Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-02-08

cork the fine bouquet of the LIQUOR
seemed instantly to fill the room with
its subtle aud intoxicating essence.
With the smell of the whisky in his
noStrilS he had the bottle halfway to
his lips before he realized that the de-
mon of appetite had sprung upon him
out of the darkness. taking him naked
and unawareS. Twice he put the bot
tie down, only 10 take ii up again
His lips were parhed, his tongue rat
tied in his mouth. and within there
were cravings like the fires of hell,
threatening torments unutterable If
they should not be asSuaged.
God, have mercy" he mumbled and
then in Il voice which the rising fires
had scorched to hoarse whisper, III
| drink I'm damned to all eternity,
and if | don't take just one swallow
I'll never be able to talk SO as to make
Goodloe understand me-
1t was the supreme test of the man.
Somewhere deep down in the soul
abyss of the tempted one Il thing stir
red, took shape and arose to help him
to fight the devil of appetite. Slowly
the fierce thirst burned itself out. the
invisible hand ut his throat relaxed its
cruel grip, and a fine dew of pcrSpira-
ton broke out thickly on his forehead
At the sweating instant the newly
arisen soul captain within him whis-
pered. Now. John JudSon. once for
air. and. staggering to the open win
dow, he flung the tempting bottle afar
among the scattered powders, wait
ing until he had heard the tinkling
crash of broken glass before he turn
ed back to his appointed task.
His hands were no longer trembling
when he once more wound the crank
of the telephone and held the receiver
to his ear. There was an answering
skirl of the bell. and then a voice said:
Hello. This is Goodloe What's
wanted?"
Judson wasted no time in explana
tons. This is Judson-John Judson
Get Timanyoni on your wire, quick,
and catch Mr.. Lidgerwood's special.
Tell Bradford and Williams to run
slow. looking for trouble. Do you get
that?"
A confused medley of rumblings and
c'ankings crashed in over the wire,
and in the midst of the interruption
Judson heard Goodloe put down the re-
ceiver. In a flash he knew what was
happening at Little Butte station. The
delayed passenger train from the west
had arrived. and the agent was obliged
to break off and attend to his duties
AnXiously Judson twirled the crank
again and yet again. Since Goodloe
had not cut off the connection the min.
gled clamor of the station came to the
listening ear. the incessant clicking of
the telegraph instruments of Goodloe's
table, the trundling roar of baggage
truck on the station platform. the
cacophonous screech Of the passenger
engines pop valve. Then came the
conductors cry of "All aboardw and
then the long drawn sobs of the big
engine as Crawford started the train
Judson knew that in all human proba
b1lity the superintendent special had
already passed Timanyoni, the last
chance for telegraphic warning, and
here was the passenger slipping away
also without warming
Goodloe came back to the telephone
when the train clatter had died away
and took up the broken conversation
Are you there yet, John?" he calico
And when Judson's yelp answered
him: IAN right. Now, what was ii
you were trying to tell me about the
special?"
Judson did not swear. The seconds
were too vitality precious. He merely
repeated his warning. with hoarse
prayer for haste.
There was another pause, a break
in the clicking of Goodloe's telegraph
instruments, and then the agents voice
came back over the wire: Cant reach
the special 1t passed Timanyoni ten
minutes ago"
Judson'S heart was in his mouth,
and he had to swallow twice before
he could go on.
where does it meet the passcnger?"
he demanded.
you can search me-" replied the
Little Butte agent, who was not OF
those who go out OF their way to Dor.
row trouble, Then suddenly: Hold
the phone a minute The dispatc her's
calling me right now"
There was third trying interval OF
waiting for the man in the darkened
room at the Wire Silver headquarters:
then Goodloe called again
Trouble" he said shortly. Angels
didn't know that Crawford had made
up so much time Now he tries to give
me an order to hold the passenger
after it's gone by SO long. I'm going
to take a lantern and go along up
the track to see where they come to-
gether"
Judson hung up the receiver. reset
the wire switch 10 leave It as he had
found IT, climbed out through the open
window and replaced the sash Then
he stumbled down the hill to the gulrh
bottom and started out to walk along