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lEdward Blake:
College Student
By Charles M. Sheldon.
' t
v
' Continued from last Issue
ave :triea to practice with one hand
.Id t foot, but It doesn't work. It's
difficult feat. Say, It wouldn't be a
I bad scheme, would It, to get the girls
'la tie my ties for me? Do you think
-any .more of the girls than you used
?to, you old misogynist? Have you
."been tailing In love with anybody?"
.The unexpected question einbar
assed Edward In a way he had not
anticipated. He did not venture to
wiy a word, and, to his relief, Willis
-xdld not wait for an answer, but rattled
i on about something else.
"Mother sent her regards to you, of
-course, and she's awfully glad to have
xia together again. Mother thinks
:youre a paragon or a peri, and she
Isn't far out. Hope you'll keep me
going straight." And then Willis
started to whistle, and Edward did not
ask him about his drinking whether
lie had given It up. The fact that he
.hsd come home from the banquet ap
parently without having Indulged In
.-anything was hopeful, nd Edward
was relieved at the thought that Willis
thad reformed.
But In a few days he was undecelV'
ed. Willis was popular with the fast
tact fn college and In great demand at
-whist and poker parties. The society
dinners were frequent that fall. He
tfiad plenty of money, and Mrs. Preston
ery foolishly Indulged him In that re
sapect It was no secret to Edward that
Willis bet and gambled. They were
two vices that Edward had a perfect
Tiorror of. In so far his morality was
'Christian. He could not bear the
tthought of either vice, In which Willis
indulged without scruple. At the foot
aa game that fall Willis lost $50
"whWh he had put up on the game. He
tmentloned It with a laugh to Edward.
"I'll get even when we play the re
iturn game. One season I cleared $200
on the games." Edward listened to
ihim coldly and did not even remon
strate. If he had been a Christian, be
tmight have pleaded with him, but his
tself , righteousness simply made him
rcorn the whole affair. Ills esteem for
v Willis suffered. Nothing but the rec
ollection of Willis generosity to him
Fki'pt him from threatening to leave him
that and his mother's appeal.
Uut matters grew more and more
trying ifor Edward as the fall term
went on. One night Willis came home
ry late and, in company with a crowd
of boisterous students, all of them par
tially Under the Influence of liquor,
tiroke Into the physiological cabinet
autd took out the college skeleton. They
ftung this outside the window of one
'Of the quietest, most Inoffensive men
In college and put under It a sign that
re$d: "This Is My Funeral. Services
All Day. No Flowers." After perpe
trating this nonsense, which they call
tHl fun, they came bnck Into the hall,
tortoise in a few doors, waked up every
body, had a little fight with the Janitor
nnd wound up the night by opening
.)ie college hydrant and flooding the
Imsemout of the chemical laboratory.
The next morning Edward, who had
'been awakened and kept awake for
several hours by the disturbance, Bald
Willis just before they went over to
chapel, "If you get drunk and make a
Jfool of .yourself again, you can get
momo one else to room with you."
'"Oh, pshnwl What's the use making a
'fuss over a little fun?" exclaimed Wil
lis, with a short laugh. Hut he was evi
dently somewhat disturbed by Ed
ward's manner.
'I mean what I'sny," replied Ed
vnrd briefly.
For two weeks after that Willi
wtraightened up and behaved boautl-
ffully. Several of the offenders of that
might were apprehended by the authorl
Ues and suspended. Willis escaped,
vltb his "usual good luck," ho said,
erommeutlng on It afterward.
Hut one morning, about 2 o'clock,
o came back from one of his nights
out mul came Into the room singing
.olsloronsly. lie was very noisy nud
;'ouU out his blacking materials, whis
tling a loud tuuo as he worked.
In the morning, before Willis came
'- of his bedroom, Edward was busy
ttii '.lis own room, and Anally when Wil-
Itis . nine out and called to him he did
not answer, lie crossed over the largo
iw r, and stepped to tho door of Ed
ma'' i's room.
"Mollo, old man! What you doing?"
''" Mug what I said I would. I'm
: ' leave you. I can't room with
" 'iki r any more."
l-'.v:i;d had his trunk out and was
jHU-Jiinir things Into It. The Bight
4"WUp.eti'!.V ' l''ri !'. Wilil : !
"S-'O ;li
-'i ivrt:; ii:
-'l in n,'
t'iJjt 5 ('in
V.ii'iv ti v. '
! ,aid J.
ii n lie .isked quietly
i- vf ' i !:d (dm.
t vi ! ,'med Edward.
