Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-03-20

| life was wild and free.
Only the night before, he had told
Jarnegan of an incident. The stock
company had closed-lack of money as
usual-Lance had five cents left. 1t
would get coffee and rolls in the morn
ing. He remained all night on a seat
in the depot at Kenosha. In the morn
ing the coffee would be hot.
| He washed himself and started to
the coveted coffee. A negro porter
brushed him off with such grandeur,
that he gave the five cents for tip,
and walked without coffee to the main
street of the town. The wind from
Lake Michigan walled, but he did not
wish the porter bad luck with the
nickel He had earned it. His eyes had
narrowed as if he had expected a
quarter. If he only knew-and Lance
! smiled
While the wind ratified newspapers
down the main street of the town he
gazed forlornly in the window of the
leading restaurant. There man
! flipped pancakes, casual in the land
of plenty From around the corner a
| drunken man stumbled as he sang:
AL the sWitchmen knew
BY the engines means
! That the man at the throttle
Was Casey Jones'"
He sWayed near Lance.
| Want some of them?" he asked
DO you mean me?" asked Lance
! mo one but" he sWayed again.
I'll say I want them" Lance re-
| turned
Come on then. I'm dirty with
dough.
They went into the restaurant
Two stacks of hot-ham and eggs
twice." the drunkard mumbled.
| When the meal came, the drunkard
showed his away.
IF I eat now can't drink no more"
he said.
He ordered whisky.
| Here, you take mine-it'll look bet
ter" said the drunkard. Where you
! from?"
California" was the answer.
''Hollywood?" The drunkard looked
up. you oughta stay there"
How'd you know" asked Lance
know what?"
THAT I'm an actor
Easy replied the drunk.
You're right" Lance confided
There's a company opening in Chi
cago tomorrow" His mind worked fast.
why don't you join it?" the drunk
ard asked
Its long walk to Chicago-and
I'm clean as a brakes whistle
Then here" said the drunkard. sis
five bucks. Thatll get you there"
"Thanks-Ill want to pay you back
where will I send it?"
''Never mind-I don't know where
I'll be. I'm from everywhere but here,
and I won't be here long. Just remem-
Der Riot Raney-that's what my ma
used to call me-let's go outside"
He drained the third glass.
$50 long" he said to Lance on the
street. I'm goin' over to Baraboo-
them elephants is pinin' for me. Cir
Gus can't start till I get there-ever
named Muldoon-Jarnegan now-did a
circus with him long time ago"
Jarnegan had jumped.
Riot Raney-my God Let's see-I
wonder If Ringling's still wintering in
Baraboo How'd Raney look?"
Lance, surprised. said, Fine"
HE loved elephants then-think of
it-all his life with elephants. I re-
member when I did that stretch in
Columbus, Riot came twice to see me
left the circus in Delaware the first
time-nearly 20 miles away.
"'How the held you get here, Riot
asked him.
Erode one of my elephants he grin
ned. He didn't say anything else?"
Jarnegan was eager.
"No-just said to say Hello to you"
said Lance.
HE wouldn't talk" said Jarnegan.
didn't know you. That's the kind of
a fellow he was-there ought to be
more like him in this world"
I'll say" returned Lance. HE was
a white man with me-"
"He always was," said Jarnegan. I'll
send him letter tomorrow-register
tit may catch him. How long ago
did this happen?"
Lance studied II don't Just remem-
Der exactly. Must be four or five years
ago by now. 1t was the time joined
up with Lady Dacey's Lover never
went back on the road after that, you
know"
MY God. why didn't you tell mea"