The Detroit times., 1911-12-14
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DrfSntEY D. SAUNDERS
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Dr RIPLEY SAUNDERS.
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The most quarrelsome man I'm his
| cups | ever knew. Sim, was old Boil
Prewitt, in my regiment durin' the
late unpleasantuess, and he was
| cured just that way, sub Sam Foss.
brooke made point of campin' on
Bob's trail every time Bob got 10
| naggin' any o. the other fellows. and
Sand thrash Bob till his own
mother wouldn't ha' known him.
sub. And. sub, before the war
was over, I'll be double hamstrung il
Rob Prewitt wasn't teetotaler; sub
and he never got fightin' drunk aft
er the war. neither till he'd put two
whole counties between him and Sam
Fossbrooke. Some OF you boys ought
TO try that plan on Tom Strickland.
Sim"
Colonel answered Sim soemnly.
its sort o curse on the Strick-
lands. that fierce temper o. their'n
when they get under the influence
OF ticker. sub. You mustn't forget
that Toms own uncle killed his best
friend. Lawrence Tolliver, durin' a
spree. and then drank himself To
death afterwards, tryin' TO forget II.
sub. It's a curse sub, that's what it
ISL
1T amt no curse that can't be
lifted easy as raisin' your little finger.
Sim Birdsong," said the Colonel. All
In the world Tom Stricklands GOT -
dc is to leave whisky alone-he amt
hard drinker now, and maybe he
never will be, h0t hes got TO leave
II alone altogether. II don't agree
with him. The Todhunters has got
that same kind OF curse in their
family, only It's cucumbers stead OF
whisky. Tn amt none OF us Tod
hunters can eat cucumbers without
bein' doubled up with cramp collie.
Well, sub. | lifted that curse by cut
tin cucumbers out o. my list of Wit
ties same as III such a thing never
growed and Tom Strickland or any
other man can do the same thing with
whisky, subj
Then the Colonel tapped Sim on
the shoulder And let me tell you
one thing, my boy" he continued.
"All this-here talk about the turrible
hard fight necessary TO break of
from a bad habit makes me tired, sub.
A man don't never have to fight but
one days fight at time, and there's
always nights rest comm i'm be-
tween il he don't lay awake pityin
himself sub. know what I'm
a-talkin' about. II amt but twelve
hours fight no time, and a man who
can't fight that long Is mighty
measly specimen of man, subj"
That's all very well. Colonel,
spoke Sim uneasily, "but Tom has
egged STAN Tucker on till STAINS
hurried out o. the bar-room white in
the face, hollerin' over his shoulder
that he'll be back in minute-and
you know just what that means. sub
Colonel Todhunter's face grew in
stantly grave. Hes gone to get his
shootin' iron the damned little fool
re exclaimed Tel me, Sims Tom
Strickland armed2
IL don't think he Is, sub, but he's
a-waitin' for STAN Tucker in that-
there-har-room, and he's just feelln
reckless enough 10 give STAN every
chance in the world for shootin' him
after he himself picked the fuss and
forced the personal diihculty,
Colonel"
You come along with me. Sim"
said the Colonel. why the blue
blazes Sam Hill didn't you tell me
all that at the start, sub?
Swiftly they crossed the town
square and entered the bar-room OF
the Nineveh Hotel. Tom Strickland,
alone now but for the bartender, STOOD
with one elbow resting on the bar
"Howdy. Colonel" he cried. You
and Sim are just in time to join me
In a drink, sir Whatll you have!
Tom" replied the Colonel, ordi-
narily I'd be glad to accept your INV
tation. but not today. my boy. want
you to go home. Tom"
Young Strickland smiled. III
sorry to disoblige you, Colonel ne
replied "but | don't feel like going
home right away
you've got to go, Tom replied
the Colonel A.
well now, sir" suggested tne
other. that's fairly open to argument
in spite OF your being SO POSITIVE
about 1t. I've got special reason TOT
staying, Colonel"
Yves. know, Tom. You're waitln
to have a personal difficulty with
STAN Tucker, subj
Tom strickland laughed. You've
called the turn, sir, And, under the
circumstances, you'll have to agree
vourself that can't go now-not for
q few minutes, anyway.
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