Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-09-04
last nickel" he said. moIstening his

last nickel" he said, moIstening his
parched lips with his tongue.
+ Presently he rounded the corner OF
the station and stood in the full glare
of the electric lights. There were
few men seated upon the hotel
steps, and at the upper end of the
open space trolley-car was putting
down a passenger, otherwise there
was no indication of life. Rossiter
plunged hand into one of his trous-
ers pockets and drew forth four
coins, a fve-cent piece and three pen
MES. He knew that it would be folly
to attempt to enter the hotel, so he
started along the north side of the
square in search OF saloon. He did
not have to go far. A gayly illumined
place, which went by the name of
''The Keneseo," soon caught his eye.
Two men, whom he had not noted in
his first survey of the square, were
lounging upon opposite sides of the
door.
cit that yer las chaw o. terbaccer
we've got in yer face, Bill?" demanded
one of the other as Rossiter ap-
preached.
The expression was not new to him.
He had heard it before among men
of the class to which these loafers
belonged, the class to whose level,
or lower, he himself had sunk, but it
now carried with it an unwonted re-
proach. It revealed to him with pain
full vividness his own position in the
world, and he cursed the fate that
had caused him to leave the freight
two
the unwelcome spectre of the past, in
stirring memories that he had fancied
dead or so somnolent that they would
never waken to plague him, in
kindling lopgings that he had for
many day resolutely banished.
AS Rossiter drew near, and it be-
came evident that he was seeking the
saloon, the two loungers stepped back
to allow him TO enter, scanning him
with leering curiosity as he walked
toward the bar. With one hand he
tossed his little bundle of clothes
upon the polished slab behind which,
in trousers and gauze undershirt, a
close-cropped, red-faced Irish-Amer-
lean was standing, and with the other
cast down his last precious nickel.
ga glass of beer, for Heavens
sakei" said he.
The saloon-keeper' shot an amused
glance at him, seized a beer mug,
turned spigot, held the mug
up, cycling it's contents critically,
blew off the foam, put it beneath
the tap again, and then placed it be-
fore Rossiter with a flourish.
"Still hottern'n 'ell!" he remarked.
of assent, and then gave himself over
to the luxury of the beaded draught.
No bottle of wine quaffed in his
quite the satisfaction he experienced
from that plebeian beer. He put
the mug down with a sigh.
"Have another?'' asked the saloon
keeper.
Rossiter smiled regretfully and
produced his three remaining pen
MES, thinking them in his hand.
"Guess not" he answered.
ooh, WELL" said the man behind the
bar good-naturedly, 81. see you're
ruther down on yer luck. I'll STAN
treat. They's some crackers over
there" he added, pointing to nicked
dish that stood upon table on the
opposite side of the room.
Rossiter helped himself to a gener-
Gus handful, and, returning, took up
his trimming mug that was awaiting
him.
'tHere's looking at you," he said.
''My best thanks
"Goin' hop-pickin', I suppose?" said
the saloon-keeper he tossed off his
pony"
Hadn't thought of it, replied Ros-
the season of the hop-harvest, when
there was large influx of people
into I1lica on their way to the hop
fields, a dozen miles or so back among
the hills.
Thought likely We were. They's
big crowd goin' this year. They
say the crops heavy"
An idea flashed into Rossiter's
brain.
"I wonder if could get chance to
pick?" he queried.
"Gosh, yes!'' said the saloon-keep-
er, plenty O. chance if We kept
SOBER
Rossiter made some additional in
quiries in regard to the matter of
,hop-picking, then, as the saloon
keeper suggested that he guessed
he'd shut up, the vagrant took his
bundle from the bar and sought the
street.
ST might try it, he unused as he
stro1led aimlessly in the direction of
the station. ''I'll see how it strikes me
in the morning"
Reaching the railway tracks, he
halted for a moment in indecision.
The station was closed, so it was use