The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-07-29

private office kept going up
stairs and imbibinS from the wine
bottle, more to keep myself awake
than from pressing desire for the
stimulant. / did not know just
where Tom was but inlagined
he had retired.
We had the steam turned on
and the room was very close and
hot and dense with tobacco smoke.
To MY surprise. about 1880, the
door opened and the warden came
In.
you fellows need air; it's too
close in here" lie commented.
going to one OF tie windows and
throwing it up. He turned to
Skipper"
You had better go to bed" he
advised. "The State is paying
you only IL cents a day. you
know. and eighteen hours work
is too much for that munificent
sum-
Skipper" murriured something
about not working for the State
but "for the good af the Brother
hood" and retired. Then Tom
turned to me.
This room smells like winery,
Donald" he said. Il hope you
haven't given any to Charlie"
Charlie was Shippers given
name.
I felt terribly embarrassed.
Since that day in New York. when
had spoken before the Colony
Club. after Tom HAD taken me to
a dernitoIogist to have my
bruised face made presentabIe fol-
lowing a bad fail ION the street,
due to the drink the night pc
fore, he had NOT had knowledge
Of my drinking. so far as
knew. certainly did not want
him to lose faith and confidence
In me.
Warns Against Drink
Yes, did give Skipper, a lit
tie 1 admitted, shamefacedly.
There's an awful pile of work
and we were trying to get
through with some of it; you
know how impossible it is 70 do
anything during the day here
Yes. i know he said. "but it
is better to let the work go than
TO DO it under the influence Of
liquor. AI'll have to insist on that.
Besides. in giving drink to a pris-
oner you have broken one Of the
prison rules, not to mention pos
sible harm to him."
We had quite a lengthy talk,
he apparently endeavoring to find
out just how extensively my Xix
ing for liquor entered into my
life and / striving to make it ap-
pear inconsequential. At length
he looked at his watch. 1t was
nearing / o'clock He accompa-
MED ne out into the hall and to
the stairway. where he reached
for my hand.
I'm not a crank on the matter
Of drink, as yon know, Donald
he said. "but in your case / think
It best that you should refrain
from If. There's too much at
stake. not to mention your own
awA
will quit right now
/ was embarrassed and morti-
fled, and anxious to get off by
myself
'All right" I declared impuIs-
lively. That's a, 60"
He shook my hand warmly,
pated me on the shoulder and
turned back into his office. Slow
~, much depressed, I made my
way to my room on the top floor
I and went to bed. l knew by the
manner in which Tom had ac-
copied my premise that he took
me to be a man of nay word and
that he was confident 1 would not
drink again.
In my heart / realized that,
while / had meant what said, l
probably would continue to drink.
As ! lay there / wondered il It
would not be best for me to re-
sign. not because OF what mad
occurred, but because of what
might occur in the days ahead.
fell asleep without reaching any
decision.
Next morning. in the usual rush
Of things, I forgot ali about the
incident of the night before. At
: breakfast Tom greeted me warmly
and exhibited his customary cheer.
fulness. He was much elated over
the fact that arrangements had
been completed for the presenta-
ton of Owen Davis play. "Sin.
ners," in the prison chapel on
Christmas Day, commenting on
the contrast it would afford to
previous prison Yuletides, when
the men had been confined to
their eeiIs--the az by rat holes.
Named IS Judge
SINNERS" was to have its pre-
miere on the prison stage, with
Alice Brady in the leading role.
A prize of 800 had been posted
for the best criticism of the melo-