The Detroit times., 1913-04-30
CHAPTER ".

| AS nlgh. came on the weather
changed abruptly. and a cold drizzle
set In.
Al his redbrick tavern, Levi Tuck.
er. in a splint-bottom chair. dozed in
trent OF his bar. The rain now falling
in torrents and driven Sy a strong
wind, splashed loudly against the
closely windows The sperm
oil in the dingy reeking lamps. burnt
noisily, protestingly There was a
steady drip from the cave troughs:
end the cutters were roaring rivers
OF muddy water.
| The innkeeper sat with his feet
/ thrust far out, and his fat freckled
hands peacefully clasped before him.
The rain had served to keep people
I'm doors, and there was strong
counter attraction at the church. just
around the corner. where the apostle
OF new and preposterous propa-
ganda. known as the Temperance
Movement, was lecturing
! The innkeeper was frankly indig-
napt. What made the whole affair
seem especially aggravating and per-
sonal. was the fact that his wife was
! q communicate or that church. Mr..
| fuckers religion as we'll as his dis
| til!ery was in his wife's name, and
her devotion cost him annually the
equivalent OF many gallons OF his fam
out Lone Stager Rye" a whisky
which sophisticated travellers had pro-
nounced to be unrivaled west OF the
Alleghanies
/ During the interchange OF certain
light domestic condolences that had
preceded Mrs. fuckers departure for
the lecture, her husband had remark
ed that he did not believe in mixing
| liquor and religion; whereupon Mrs.
| Tucker, who was young and pretty
and high-spirited had retorted that he
could never be accused OF doing that.
since he never ventured inside a
church door: this had led TO more
words. and Mr.. Tucker with some
heat had denounced the lecturer as a
meddlesome busybody: he had further
informed his wife that he served
drinks every hour OF the day, and
, every day OF his life. to better men,
Meaning Yourself suppose" said
Mrs Tucker. tartly. but with heigh-
tened color.
Mr.. Tucker has ignored this and
| had reminded her that even ministers
of the Gospel had been known TO
seek his bar. and bad there Stacked
their clerical thirst. without fear ana
| without shame. AS man TO man." he
added feelinsly
| "One minister, corrected Mrs
Tucker, ~and he had very red
nose
| This seemed such an unworthy OBJ
! lection TO Mr. Tucker that he had al
| lowed the matter to drop. But the
| lecture and the rain combined had
/ proven disastrous to business. Col.
onel Sharp had dropped in for his
usual nightcap. a carefuIly-measured
three fingers he had favored Mr..
Tucker with a Latin quotation. and
opinion that they we're likely TO have
| spell OF weather Next. a belated
| farmer had stopped to have Jug
filled with apple brandy; he had ven
| tured few occult observations on
the condition OF the crops, and had in
| formed Mr. Tucker that II was the
| first rainy tenth OF June In two years,
and that up 10 four O'Clock in the af
ternoon II had been the hottest tenth
OF June In five years then he had
gathered his jug OF brandy up under
his arm. and had departed into the
night and the innkeeper. rotund and
grey, with his two sparse wisps OF
hair carefully plastered back OF his
ears and looking not unlike an aged
and degenerate cupid, cupid, who
through some secret grief had taken
TO drink, dozed in solitude before his
bar
Suddenly, he was aroused by hear
inc a step on the brick pavement out
side the door \ man seemed 10
paused there irresolutely: then hand
was placed upon the latch. the door
swung slowly open. and Truman Ros-
ers, with his son AZ his side. stood re-
vealed upon the threshold
Come in. man, come in, cried NJ
Tucker
Rogers pulled the door to after him.
and moved into the room: his clothes
were wet and %teaming. the wide brim
OF his hat dropped. hiding his face.
aud in the shalf light of the dngy
lamps he looked more like gaunt
shadow than a living man
The hoy al his aide Kept fast hold
Of his hand; he. TOO, was shivering
under, tho drag ~ his clammy gar.
ments. but he seemed TO exercise u
certain protecting care toward hts
father. for his glance was full ~
childish tenderness. not unmixed w,.h
concern.
You'd better have a dish OF liquor
right nov satd Mr Tucker: he add.
Cd Hospitality It's on the house.
man: knew your father well.
The innkeeper hurried behind his
bar and the Californian poured him.
self a fun glass from the bottle he
pushed toward him Here's how" no
said. and he drained II III a single