Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-09-26
THE TALISMAN
OF GOOD LUCK
A Perlpatetic Painter TrifIes
With Fate.

November air had a way Of nipping
the ears and nose which was not pleas
ant. Hannigan was q wandering
painter. He had once been proficient
as desp0iler Of scenery, as many Of
the legends which now adorn the
Buckeye landscape and proclaim the
merits Of pink pellets and condition
powders will testify. Rum had got the
upper hand of Hannigan. His hand
was no longer steady enough to follow
the confguratiOn Of letters, even when
they were chalked out by steadier fin
gers, but Hannigan could still paint
blackbOards.
MIR. Hannigan as he strobe along the
tracks was muttering to himself about
the perversity Of fortune. He had
spent nearly his last cent for material.
He had been to three schoolhouses, and
In each he had been confronted with
slabs Of smoothly polished slate which
covered the plastered wall. The agent
Of Chicago school supply company
had preceded Hannigan and had done
him much injury. At the last school
house the teacher had smiled pityingly
when the decorator talked Of the evil
which had come upon him. She had
unclasped from long chain which she
wore a silver mounted rabbits foot and
had insisted upon the astonished paint
er accepting 1t.
Now that Hannigan was alone again
his thoughts went back to the little
schoOlhOuse, and the more he thought
about the duplicity Of the trustees and
the slate blackboards the more angry
he became. He drew from his pocket
the fuzzy fetch which the teacher
had given him and in the half dark
ness contemplated 1t with look Of
fine scorn. Hannigan was walking on
the railroad track with the measured
tread common to the wanderer.
Luck" muttered Hannigan. "Jim
Hannigan walking the track with not
q thing In his pocket but a rabbits
foot has run Of luck, hasn't he?
Where's that fool thing?"
Hannigan took the talisman from
his pocket and threw 1t on the track.
1t dropped near rail, where the CLINT
from its mounting revealed its pres
ence. Hannigan stopped as though to
pick 1t up again. Then he reconsidered.
mo-" said he; don't want it; won't
have 1t. Let some fellow find 1t who
wasn't born to be unlucky."
Hannigan heard a shrill whistle and
the rumble Of wheels. He stepped
aside in a mechanical way just in time
to evade a train. He stood for a mo-
ment contemplating the two fiery eyes
Of red which were diminishing In front
Of him. Then he looked around him.
II was crossing the long trestle. and
didn't know It," said Hannigan.
"Now. by gum. that is what call
Embarrassing the trestle with no
chance in the world to get OF It and
spikes on the sides Of the track to
make 1t uncomfortable for us hoboes:
crossing the trestle. by jing! II had
Jumped, would have been drowned
in twenty feet Of water. and II I had
stayed they would never have recog-
nized me except for this can Of saw
dust cocktails. Jim Hannigan. you
are an ungrateful cuss. That rabbits
foot saved you. and you threw 1t away.
This Is where you see a crayon en-
largement Of Jim Hannigan going back
to find the only thing which ever
brought him luck"
He went back over the ties. lodging
the spikes. looking for the rabbits
foot. He could see no trace Of it. He
glanced up in time to see two bullying
eyes Of red which were growing bigger
with every second. James Hannigan
jumped and shrieked. The Cannon
Ball" was backing down on him, and
he was In the middle Of the trestle. He
threw himself on the track. rolled over,
clasped the end Of a tie In his arms and
swung himself of just as the express
whizzed over his head. Above him was
the roar of the train, and beneath him
the waters Of the Hooking were greed
lily tapping the wooden piles.
Talk about hard luck" muttered
the trembling painter Of blackboards.
"Queered for life by rabbits foot and
a schoolmarm's smile"
The trestle was vibrating beneath
the weight Of the train. Hannigan.
with his right arm within six inches Of
the rail over which were rushing the
wheels Of the Cannon Ball." felt a
SILVER through every nerve of his body.
He yelled curses. and the rails gave
back a hooking sound. He felt the
dull pain of WEAKNESS In his arms.
Twenty feet Of water below"
moaned Hannigan, land can't swim!
I couldn't draw myself up even II the
train wasn't here. Well, so long. every.
body. Here is the end of James Han.
nigam. born a scenic artist. died a
bum"
He dropped. The cold waters closed
about the form Of the knight Of the
road. Then moment of silence, and
James Hannigan awoke. He thought
he was sitting on downy cushions and
around him was poured cooling aud
a crystal food. Hannigan sat bolt up.
right IN the dark mud Of the Hooking
river bottom. and about him flowed
two feet of the tawny flood. Beyond
were the dark depths Of the stream.
From the locomotive a few feet
ahead on the trestle above there came
shower Of fiery n0dules. The ash.
box was open. In the glow Of the fall
ing particles Hannigan saw a gray OBJ
ject floating OH the tide before him.
He picked It up and placed 1t reverent.
~ In the upper pocket Of bis coat. 70.
FAMILIAR SAYINGS.
.sVariotv's tho snico NJ life'