Pm done with the bust
ness, | am" he said in a determined
voice. "I'll help no more to kill any
man, Or" in a lower tone, ANY mans
baby"
The priests words had struck home
"Thank God, Slavin." said Craig, of
fering his hand. you are much too
good a man for the business"
"Good or bad, I'm done with it," he
replied, going on with his work.
"You are throwing away good mon
ey, Slavin," | said as the head of a
cask crashed in.
ITS myself that knows it, for the
price Of whisky has gone up in town
this week." he answered, giving me a
look out of the corner of his eye. "Be-
dad, it was rare clever job" refer
ring to our Black Rock hotel affair.
But won't you be sorry for this?"
asked Craig.
"Belike l will, and that's why I'm
doing it before I'm sorry for it," he re-
piled with a delightful bull.
Look here. Slavin" said Craig ear
nesily, "if can be of use to you in any
way, count on me-"
Its good to me the both of you
have been, and I'll not forget it to
you," he replied, with like earnestness.
AS we told Mrs. Mavor that night,
for Craig thought it too good to keep,
her eyes seemed to grow deeper and
the light in them to glow more intense
as she listened to Craig pouring out
his tale. Then she gave him her hand
and said
"You have your man at last"
"What manW
"The man you have been waiting
for"
"Slavin"
"Why not?"
II never thought Of it."
"No more did he or any Of u.s." Then
after pause, she added gently, HE
has been sent to u.s."
do you know, l believe you are
right" Craig said slowly and then add
ed. But you always are"
II fear not" she answered, but |
thought she liked to hear his words
The whole town was astounded next
morning when Slavin went to work in
the mines, and it's establishment only
deepened as the days went on and he
stuck to his work. Before three weeks
had gone the league had bought and
remodeled the saloon and had secured
Slavin as resident manager.
The evening of the reopening of Sla-
WINS saloon. as it was still called, was
long remembered in Black Rock. 1t
was the occasion of the first appear
ance of the League Minstrel and Ora
matte troupe in what was described as
a hair lifting tragedy, with appropri-
ate musical selections" Then there
was grand supper, with speeches and
great enthusiasm, which reached it's
climax when Nixon rose to propose the
toast of the evening, Our saloon" His
speech was simply quiet, manly ac-
count of his long struggle with the
deadly enemy. When he came to speak
or his recent defeat, he said:
And while | am blamin' no one
but myself, l am glad tonight this sa-
loon is on our side, for my own sake
and for the sake Of those who have
been waitin' long to see me. But be-
fore | sit down I want to say that
while | live | shall not forget that |
owe my life to the man that took me
that night to his own shack and put
me in his own bed and met me next