'' "you are williug
'' to iliej devil alone?
ii- ierul, nrc."
iked tjp .mi I lin, still kneel-
Ir,
; ' -y his ti'.-uk.
"; ni-U'Tj.u K.
It's not 'i :u!Ktr of friendship," be-
unn lid !. ItU even inore than his
fcHiJ Uon.-.M- . i i's simply a mat
ter iijjjce.s!y. ,, mihhI the racket
long is I can Vt:.i!t It If you're
Inmnd to ninke i "' i cf yourself, I
lon't kntnv tlm rn Jununl to room
vltU you and AVftr frojn it."
"No, !! look :f nrj F.dwnrd Blake
all 4-lglii wmstr 3 urt Willis,
eltlior i:ry''iel' or iui lusciously prob
InjC low .;i'tft it r. :jl seliishness of
tldwarif- io"T l" -i:i-i'.o.
j . i .....
. T.ent
ou with his
parking,
whvr re
f .i
is wf at lack Into the
OREGON
There was a silence of several .min
utes. Then Edward came out of his
bedroom and gathered up his books
and a few other things that belonged to
hiin and went back Into his bedroom
with them. He packed them In and
flung down the lid, locked it, strapped
the trunk and came out into the room
and took down his coat and put on bis
hat.
"Want any help about getting your
trunk down stairs? You bad to have
some about getting it up," said Willis
as he wheeled, about from the window
where he was standing and faced Ed
ward, bis hand In his pocket and a
smile on his face that hurt Edward
more than if he had struck him. The
words and the tone reminded him ir
resistibly of that first meeting, when
he had befriended him during that first
mow or great trouble. And here he
was leaving him when perhaps he
ought to stay by him. And the promise
to wniis' mother was he true to
that?
If Willis had uttered a plea then. It
Is possible Edward might have recon
sidered bis action. But Willis turned
around to the window again and began
to whistle a tune. It was, unfortunate
ly, the same tune he had whistled the
night before, and the sound irritated
Edward again.
"Here's my key," he said shortly,
going'over to Willis' table and flinging
It dvn.
"All right," said Willis quietly. Then
he suddenly turned around and faced
Edward, and there was actually a tear
In his eye.
"Won't you shake hands, Ned, before
you go? I don't blame you a bit. By
George, I wonder you've stood it as
long as you have. But I don't want
you to bear me 111 will. I'll go to hell
fast enough without your helping to
push."
The unexpected attitude of Willis
almost upset Edward. He put out his
hand silently and" shook Willis', and
as he did so his eye traveled down the
empty coat sleeve. And, again, If
Willis hod waited just a second Ed
ward might even then have changed
his mind. But be turned around to
the window and resumed bis whis
tling, and Edward slowly went over
Into his bedroom and dragged out his
trunk, put It out In the hall, shut the
door and went down stairs, leaving the
trunk against the wall at the end of
the upper passage.
He had not the slightest Idea as to
where he would go or what he would
do for a room; but he felt the need first
of a bit of solitude, and he went off
into a piece of woods down In one cor-
ner of the campus and had a time all
, . . , .
by himself, during which he cooled off
miie, unnougu wuen be came back
up on the hill he had not changed his
mind concerning the step he had taken
and was, if anything, more deeply con -
T.uceu ue naa aone the right
miug lor nimseu. xne only tulng that
troubled him much was the thought of
wuiis' mother. Would she consider
Edward false to his promise that he
would do all In his power for her son?
Had he exhausted all possible efforts
to save him, or had he deserted him
Just, because of the annoyance and
discomfort of a few anpleasant times
with him?
He had been such a stickler for the
truth and for keeping his word that
this one thought made him uneasy. It
was oaturday, and there were no
classes, so he walked slowly over to
tho ladles' holl, thinking to see Freeda
and tell her about the matter, with a
more or less vague feeling that lu
arguing with her-about It be could
persunde himself that what he had
done was justified by the facts.
Freeda came down Into the narlor
after a few moments, and Edward
with his usunl directness told her what
be had done. She looked very serious
and questioned him rather closely.
"Do you think Mr. Preston has been
drlirklng more this term than he used
to?"
"There's no doubt of It," Edward re
plied decidedly. "He's be..n out often
er. He is gettlug worse rdl the time."
"Are you sure you hav liken the
best way to help him?"
"Well. Freeda. what can 1 do? I
can't staud the breaking Into ipy sleep
and the iiunoyauce generally. I've got
myself to consider some, haven't I?"
"I suppose ko, yes," replied Freeda
slowly. "Did ho Beora to care much
about your going?"
Edward told her something of the
sceuo that took place. Freeda listened
attentively.
