The daily morning Alaskan., 1904-01-12
CHE LUCK or BLACKBOARD
 HAWWIGAW W

getting scarccr and scarcer, anu the November air had way of nipping the ears and nose which was not pleasant Hannigon was a wandering painter, He had once been proficient as a de- spoller of scenery, as many of the leg ends which now adou the Buckeye landscape and proclaim the merits of pink pellets and condition powders will testify. Rum had got the upper hand of Hannigau. His hand was no longer steady enough t0 follow the conhgura- ton Of letters, even when they were chaIked out by sleadior fingers, but Hannigan could sill paint bIackboards. There was a time when around the walls of eycry district school in south. orn Ohio there was painted a dark dado, on which the pupils worked out their arithmeucal salvation.
 Mir Hannigan as he strode along the tracks was muuerIng to himself about the pefversity of fortune He had spent nearly his last cent for material He had been Co three schoolhouses, and in each he had been confronted with slabs of smoothly polished slate which covered the plastcred wall. The agent of a Chicago school supply company had preceded Hannigan and had done him much injury At the last school house the teacher had smiled pityingly when the decorator talked of the evil which had come upon him She had unclasped from a long chain which she wore a silver mounted rabbits foot and had insisted upon the astonished paint CTS accepting it.
 Now that Hannigan was alone again his thoughts went back to the little sshoolhouse. and the more be thought about the duplicity of the trustees and the slate blackboards the more angry he became. He drew from his pocket the fuzzy fetlch which the teacher had given him and in the half darkness con- templated 1t with a look of fine scorn. flanagan was walking on the railroad track with the measured tread common to the experienced wanderor who avails himself of that courtesy of the compa- ny known as the "tie pass"
 "Luckr muttered Hannigan. Jim Hannigan walking the track with not thing in his pocket but a rabbits foot has a run of luck, hasn't he2 Where's that fool thingP
 Hannigan took the talisman from bis pocket and threw 1t on the track. h dropped near a rail- where the glint from its mounting revealed its pres ence. Hannlgan stopped as though to pick it up again. Then he reconsio cred.
 'No," said he; don't want it; won't have 1t. Let some fellow find 1t who wasn't born to be unlucky"
 Hannlgan heard a shrill whistle and the rumble Of wheels. He stepped aside in a mechanical way just in time to evade a train. He stood for moment contemplating the two fiery eyes of red which were diminishing in front of him. Then he looked around him.
 'I was crossing the long treste, and l didn't know it." said uannigan "Now. by gum, that is what call luck crossing the trestle with no chance in lhe world to get off it and spikes on the sides of the track to make it uncom fortable for us hoboes; crossing the trestle. by jing! 1T l had jumped would have been drowned in twenty feet of water, and if had stayed they would never have recognized me eX- cept for this can of sawdust cocktails Jim Hannlgan, you are an unerateful cuss. That rabbits foot saved you. and you threw it away. This is where you see a crayon enlargement of Jim Han nigan going back to find the only thing which ever brought him luck
 He went back over the ties lodging the spikes, looking for the rabbits foot. He could see no trace of It. He glanced up in time to see two bulging eyes of red which were growing bigger with every second. James Hannigan jumped and shrie6ed The Cannon Ball" was backing down on him. and be was in the middle of the uestle. He threw himself on the track, rolled over cIasped the end of a tie in his arms and swung himself oI just ns the express whizzed over his head. Above him was the roar of the train and beneath him the waters of the Hooking were greed fly tapping the wooden piles
 Talk about hard luck muttered the trembling painter of bhckboards. "Oueered for life by rabbits foot and a schoolmarm's smile .'
 The resue was vibrating beneath the weight of the train. Hannigan with his right arm within six inches Of the rail over which were rushing the wheels of the Cannon Ball" felt shiver through every nerve of his body He yelled curses, and the rails gave back a mockIng sound He felt the dull pain of weariness in his arms.
 Twenty feet of water below moaned Hannigan. "and ! can't swim l couldn't draw myself up, even if tho train wasn't here We'll so long, every body. Here is tue end of James Han nican. born a scenic artist died bum."
 He dropped. The cold waters closed about the form of the knight of the road. Then a moment of silence, and James Hannigan awoke. He thought be was sitting on downy cushions and around him was poured a cooling and