Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-05-24

touched him on the arm. He
stopped. His thoughts had been
suchas to make him welcome any
body he had never seen before.
There was in his mind for an in
slant the hope that this stranger
also might know something about
him. A second glance showed
that the man had been drinking.
"What can I do for your"
Smith responded to the touch on
his arm and to the close scrutiny.
The stranger was about 45 years
of age, seedy as to his dress,
unkempt as to his linen and era
vat. In spite of the onslaughts
alcohol had made on his appear
ance, there was in his face the hint
Of a bygone decency, the ghost Of
a real intellect. He was pudgy and
short of stature.
"May / walk a little way with
your" he requested, his voice a
little thick. II can tell you some
interesting things"
"By all means" the agitator
agreed.
They fell into step together. It
was a crisp, clear evening. Over
head the moon, dimming the street
light, hung in a silver sash Of
heecy clouds.
II know who you are," the
stranger began, "the prohibition
leader. You can take a look at me
and know who [ am. I'm the Man
Who Could Handle 1t. / belong to
that noble army of sports who
drink on a system and have whis-
ky under perfect control"
He spoke in a vein of broad sar-
casm, in tune with bitterness.
"That is, / used to be the Man
Who Could Handle 1t. / now dec.
crate the ranks Of those who have
gone down and out. AS the Man
Who Gould Handle It, | was a star
performer. My will power was
beautiful to behold. My physique
was impervious to all ills and
pains. l could work and attend to
business all the time-could do it
just a little better with a few
drinks under my belt. The alcohol
was what my system needed. The
drinks gave me a whole lot of
bright ideas, and it made me So
ciable and popular"
He stopped a moment, full in the
moonlight.
"You've heard that talk before
haven't you?" he inquired sol
emily.
MANY times" Smith assented,
falling into step again.
II felt a real scorn for the fell
lows who got drunk. I studied
some of them quite closely. They
We're curiosities to me. The stuff
was meant to be enjoyed, not
abused. / thought the drunkards
We're swine. That went on for 10
years. For 10 years I was the Man
Who Could Handle 1t. Other men
admired me for it. One or two told
me it would get me some day. I
laughed at that. / was a genius. I
could see all the others going eth
er to the uncomfortable gutter or
to the untimely grave, but l could
not see how | would ever take
either route. | watched the army
of wrecks and knew [ had some
thing on them. You SEE, 1 could
handle it."
His aelf-contempt grew.
Then one night / got drunk. "A
year after that l walked up n
morning and had to have a drink
before / could eat breakfast. Right
there occurred the full extinction
Of the Man Who Could Handle It:
and there was born the Man
Whom 1t Handled. That S q grand
metamorphosis, my friend. You
see | call you my friend, Dissi-
patton makes us familiar. IA
grand metamorphosis, / say, from
the Man Who Could Handle It to
the Man Whom It Handled. And
you can take it from me that it's
handling is rough"
Always" Smith emphasized.
He was keenly interested in what
the man had to say.
I'm a type" the other contin-
ued. You can find me in any Of
the cheap, dirty saloons or in any
of the swell clubs. I belonged to
9 swell club once. However, we IL
let that pass. Yes, you can find
me in any Of those places. There's
q big army Of me-an inspiring.
lovely line Of men with their eff.
cheney gone, their livers hardened.
their kidneys ruined, their brains
.foggy, their waistline too big,
their regulations ton LITTLE Thaus