Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-05

01o my services 10 the country as well
worthy of recognition" the judge
breathed deep. What would MahafYy
md to say now! Certainly this was
we'll calculated to disturb tho sour
cynicism Of his friend. His bleared
eyes br1mmed. After all his cropping
he had touched hands with the reali-
ties at last! Even federal judgcship.i
though not an ONCE of first repute In
the south, had its dignity-it signified
something! He would make Solomon
his clerk! The Judge reached for his
hat. Mahaffy must know at once that
fortune had mended for them. Why,
at that moment he was actually In
receipt Of an income!
He sat down, the better to enjoy
the unique sensation. Taxes were be-
ing levied and collected with no other
end In view than his stipend-his ar
dent fancy saw the whole machinery
Of government in operation for his
benefit. It was singular feeling he
experienced. Then promptly his
spendthrift brain became active. He
needed clothes-so did Mahany-eo
did his grandson: they must take
larger house: he would buy himself a
man servant: these were pressing ne
cessities as he now viewed them.
Once again he reached for his hat;
the desire to. rush off to Belle Plain
was overmastering.
Il reckon I'd be justified in hiring
a conveyance from Pegloe." he
thought. but just here he had saw
ing memory of his unfinished task;
that claimed precedence and he re-
sumed his pen.
An hour later Pegloe's black boy
presented himself to tho Judge. He
came bearing gift, and the gift ap-
propriately enough was square case
bottle of respectable size. The Judge
was greatly touched by this attention.
but he began by making most tenn
perate use of the tavern-keeper's Of
fering; then as the formidable docu-
ment he was preparing took shape un-
der his hand he more and more lost
that feeling Of Spartan fortitude
which had at first sustained him in
the presence of temptation. He wrote
and slipped in complete and quiet lux
ury, and when at last he had exhaust
ed the contents Of the bottle it &C.
Cured to him that it would be only
proper personally to convey his thanks
to Pegloe. Perhaps he was not un-
inspired in this by Interior hopes; II
so, they were richly rewarded. The
resources of the City Tavern were
suddenly placed at his disposal. lie
attributed this to variety of causes
all good and sufficient. but the real
reason never suggested itself; indeed
it was Of such pertidious nature that
the judge. open and generous-minded.
could not have grasped it.
By six o'clock he was undeniably
drunk; at eight he was sounding still
deeper depths Of inebriety. with only
the most confused memory Of impend.
ing events; at ten he collapsed and
was borne upstairs by Pegloe and his
black boy to remote chamber In the
kitchen wing. Here he was undressed
and put to bed, and the tavern-keep-
er, making bundle Of his clothes, re-
tired from the room, locking the door
after him, and the Judge was doubly
Q prisoner.
Rousing at last from q heavy.
dreamless sleep the Judge was aware
Of faint impalpabie light in his room.
the ashen light Of a dull October dawn.
He was aware. too. of feeling OF
profound depression. He knew this
was the aftermath Of indulgence and
that he might look forward to forty
eight hours Of utter misery of soul;
and, groaning aloud, he closed his
eyes. Sleep was the thing II he could
compass 1t. Instead. his memory
quickened. Something was to hap
pen at sun-up-he could not recall
what it was to be. though he distinct
~ remembered that Mahaffy had
spoken of this very matter-Maha1y.
the austere and implacable, the dis
embodied conscience whose fealty to
duty had somehow survived his own
spiritual ruin, 80 that he had become
a sort Of moral sign-post, ever point.
ing the way yet never going It him.
self.
The Judge lay still and thought
deeply as the light intensified itself.