The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-06-10
.REFORMINGOF TAMMAS
sy ALBERT LOUIS WOOD.

VINO worked under me when was bit
boss IN the Black Diamond mine. as
far as can remember Tammas sar-
gent was the only total abstainer.
One afternoon prematurely fred
shot projected ton Of coal, more or
less. IN Tammas' direction, distribut.
Ing Il somewhat lmpartially over yari.
Gus portions Of his anatomy. As was
my custom when any Of the men was
hurt ] made It a point to drop in On
him for few minutes every day.
THE doctor says" he volunteered
to me on one such occasion, "that ma
pgfe blood an guild habits be better
than his physic. That's win O. the
dummy
THE dummy Tammas, and what
may that be?' | querled.
I've never told a soul. But IN gie
It TO you III confidence. It's the story
Of ma reformation Time was when
! drank With the best or, mayhap, the
worst O them
Then days David Stephens and me
was fast cionies, One night / had ma
been feelin' weel the day, David comes
% me. as usual. to 90 TO the tavern
for few drains Come to the tavern,
David says. Perhaps, as you're not
feelin' over weel, bit o. brandy
would be better than ordinar' speerit.
Tammas, SO cad for the brandy
an feelin' some better after the first
one, | kept calm. Now, bein sick
like at the start, and the brandy bein'
strong and unqualified, It soon went
70 ma held BY an by David said
summat not to my likin', an took eS.
ceptlons to IT, TO max long story
short, we soon parted in anger.
4 declare ! never felt SO strange
afore nor since as / did when goi
the air that night. The sense OF dIree
ton left me an lost ma way in q
place l could ha mapped out IN my
sleep. / walked and walked tai I wai
fair knocked up 0, It was a peetIiu
condition.
AT last my pins gied out beneath
me. ! sunk down ia a slupor. II mus
a been two o'clock when / awoke
awoke, doused WI dew, stiff an cauld
My senses we're still befaddled. bu
not 80 bad as before. was lyin' in
ravine near where Hallen's stree
sewer empties into Williams creek.
My FIRST feelin's was Of anger will
myself and David. With myself fo
bsin' such a beast, an with David 10
over persuadin' me to drink with I'm
AS rubbed ma eyes, tryin' to &c
the cobwebs out O. them, caugh
sight O. some one lyin on the grool
near by. Lookin' close. ! saw twa
David Here, says /. he you followir
me. monT There was no answer
Haud up yer held an be ceevil, els
IN baste tha snoot, mon, ! said. stl
no answer. IN max thee talk.
yelled, an Just then ma han touche
a bit stone. In my anger / heaye
Il al i'm and It struck full on his heit
There was still no SCUM from Ds
vid- / rose up and staggered owe
to IN. ! put my and on i'm. Dayi
was cold as deith.
THAT seemed to sober me. Ma hel
cleared up. The 'orrible truth cam
to me. ad murdered ma best frien
IN cold blood. / could ma bide th
place, but turned an ran as fast as
could toward whoam. Once there,
went TO ma room and fell on the be,
when daylight come, / thought e.
cry footstep was the constable comh
to ale to Jail. On a sudden there wa
a knock on the door an David ei
tered.
Il was never a believer in ghost
but at that moment my views change
All the buried superstitions o. my a
cestors was Fesurrected. David,
gasped. ow came you 'ere@
David took ma and I shuddere
But twas with relief 70 hnd Il war
an 'uman, instead o. clammy a
ghostlike. Forgre me, auld mon,
said, I was In the wrong last nigh
@fThank God. you're alive, Dayit
says !, ] might a. killed you in Il
drink.
No fear you'd hurt friend. drum
or sober, he says.
"But did ma the stone hurt 20
Dayid?' ] speired
He looked at me dumfounded a
edged away Tammas, you're sick a
out o. your head. III get a doctor,
says.
Ma, ma, none o. that says I.
'Tammas, he says again, twas
I'll trick had played on me last nigl
Youll min it vas Allow Fen. Ia
ma door unlocked an the boys g
into my room, took ma best rig. hi
ahoon an all, then got a dummy fro
Myers store an rigged it out IN s
ma inery. Then they paraded throul
toon wi Meester stephens. as tn
cad It, They left a note sayln'
would get ma duds by calm at 4
back door O. the Hallen street sew,
Come, Tammas, an ha' a drink or 3
ma, ma, David says /, 4
through drinkIn'' An / was"
Copyright, by Daily Story Pub. Co.