"He's not altogether bad, do you
think?"
"Uy uo means. Willis has some
noble qualities. Why. Freeda, I'm In
college now, perhaps, on account of his
generosity. That's what plagues me
some. That, and and my promise to
Mrs. Trcston."
"What did you promise her?"
"Why, I made a general sort of
promise to her that I would do all In
my power to help Willis. But what
can I do la this drink matter when be
himself confessed that he had repeat
edly broken the promise he bad made
10 ins own uiouier 1 Hon 't seem to '
have any Influence over him lu this
direction. That Is what I said to Mrs.
Preston."
"Do-ou, think you will have any iu
fluence over him now?"
"I don't know. Anyway, he's to
blame for all this trouble. He knows
he's wrong, and he cau't blame me for
his owu foolishness."
"It seems dreadful, though, Ned, to
think of him going to the bad this
way and uo one doing anything to stop
It. lo you know" Freeda stopped
and looked at her brother very thought
fully as If she was la doubt about giv
ing him her contldenco-"do you know, j
.cu, u 11 is iKissuue some one or the
Klrls might have Influence with Mr.
Preston. I think 1 know of one who
1 could help him some."
Edward looked nt Freeda nuxlouslv.
it was the first time lu the conversa
I "on that Ue had given a thought about
CITY COURIER-HERALD.
Willis' feeling for bis sister. Was It
possible she
He asked a question cautiously, bnt
at the same time with his usual love
of the truth:
. "What girt could help nlm?"
"I think Ida could. In fact Ned-tlil
Is entirely confidential and you must
not breathe It to a soul I am sure
Ida thinks a good deal of Mr. Preston.
Ever since his return from the Philip
pines she has admired him. If she
should use her Influence, she might
help him to break off his drinking."
Edward listened In silence. Here was
a little complication with a vengeance.
For the first time in his life be knew
what Jealousy meant. It was true he
bad, ever since his talk with the presi
dent been able to control and even
direct his feelings In regard to Miss
Seton. But tbe thought that she might
care more for the reckless Willis than
for himself, the upright added a touch
of bitterness to bis feeling for Willis
that be had not yet experienced.
He was so disturbed by this feeling
that be did not stay much longer with
Freeda. In answer to ber question as
to whether he didn't think Ida could
help Willis he replied shortly that be
didn't know, and soon went away to
brood over this new chapter In bis own
little tragedy.
Before the end of the day be had
found an empty room In one of the
other balls and had moved his trunk
Into It. He secured a few pieces of
furniture from a student who was sell
ing out and very late that night he
went to bed thoroughly unhappy, rest
less over the whole business, angry
With Willis, with Freeda for inaklns
the suggestion about Ida and with
himself in general for being several
kinds of a fool In coming to college at
all.
Next morning he felt a little better,
and a little ashamed of himself be
sides. But all through the day he was
haunted by the dread of getting a let
ter from Mrs. Preston, He could not
make bis action seem quite right in
the face of bis promise to her. And
as the week went by he watched for
bis mall with increasing nervousness.
But when . another Saturday bad
gone and the letter the truth dawned
on him that perhaps Mrs. Preston
knew nothing about the affair. Ed
ward had a returning wave of bis old
liking for Willis come over him as be
began to realize that Willis had not
written anything to his mother about
It and probably never would.
It was at this point that Edward '
showed the better side of his char
acter, especially In the matter of his
tnithfnineaa rr n i
. nU UVTTU Ul( UIKUt
and frankly wrote Mrs. Preston a full
account of his lenvlmr winu rt im
not attemnt in thia lotto- n i,m
fnot thnt
! account for the sake of his own
peace and quiet, that he bad left WIlKs,
An
answer came prorai-ily that
week,
actly
It was In some pa tkulurs e C
what he had anrJclyatetl , lB;i
other ways parts of th letter sur
prised nlm.
It wi matter of great lurprint to m !
Preston wrote that you had U't Willia. :
writes me every week, and ha said noiiili g ab
It In his letter that I received yesterday. I n
(tore grieved and pained than I can tell you. 0
rourae 1 do not excuse Willis for his conduct I
Is what has been breaking my own heart fi
rears now. He knows full well the consequc c
nd yet he chooses his course. 1 never to;'' yi
that his grandfather was a drinking rr- i
used to boast of his temperance in drln ; si
laid any man was a fool to let the haul et '
better of him. He slso claimed the 1 .ty,
he called It, to do as he pleased, and v
occasions that 1 know of he resented an .up'
restrain the liquor drinking in his own neilih
hood. His son, Willis' father. as horn wttho ;
any taste for liquor, and I think lie never toueliei
I drop, but Willis Id aulTerinu froni the rIms of
his grandfather. Willia is apparently a vti-ttm of
the. passion that his ui'aiiUliiihei imlnli:eil in so
boastirnjly aad without am- appjrerit personal
harm. Oh, when will men 'learn Hie leinhl truth
that what they do or are will he repeu'ed sutne
where, some time in the third oi loniii, cin ra
tion, and if they don't sulfei some one will in
the future? It seems to he one uf the inexorable
laws of God. But whut have you done. Mr.
