The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-03-02
BY WILLIAM GELsLEICHTER

summer weather l find pretty
good place to sleep in the back of
the big warehouse down by the
river. But the winter time is ter
rible. For two nights when the
wind comes BLOWN up cold l try to
sleep there. But / can't sleep, it's
freezin to the bone. Maybe some
fellows can stand it, but I'm too
old q man"
Emil stopped and then drank the
rest of the liquor in his glass. 1t
was a colored mixture made from
a cheap grade of alcohol and pas
sed off as whiskey. Tom Delehanty |
from behind a small oilcloth-cov-
cred bar in the corner came over
to the table with quart bottle
in his hand. Little Jim had about
mouthful still left in his glass,
and when he saw Tom there with
the bottle he quickly put his hand
over the rim of his glass. He then
pointed to Emips glass, signalling
Tom to fill that one. and reached
down in his pocket and put a dime
on the. table. Emil downed his
drink in one gulp. His hand and
body were shaking.
"The other night" Emil re-
sumed in slow voice, but stopped
and leaned his elbow on the table
and passed his hand YEARLY over
his eyes. 81 don't remember now"
he said whether it was the night
before last or before that. ] can't
seem to remember, it seems long
while /. That night / went down
to the municipal place to sleep. 1t
, was early, only about 8 o'clock, but
! the fellow there says mo more
ROOM and / ask him what am l
going to do, I have ne place to
: sleep. There was a cop there and
he says, Go on, no more room,
and makes me go out.
: 81 don't know what to do. ]
couldn't stay all night on the
i streets. / didn't have strength. ]
I walked up the street, and down
\ there where they got some build
q ings torn down l saw some fell
d lows round fire. l went there
and at first they didn't like it be-
e cause they had bottle of whiskey
: Afterward they gave me a drinl
Y to warm me up and another aftel
[ that, and then it was all gone.
Then they went away, but l still
a stayed there. 1t was cold, cold a.
= hell, but / didn't want to walk an,
more. laid down alongside Of tn,
building. would sleep little an,
then wake up, from the cold.
p stay there freezin' but after Will
u 1 didn't care. One night l slee,
On the floor in Jake's place dow
il by"
t. AS he was talking his head be
k. gan to slump lower and lower. Hi
ot elbow slid off the table and he fe'
8 off the chair onto the floor. Littl
Of Jim tried to pick him up, and wa
lie tugging under his arms when Tol
TX came over, and the two of thel
Ill managed to get him once more o
tn the chair. His head dropped dow
1T. on the table.
ne "Why don't you take him OIL
ne for a walk? He needs the fres
We air to brace him." Tom said. +
IL had a pretty good idea that Il
ne dime little Jim had fished out {
his pocket was his last.
I'M Jim looked up surprised and r
to sentful, but his eyes fell befor
I Tom, standing there with iron-grs
go hair, a half-smoked cigar in Il
mt corner of his mouth and col
determined look on his red fac
u Tom reached down to the flo
' ~ and picked up Epil's cap and th'
tn pushed it on his head. He help
is little Jim get him on his feet.
Use Outside it was showing. 1t HI
sio started late in the morning, al
III for awhile the flakes melted &
"n fast as they fell. But it BEGAN
colder and by now the street a,
l.u sidewalks were covered with nes
10 ly an inch of snow, the first re
I'm snow of the season. In sol
hs places the storekeepers had a
road, boo,, o11+ o,,d Sovo,,ad /.ff =