Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1907-01-23
HOW I KEPT
NY CONTRACT
[Original.l

Indian Territory. If | finished it ac-
to agreement would make a
small fortune. If I failed my forfeit
was so large that my work would not
pay me. There was but one reason
why | should fail, and that was alco-
hol. couldn't keep my men sober.
There was plenty of prohibition In
the territory and just as much liquor.
All sorts of poisonous stuff was
brought In surreptitiously, diluted
wood alcohol being consumed in large
quantities. 1t was all brought by ped
dIers across the line from Oklahoma.
1 watched with the greatest care to see
that none of it was sold about my
camp, but for my life | couldn't pre-
vent it. l never saw any one sell liquor
and never saw the men drink 1t. The
first thing | knew they were all drunk
Then work must be stopped till they
got sober.
| was going by the supply store one
morning and saw a peddler sitting on
a keg. Always on the lookout, | asked
him what was in it. He told me that
ii was kerosene, and on my demanding
to sample it he put in spigot and
drew kerosene true enough. Neverthe-
less that night the men were all drunk.
I went to the store and, looking over
the stock of barrels and such like,
found number with false bottoms. A
small compartment at one end smelt of
kerosene: the rest smelt of whisky.
After that | inspected every article
that could hold liquid when 1t came
into camp. For awhile l kept out
liquor and kept the men at work. Dur
ing this period | made great headway
and felt sure that if | could continue 1t
| should make good my contract and
pocket enough funds to enable me to
live as liked for the rest of my life.
My work must be finished by the
18th of April, and ON the 10Th of Feb
ruary | knew that fifty days more
steady work would be ample for the
purpose. But early In March the men
got on a spree, which was repeated,
the sprees occurring nearer and nearer
together as the spring advanced.
watched the supply store, but could
discover nothing likely to contain
liquor. Butter and eggs were coming
in, but in the spring one always looks
for these articles, and there was moth
Ing suspicious about either of them.
On the Goth of March the men were
all drunk. II / could get them sober
at once and keep them sober l could
complete my contract; If not was
doomed. There was pretty Mexican
girl near my camp with whom / had
spent many an evening very happily
On the evening in March mentioned
l to get rid of the sight of the drunkeT
men and to get my mind of my disap
pointment, l went over to see little
rs-nsis.-Essy.<p..-
"What is the matter, senior? Yol
look as If some great calamity wer'
upon you."
told her of my troubles.
"What will senior give to know hov
the men get their liquor" She looked
at me roguishly. She was bewitching
"My heart" l replied on the impulse
'What use is the heart without tn
handY" she asked, her eyes dancing
with mischief.
"The heart, though given and de
clined, is still in the keeping Of the re
cipient. The hand offered and declin
ed remains with the giver."
She arose and went into the mex
room. There heard her opening door
belonging to cupboards and sideboard
and the clink of glasses. l suppose,
she was intending to bring me som
fluid refreshment What was my SUI
prise to see her return with a coupl
of eggs each in an eggcup. They wer
on tray, and there was silver spool
for each egg.
II only finished my supper half a.
hour ago." l said.
"But you have not had anything t
wash 1t down."
wash it down with boiled egg?
1--WE shall see."
Setting the tray on table, she push
ed one of the eggs toward me. l brok
the shell at the small end with tn
spoon, while she did the same wit
the other egg.
"Senor, your good health" she sale
raising her egg to her lips
There was the unmistakable odor @
whisky under my nose. l slipped fror
the eggshell and slipped whisky. Th
girl set her egg on the table withou
tasting 1t. l looked at her question
ingly.
Don't you understandY she said.
mo"
"The eggs that are coming in ar
shells full of whisky"
reached across the table and caugf
her in my arms, then hurried away
the supply store where found man
dozen eggshells, both full and emptie'
of liquor. l took up one of the empt
shells and found that it was goo
imitation of an eggshell made of plai