The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-28
MY FRIEND HASTINGS.
lRv M. Quad.

10Y M NkudO
L was reading law in the Office of
Judge Holmes and preparing for the
law department in college, and our Of
fees were situated over the Farmers
State bank in the town of POolSville-
1t was a two-story brick building, and
the judge had occupied the rooms
since the bank was built 1t had a GER
tain amount of mental work to accom-
pliSh in a certain time. and as it was
winter l often returned to the Offices
at night and put in three or four hours.
One day, soon after the first of Janu-
airy, stranger who gave his name as
Hastings arrived in town. and after
little while it was given out that he
was a. schoolmaster from the east who
was taking a winter vacation for nerv-
Gus trouble. He didn't look the typical
pedagogue, but when became ac-
quainted with him 1 found. him a first
rate fellow. He seemed to take a lik-
ing to me as we'll. and after our &C.
quaintance had continued for month
he got into the habit of dropping in on
me when he saw my light of an even
ing. 1 was glad enough to have him
do this for he had a keen brain for
law points and one would have said
that he had once practiced at the bar.
He was far more a benefit than a bore,
and when I laid down my book he ex-
amined me in what read with much
more pains than the judge.
After a time / invited Mr.. Hastings
to the house to meet my widowed moth
er, and l also introduced him here and
there. and by and by he had quite an
extensive acquaintance and was ia
Vorite with. all. The man never made
use of profane word, nor did he smoke,
drink or chew. He didn't claim to be
one of the goody-good sort, but 1T was
Just that he had kept clear of all vices.
He deposited thousand dollars in the
bank on his arrival, and it somehow got
noised around that he was well to do.
He volunteered very little information
full not to seek for any, though 1 did
not surround him with the least bit of
mystery.
Along in March Mr.. Hastings went
away for three days. He was boarding
at the inn, and upon his return, and as
soon as he had finished his supper, he
Icame to my rooms. This was about 8
O'Clock in the evening. We chatted for
lawhfie and then he read law for a time,
and about, half past 3, as | lad my
book aside he looked UP and said:
II had forgotten to tell you that an
old friend came back with me to stay
few days. i told him if he felt like
it to drop up here this evening and be
introduced. You Will ma MIN a very
nice gentleman
While 1 was making some appropriate
reply a step sounded outside, and the
stranger entered. He was introduced as
Mr. Rarber and l no sooner set eyes
on him than I wondered how Mr.. Hast
ines happened to be friends with such
an uncouth fellow He neither looked
nor dressed like a gentleman, and as
soon as he began talking 1 discovered
that his education had been sadly neg
lected. once or twice during the next
half hour I caught Mr.. Hastings MAX
ing signs to his friend, as If telling him
TO do less talking, but they had no par
ficrIar Significance for me at the mo-
ment. It had come 10 o'clock when l
arose and shut the front blinds and saw
to the fire in the stove. as was my
rs,,aI practice I had just emptied a
scI1ttIe of coal in the stove to keep the
| ere through the night, when an arm
was passed around my neck. a mans
txnee was pressed into the small of my
hacl- and 7 was garroted in first-class
shape. NY breath was shut off by the
arm. and my back wrenched by the
twist the fellow gave me, ana sup
noss 7 lost consciousness for four or five
minutes. At any rate, when l could
take notice of things again Mr.. Hast
ings was smiling down at me, ana his