Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-01-13
THE DRUMMER'S
STORY

The short December afternoon had
closed in the little Colorado village
among the mountains, and this was
Christmas Eve.
The boardsrs ct the Fountain, Z
small hotsd. and the on,y one the town
afforded. had finished the evening
/ msal-aS meal similar to that which
was to Be found ct al small villages
IN the West
Tho inmates Of the hotel comprised
The landlord and his .buxom wife. two
hired girls, some 10 or dozen min
err. and dve or six dfummers, knights
Of the grip. who were forced BY the
inclemency Of the weather to take
refuge ct the Fountain.
| The snow had been falling steadily
al day, and was still falling. the
drifts In some places being several
feet deep.
The men were seated around the
table. some playing cards and others
telling Dtories. "Come, Tom" said
one Of the drummers. ITS your turn
TOR story: Give Us something good
something true this time
Tom was q dark. handsome fellow.
With black hair and deep blue eyes-
eyes that were full Of magnetic DOW.
o.. He pushed back his chair. cross
"a one leg over his knee and. with his
hands thrust tieep into his pockets.
began:
once knew = fellow at school, Who
| tor instance. / Win call Fred-brixht
auick.vittAd renerous to = fault KIT
yery mischievous. His pranks e6me.
times brought him 10 disRrace ~
school. but a Fred wa general
fAvorite he finished the tam Al rirht
and was graduated with honorx
He entered COLLEGE with bright
homes and hieh sspfrstions. and Wills
there made SONS brilliant successes:
but slaal thers vas "a - : fa,l He
became intixate,v scon.inted nth m.
other fell6w ~ m entiralv d,Merent
stamp.
Box Turner "a. q ,axv ~ooA.sor.
no&hinx fal,ow. Who wanted IN saa tn
world At tho ernense a. someone ~.
HI told Fred that ~ thev had = fev
hundred dollara their fortunes would
be assured He accordin1lv induce6
Fred to forre = check with his TAR.
er's name. and thus vas committee
hia -flrat act of crime.
y They .hen vent to New Yort.
WHARF their money was speedilv dis.
posed Of. ana Rob. seeing that Fred
vas now penufless haseiv deserted
him.
Fred at Arst did mt know what Ia
do. a. he was without money or
friends. He could NOT 70 back to hia
home With such 4 Disgrace attached
h him. no the next thing vas Ia look
for emnlovment
After 4 long and tedious pursuit hs
succeeded in obtaining a no.ition IN
4 small ONCE. for which he m. poor-
II psid. He remained there about sfx
months and then obtained 4 more
lucrative position as travelling sales-
man for leading New York firm.
One Of his trips took him to Ohio.
to the city Of Cleveland. where he met
= beautiful girl.
Alice Hastings was q pet Of society
and used to being adpired. She
showed = marked preference for Fred
from the nrst and soon became - i
much attached to him ~ he was to
her. They wers engaged about SIX
months and then there was a quiet
wedding ct Alice's home. Their
honeymoon was spent in making q
tour Of the States, but alas, his hap
piness was to be short lived.
While stopping at one Of the prin-
Opal hotels in Chicago Alice met q
stranger whose polished manners and
tongue, together with his
handsome face. soon won her affec-
ions. She walked with him, danced
NTH him and drove with him, despite
Ter husbands objections.
His kind heart forgavs her many |
hings. thinking she would soon for.
yst the stranger.
One n,eht. after . hard dav.s to,1 ~
ravel ana dust and smoke ~ traina
Fred retnrned to his hote, footsore
md wearv. Ha climbed tbe atair. IN
IN room Nth ( heavv heart There
I'd 4 indescrihahle somethine which
WOULD not tate form tnrrinr at hi.
,ea,4atrinaa He lonred vet drsadsd
: entar his anartment A. Last ~
cached +ha Aoor ana att;rv the ~
= tho ,ock 10 nnehad ~ o,on IA