The Goodland republic., 1907-01-04

Throws Isslnt Upon sIle sad Career OF
Him Who DFfH7Cs.

Throws Light Upon The Sad Career Of
Him Who DEfHlzs.
Among the writer's Of verse and hu-
morous sketches whose wit shows no
signs OF t4king on a Wite edge IS Walt
Mason, who does the s'E0t Tamaies''
in the Lincoln Evening News. He g
known 70 the newspaper fraternity al
over the country, having done time,
on some OF the best dailies IN such ci-
ties as Washington, St Louis, san
Francisco. Omaha, Chicago and New
York He IS now living IN compare
tive retirement on g little dairy farm
IN the suburbs OF Beatrice. Ne5-, Where
he amuses himself raising poultry.
cows pigs and garden ssss- Between
Whfles ne dashes of little gems OF
thought for the magazines and news
papers Twenty years ago Mason had
something OF a reputation as a bOOzer.
II IS now many years since he discOv-
cred the fudIity OF trying TO corner
IN one stomach the supply OF ali the
distflleries- BE therefore cut out the
L Z (standing for tanglefOOt). but he
occasionally prints reminiscent verses
about the days when he liked 70 look
upon the red wine This IS the latest
bunch he handed to the good fellow,
the "barkeep" and the boss" 1t IS
muGn DELLeE temperance literature
than Carrie Nation dispenses:
II wandered to the grOg shop, Tom
I stood before the bar. and drank q
bowl OF lemonade and smoked a rank
cigar; the same old kegs and 5uge were
there, the ones we used to know, when
we were on the round up, Tom some
fifteen years ago. The barkeep is q
new one, Tom. the one who used 70
sell corrosive tanglefOOt TO Us is smOk-
ing now in Halifax, the new one has
a plate-glass front, his hair IS cOmbed
quite low, he looks Just like the one
we knew, some fifteen years ago. Old
soaks came up and called for BOOZE
and dudeIets staggered in, and burned
the lining from their thrOats with fine
old Holland gin; and women stood
outside the door, their faces scanned
with woe and wept Just as they used
TO weep. some fifteen years ago. I
asked about the Old-time friends, those
cheerful sporty men, ana some were
in the poor house, and some were in
the pen; and one-the one we liked
the best-the hangman laid him low;
the world is much the same. dear
Tom, as fifteen years ago. ] asked
about that stately chap whom pride
marked for its own: he used to say
that he could drink, or let the stun
alone; he perished OF the James H
Jams, out in the storm and snow,
al. few survive who used to bowl
some fifteen years ago. New crowds
line up against the bar. and call for
crimson ink; new hands are trembling
as they pour the stuff they shouldn't [
drink but still the same old watch
word rings, This rounds on me, you
know the same old CRY OF doom we
heard, some fifteen years ago. wan
dered to the churchyard, Tom, and
there I saw the graves. OF those who
used to drown themselves in red fer
mend waves; and there were women
sleeping there, where grass and daisies
grow, who went and died OF broken
hearts. some fifteen years ago. And
there were graves where children
slept for many a year, fOrgetfuI OF the
woe that marked their short, sad jour
ney here; and meath fine tall mOnu-
ment. in peace there lieth low, the
man who used to sell the booze, some
! fifteen years ago"