The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-06-12
Hanks Last
Drink
How an HabituaI Tippler
Lost His Appetite.
BY ALEXANDER HULL.

least not without some almost cdta
cIysmic revolution in his life. So when,
about three days after my return TO
GAINESVILLE, encountered Hank Jones
at the door of the First National bank
with a book of deposit In his hand,
well dressed and sober, / was aston
ished beyond measure AS ! recalled
the Hank of three years before, the
thiffg seemed quite impossible.
When / returned home in the after
noon I spoke to my brother Beverly
about 1t.
He began to laugh.
"Do you mean to say you haven't
heard how Hank reformedT ] shook
my head.
.sWhy, It was even in the papers,"
he said.
protested my ignorance, and then
the story came out.
As l said, Hank was really con-
nrmed topper. Good natured, though.
and likable-humorou even when he
was at his worst Perhaps that ex-
planned why, In spite of his failing,
every one I'm town was his friend. or
course the Joneses were poor. They
couldn't help being under the circum-
stances. When left town Hank was
out of job again too. That wasn't
anything odd, though, for he was al
ways just out of Job or just on a
new one. Every one wanted to help
him, and he'd get new place without
much difficulty after he'd promised
very faithfully to let up on the drink
ing. So he'd start In again.
Well, as said, Hank was out Of a
Job again. People were pretty well
worn out with reforming him, and he
had some trouble getting new one.
After awhile he got sort Of desperate,
I guess. He tried nearly every one in
town. He swore he'd learned his les
son. ''It didn't pay"
But they had tried him, and they had
seen, and after all that time even some
Of the slowest ones had tumbled to the
fact that Hank simply couldn't reform.
Things got pretty low with the Joneses.
Mrs. Jones had been doing washing for
q long time In between jobs, and she
took It up again now. And then she
got sick and had to give that up.
They were all mighty sorry for Mrs.
Jones. though. laid up that way and
nothing coming In. The worst Of It
was that you couldn't offer them any
thing but job without hurting their
feelings. and you couldn't give Hank
Job without the risk Of running your
own business.
He had been sober now for nearly
three weeks. There was good reason
for that. He hadn't any money to get
drunk on. He was looking very much
worried too. Parson Weeks found him
down behind the city lumber yards one
day, sitting on pile Of boards and
scratching his head disconsoiately.
"Parson," said Hank, do you sup
pose man that's backslid as many
times as have stands much Of
chance with the Lord any morer'
The parson was sure that he did.
WELL" said Hank, "you know the
longest time ! ever stayed sober was
when got religion last spring An
rye been thinkin' 1t over some, an
believe I wouldn't have backslid that
time II II hadn't "a been for that Lem
Higgfnson. an you know LENS left
town for this summer. So I've got q
notion to come down to the revival to-
night an get religion again"-he looked
Questiontngly at the parson-"that IT,"
he concluded, IF you think I've got
any show any more"
The parson, to be sure, was some
what taken aback by this cold blooded
proposal OF swallowing another dose OF
religion as you would a cup Of Mrs
Weeks boneset tea. but Hank was 80
palpably in earnest that. as he said.
be hadn't the heart to discourage him.
No one had. That was the trouble
with fellow like Hank.
Well. be did go down to services that
night. and, furthermore. as he predict
ed, he got religion. Hank said he felt
lust like new man-all his sinful ap-
petites left behind him once more and
his face set toward the rising sun of
hope and prosperity" That's what
eASA4A CAs<As DuS 0uQSIStuuQ ludt
Parson Weeks and the evangelist had
. little conversation Of very different
character about him that night after
the meeting. You see. they'd both
been In the business long enough to
know that the easier man Is convert
ted the harder It Is to keep him that
way. However. that confession did
lots for Hank with the general public.
Everybody's hope came up again on
the bound. and on the strength Of Il
eilas Barker. the station agent, hired
Hank a. 4 helper around the s. and A.
+, depot
Everything went wen. I guess, for
nve or ak weeks. and NrA Jones got
better. ana Hank went around as hap
~ a. Z June bride and a. regular q q
clock at church and prayer meeting.
Than one morning be lurched into
the station once from the freight
room with most suspicious unsteadi-
ness of gait and Z conspicuous uncer-
tainty Of speech. Barker eroaned.
He knew It was ali on again. Poor
Mn. Jones yes. and poor Hank tool
He gave him terrific ocoldlne. but
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