Mower County transcript., 1903-01-21

softly: - &
| ''I'n sorry to see you here, Carver
You promised me you would quit it."
The man writhed in his seat, but die
not say word. Kirk looked at him
sorrowfully. ,
"."Come, Carver; come out Of this. III
give you something to do. Don't lose
your soul in this place." =
"Say," said the barkeeper, who had
been leaning with his elbows on the
bar listening, as had also every other
man in the saloon. "You leave my Gus.
toners alone, will you, and mind your
own business %
'"Thats just what I am doing" re-
piled Kirk earnestly, and, as he spoke,
his pale blue eyes filed with high,
white light. 1T is my business to de-
stroy your business. Man, do you
know that just outside that door is a
mothers broken heart that you have
helped to break? And hers is only
one out Of thousands all over the
world. Mind my own business! 1t is
exactly what I intend to do, until every
hell like this is wiped out Of this
town."
He spoke very quietly, almost softly;
his voice did not declaim, but the un-
usual quality Of it thrilled everybody
there. He looked into their faces a
moment and with last appealing look
at Carver he turned and went out.
"Whew" said the barkeeper. "First
sermon ever delivered here. Score one
for Parson Kirk!'
The other men did not respond with
much enthusiasm. Carver had risen
from the table.
Better have one before you co." said
the saloon keeper.
II won't drink again today" Carver
retorted with an oath which was a
curse. He staggered over to the door
and went out into the glare of the hot,
whitening sun. Down the street he
could see Kirk just entering Valmer's
place.
I'm half a mind to help Mr.. Kirk
hunt for the boy" Carver muttered.
He hesitated for moment and then
went on down the street, following the
minister.
That forenoon Malcom Kirk went
into every saloon in Conrad, but he
, failed to get any trace of the missing
boy. Always behind him, unknown to
him, Carver staggered. In two or three
saloons the man was unable to resist
the invitation to drink, but he managed
to keep just sober enough to know
where Kirk was and to follow him.
The sights that greeted Malcom /.
the saloons were never forgotten by
him. He was astonished to see the
number Of men and boys gathered in
the saloons. Many of the faces he
knew, and his entrance invariably cre-
ated distinct embarrassment through
the company. The majority of custom
ers, however, seemed, from their dress
and talk, to be composed Of farmers,
young men from the ranches outlying
Conrad. Malcom was simply appalled,
when he thought Of what such a fact
meant.
He said to himself every time he
came out and faced the dumbly appeal
ing face in the farm wagon: "And yet
we Christian people license these ene-
mics Of the race and allow them to
continue their devilish work, although
we know we'll enough how devilish it
is. May God help us as state to de-
clare against it by statute as we'll as
by prayers and sermons" He lived,
as did every temperance man in Kan
sas at that time, in the great hope that
the day was not far off when the sa-
loon would be declared outlaw, but
how near that day was not even he was
able to predict. ~
It was nearly noon when he finished
his tour of the saloons, and as he came
out near the lower end Of the main
street there was a large group of men
looking off across the prairie and talk
ing eagerly together. The wind had
risen and was blowing almost a gale,
carrying great clouds Of dust through
the town, and off as far as men could
see there. was a column of smoke
spreading cut with great rapidity.
"The prairie fires have started early
Kirk thought, but it was only when
| one Of the ranchmen in the street spoke
| that he realized what the fires might
mean. = -.
IF this wind keeps up, this town will
have it's hands full in about an hour
The speaker ran TO his horse. jumped
on 1t and Was soon :s::lioping o.it of the
| town toward one OF the new ranches
in the direction Of ''The Forks Il
'Mrs. Barton, it is possible that your
boy has gone home since you left
Eyes, yes!' cried the woman, snatch
ing at any hope. II will go back. If
the fire should come into 'The Forks |
ought to be there to see that my other
boy has help in getting the stock be-
hind the fire guards. We plowed ours
early this year on account Of the dry
weather. We lost all our haystacks
one September from fires.' 3.555 5.
She drove out of town, after thank
ing Kirk earnestly for all that he had
done, and Malcom promised to contin-
ue the search after dinner.
He was just starting home. after
asking several men H there was really
i any immediate danger to the town