Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-01-12

on HIM. he began to laugh III a silly.
scarcely audible, fashion.
My namc?" he gisslcd. Somebody's
stolen it," Then slowly. the words
coming one by one through his vacu-
GUS laughter: "l-donl now-my-
name. Sort of joke. don't know who
l am"
All right" Sullivan said lightly. talk
ing the pen from the others palsiea
fingers. I'm sign for YOU. lie wrote
IL down and spoke ii John Smith
There YOU are. That all right
Yes
John Smith laughed vacan,ly and be
gan to look around the room furt-ively.
The tramp Simpson. who had been
Watching him with absorbed interest.
thought that every bit of the mans
personality had been concentrated into
the uncanny fire of the terror stricken
eyes. But, apparently. they saw Moth
me. They entirely ignored Simpsons
steady. searching glance.
Here, you. Simpson," old Sullivan
suddenly called out. Get to your bunk!
Don't bother this man."
The tramp went out through the 9TH
er door; but, as he went, he looked
back over his shoulder al John Smith,
and whistled softly to himself, express
ing his Amusement.
The stranger a lei his head go
down against the desk again. Sullivan,
Watching the Shaking shoulders, saw
that he was soh5ing.
How about you now. John Smith ?"
he asked. cheerily. Feel better??"
DO H." the other returned. bewil-
dered, and lifted his head, resting his
chin in the cup of his hands.
He kept that attitude while Sullivan.
r~ecosnlZins the extremity of the mans
suffering, unlocked a small cabinet back
of the desk and brought forth a flask
of whisky and a glass. Smith. watch
lho him, ~1l,~
vulsivelN. while terror mad new fur
rows in his features. His eyes grew
IN brilliancc.
sullivan, pouring some of the whisky
INTO the glass. extended it toward him,
With the pleasant invitation:
a this drink. Its medicine now
Smith, his face writhing, his whole
body jerking and contorted. fought
against the agony of his fright. Then.
by Il supreme effort, he drew himself
TO his full height, like a man about to
DC shot, and put out a tremulous hand
toward the glass. He tried to grin,
but succeeded only i'm dra wing his lips
away from his teeth. as if they had
been moved by strings manipulated
from the back of his head.
Go ahead.' urged Sullivan.
smith took the glass in his right
hand and Immediately transferred ii to
his left.
Look" he said timidly. 1--WE got it
right here-right here in my hand He
spoke now in q hoarse. deep voice. and
put eageiness into his tone. I've got
hold of ~it-haven't II"
Sure agreed Sullivan. Drink it,"
From somewhere strength came bacl,
to John Smith. There was in his eyes
force enough to compel the gaze of
sullivan, and there was in his backbone
strength enough To hold him erect. His
Dig. bass voice doomed like thunder.
oid man, he said. the glass entire
~ steady in his left hand, i've come
down from high, awful places-places
so hlgh that the pealS of thunder
SOUNDED no louder than a robins call
so nigh that the pale ends of lightning
Whips cracked harmlessiy against my
eSepails-so high that escaping souls
Went by me like thin, white flames"
He stood "A rigid. his ardent
glance holding Sullivan.
Old man ne swept on. I've come
up from the blacklist depths of deep
ness, where there was no life, not a
bit, and yet worlds crawled i'm slimy.
sicllly motion, forever-here there was
no light. and Yet millions of miseries
swelled into my eyes-where there was
no sound, and vet the passing of every
lnought a a screaming curse. All!
that's Il thing you'll know some day.
that thoughts have tongues-shrieking
tongues that lash and burn and shrivel
up the heart
He accomplished a smile, patronizing
Sullivan.
Old man. you've never been where
I've been. I've seen lead souls shroud-
ed in dreams denied-poor, still souls.
" heard dying souls sob and Shrek
Mhen nley We're cast over the edges of
eternity. I've learned that spirits die.
Consider that! Spirits sometimes die"
He paused to set the glass on the
desk. and the terror that had let him
alone caught him up again, straining
his limbs and making curious patterns
on his face.
"AnG 1've come backbone back
long corridors that lead to nowhere,
h" mourned. f~linging his arms wide. II
came because they drove me. They
drove me with fear. They scourged
mo with terror. They whipped me with
sba ne. A million bayonets always
within n hairs breadth of my back
LOCO swords. heavy as horror, dangling
in the sunlight "a the end OF a silken
thrrad-lust above my ears"
The strength returned to his back
bone. He stood erect.
They SHOW me no mercy he en-
planned. the ghost Of pride in his voice.
u asked none. l did not look back or up.
Without looking. | could see the bayon-
cts and the swords. Old man. for at
least 1000 years rye fled-fled with all
the furies of hell at my heels"
He crump!ed mp on the desk. his
misery-rnarked face in the cup of his
two hands. and fixed the flame of his
eyes on the wondering Sullivan.
For Gods sake" the old man cried
out. Drink the whisky. Here"
Smith began to laugh foolishly. a
sound evoid of mirth or cheer. and. his
shoulders sagging. backed away from
the desk and the drink He 5000 so a
long moment, pointing q weak hand at