The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-09-23
AN UNKNOWN
HERO


, az of the highball. One such was de-
veloped recently in New York city.
He Is clerk for large cor
poration downtown and puts in eight
, hours at his desk every working day,
, no matter what he may have put In
the night before, for Johnson is con-
vivial man, and when the white lights
Z CLEAN In the Tenderloin he may gen
! orally be found holding up his end
as the saying goes. The session was
more prolonged than usual one night
last week, but by the help Of the mys-
ebriates he reached his own abode at
some unholy hour in the morning.
A nerve-wrecking alarm clock Jared
him into consciousness about eight a.
m. He had been In bed, or rather on
! the bed, for perhaps two hours. He
gave one groan, shut his teeth down
! hard and arose. The sun beat In
through the window. bringing out
beads of perspiration on his face and
neck. He had no recollection Of how
he reached home, but he had faint
remembrance, as he expressed 1t, OF
'whooping it up with a gang of Indi-
ans" about four O'Clock a. m. In the
Tenderloin. The tortures Of the day
before him were not pleasant to con-
template, but he had had his dance
and was prepared TO pay the fiddler.
He stepped quickly to the bathroom
and stuck his head under the cold
water faucet. His head ached fearful
~ and he regretted that he could not
have 1t pulled. The thought OF break
fast made his stomach shudder, SO
as compromise he stopped in at the
druggists and had some kind of a
noisy drink which left white sedi-
ment on his mustache.
AS he walked into the office he as
sumed the quick, elastic step of one
who has had his eight hours sleep. q
cold bath and rundown.
well, old man, how do you open |
up?" was the cheerful greeting OF the |
chief clerk as Johnson plunged at |
once into his work
Never better" replied Johnson, |
wincing little as his head gave an |
extra throb. Nothing like good |
nights rest and cold tub in the
to make a man feel like he's |
glad to be alive" He did not say that |
he had had these two good things
but his manner plainly indicated that
he had
Yes, and an early morning stroll"
assented the chief clerk, Il was out
at five this morning fer q walk In the |
hour" he continued.
ut is, indeed" said Johnson. Il
was up very early myself this morn
ing" and he chuckled away down in
side himself at his little joke. Then
he became too busy TO talk. All the
long hours he worked while his head
ached and his temples throbbed. The
stimulants Of the night before kept
him fairly well braced up for a few
hours. but as the day wore on he felt
hat the greatest bliss In the world
would be TO go over to that hotel
across the way, lie down on big
Gather upholstered lounge and let
IN electric fan play on him while he
slept the sleep of the just II
He fought the day out by sheer grit.
he might have pleaded Illness and
gotten off for the day. but he was not
hat kind of Johnson. He worked
Until the closing hour and five min
ties over for good measure, and then ;
eft the Office with clear conscience,
( not clear head.
The chief clerk was waiting for him ,
Il the elevator. AS johnson APP |
'roached he held out his hand. John
on, you are all right" he said, with
slow. drawing accent on the all"
"Why, er, how's that?" said John
on. mechanically taking the out
tretched hand and looking little !
Ike one discovered. =
"Oh, nothing" responded the chief,
only ] happened TO be passing your I
lace on my early morning stroll and I
elped the cabman take you UP to )
bur room at six O'Clock this morn !
~. Any man who will get up and
Dme TO the office on time and put In ;
hard days work after being the to- !
Il wreck you were at six o'clock this :
corning has my respect. and | take \
n my hat to you. You haven't !
ormed any forts or sunk any Mer- a
macs. but If the medal man ever 4
cts down this way I'll tell him we 4
ave the man he's looking for"