The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-07-18
By BOOTH HARRINGTON.

don Of Caterer Jones' dusKy assistants
from Chicago, who were in ambush
outside. Unfortunately after a brief
struggle he managed to trip Warden
and, the others stumbling upon the
PROSTATE body of the latter, to make
| his escape in the darkness"
Not quite a mile above the northern
most Of the factories on the water front
there projected into the river near the
! end Of the crescent bend above the
town long pier, relic of steamboat
days, rotting now and many years
fallen from it's maritime uses. About
midway Of it's length stood huge,
crazy shed, long ago utilized as
freight storeroom. This had been
patched and propped, and dangerous
looking veranda attached to it, over
hanging the water. Above the door,
way was placed sign whereon might
be read the words, Beaver Beach,
Mixes Place." The shore end of the
pier was so ruinous that passage was
offered by single row of planks,
which presented an appearance so tenn
porary as we'll as insecure that one
might have guessed their Office to be
something in the nature Of a draw
bridge. From these a narrow path ran
through marsh left by the receding
river to country road Of desolate ap-
pearance. Here there was a rough in
closure or corral, with some tumble
down sheds which afforded shelter on
the night Of Joseph Louden's disgrace
for number Of shaggy teams attached
to those decrepit and musty vehicles
known picturesQuely and accurately as
night hawks.
By o'clock Joy at Mixes place had
become beyond question unconfned,
and the tokens Of it were audible for
long distance in all directions. If,
however, there is no sound where no
ear hears, silence rested upon the coun-
ryside until an hour later. Then a
lonely figure came shivering from the
direction of the town not by the road,
but Sinking through the snow upon the
frozen river. 1t came slowly, as though
very tired, and cautiously, too, often
turning it's head to look behind. Final
~ it reached the pier and stopped as if
to listen.
Within the house above a piano Of
evil life was being beaten to death for
it's sins and clamoring it's last cries
horribly. The old shed ratified in every
part with the thud of many heavy feet
and trembled with the shock of noise,
90
tuated with women's screams. Then
the riot Quieted somewhat. There was
a clapping Of hands, and violin be-
gan to squeak measures intended to be
oriental. The next moment the listener
scrambled up one Of the rotting piles
and stood upon the veranda. A shaft
Of red light through broken shutter
struck across the figure above the
shoulders, revealing bloody handker-
chief clumsily knotted about the head
and beneath it the face Of Joe Louden.
Joe opened the door and went in. All
Of the merry company (who were able)
turned sharply toward the door as it
opened. One or two nearest the door
asked the boy, without great curiosity,
what had happened to his head. He
merely shook it family in reply and
crossed the room to an open hallway
beyond. At the end Of this he came to
frowzy bedroom, the door Of which
stood ajar. Seated at deal table and
working by dim lamp with broken
chimney, close cropped, red bearded,
red haired man in his shirt sleeves was
jabbing gloomily at a column Of figures
scrawled in a dirty ledger. He looked
up as Joe appeared in the doorway, and
bis eyes showed slight surprise.
II never thought We had the temper
to git somebody to split yer head" said
he. "Where'd ye collect it?''
He unwound the handkerchief and
removed it from Joe's head gently.
"Whee!' he cried as a long cash was
exposed over the forehead. II hope ye
left mark somewhere to pay a little
on the score O. thisv'
Joe chuckled and dropped dizzily
back upon the pillow. "There was an
other who got something like it," he
gasped feebly, "and, oh, Mike, 1 wish
you could have heard him going on!
Perhaps you did. It was only three
miles from here.'
Nothing I'd liked better!' said the
other, bringing basin Of clear water
from stand in the corner. tits a
beautiful thing to hear a man boiler
when he gifts grand one like ye're
wearing tonight"
He bathed the wound gently and,
hurrying from the room, returned i'm
med1ately with small Jug of vinegar.
Wetting rag with this tender fluid, he
applied it to Joe's head, speaking sooth-
lngly the while.
Nothing in the world like a bit O.
good cider vinegar to keep off the fes-
term. 1t may seem a trihe scratchy
fer the moment, but it assassinates the
blood p'ison. There re go! It's the fine
thing fer We, Joe. What are We suuirm-
In about?''
"1'm only enjoying it." the bow an
sWered, writing as the vinegar work