lllakef Are you sure you have soled in the best
wayf Was there no other way for you to do hut
to leave my son alonet Whut Influence will you
have now? Did you plead with him as you
might, or did you letrve him in anger? Suppose
1, bis mother, had abandoned him after all tha1
times he has annoyed and disappointed and even
Ignored me and my prayers. For more than seventy
times seven I have forgiven him on my knecB before
uou. iiwt is because I am his mother, while you
were only his friend. But did you do all that a
friend ought to dof God help me not to be un
just to you. 1 have tried to realise the position
in which you were placed. But If our Father In
heaven dealt with us too severely how many of us
would ever come into the kingdom? What I fear
for Willis now is that he will go down faster. He
will become more and more reckless and make
his friends more among tiie last set than hereto
fore. If in any way you can still prevent this, I
pray God you will do so. 1 do not know any
other student in college who has any power over
bim. 1 have thought to write the president, but
I know he is burdened with a great loud, sad I
lesitate. If I have said in this letter things I
lliould not, pardon me. You never can know the
heartache of a mother for her firstborn and only
Ion. The Lord bless you and give you success.
Your Mend, U'ciu I'iiesto.i.
Edward reread this letter gravely.
The last part of It added to his self
riccusatlon. At one time that same
fveulng he was almost on the point cf
going over to see Willis and talk over
matters. Hut his pride and also his
natural obstluacy In keeping at a thing
be had once decided upon kept him
back. He answered the letter, after a
fashion, and said In It that he would
serve Willis In any way he could If
opportunity offered. All the time be
was writing It he felt more or less lll;e
a hypocrite. Was tills friendship? Had
he done all that a friend could do? The
questions faced him repeatedly as he
tried to go on with his college work
and were seldom out of his mind.
Along with It. nil
was present that
tinge of jealously and bitterness to
ward Willis that dated their real be
ginning from his talk with Freeda.
So the winter term went ou, rather
unsatisfactorily for him. lie was d';s-
contented froti
m a uumber of causes
and wits not getting out of the ccr-e
what satisiied him. He hud a r-.il i ;de
lu keeping up his rank In class, how
ever, and in spite of his troub'-s ho
managed to retain lutorest euoiU In
bis regular work to do bis best.
There was another matter, nUw, : hat
'
FBIDAy, JANUARY 25, 1901
begin to interest bim, and, for a time
at least, it drew his mind away from
thoughts jjf Willis.
lils paper route was In the heart of
the city atjd took him Into stores, busl-ni-v
.Jcos of lawyers and doctors and
Ktu nomf places that be knew were
evil. There was one place, especially,
a large room at the top of an office
block, that be very soon came to under
stand was nothing more nor less than
a professional gamblers' re'sort Gen
erally he simply opened the door and
flung the paper In without stopping.
He bad too many stairs to climb and
too big a load of papers to stop any-,
where on the route.' But occasionally,
as men were going In and out, as be
came up to the door. Instead of throw
ing the paper down inside where they
would step on it be walked In and put
the paper on a table. The proprietor
of the place one day asked him to do
so every time, as bis customers care
lessly kicked the paper on the floor If
It was thrown down there.
So, after awhile, as Edward fell Into
the habit of entering the room regu
larly, he gradually came to understand
Just what was going on there. There
was an ordinance In Itaynor that win
ter against gambling devices; but it
appeared to be a dead letter, and there
was hardly a pretext of secrecy about
the matter of running the machines
and the tables. In this particular
place the violation of the law was
open and bold. Crowds of young men
thronged it every night. One evening,
when the paper was delayed by an ac
cident and the carriers were all two
hours late, Edward noticed when be
went In several college men from the
fast set, and among them Willis, who
was trying one of the new machines
recently set up In the establishment.
It was this sight of Willis In this
place that really started Edward to
think about the Iniquity of the whole
business. We have spoken of his
wholesome horror of the vices of
gambling and betting. This horror
was Inborn In htm. With all his
faults of Belf righteousness, his firm
love of truth and fairness gave him a
Teal feeling of Indignation toward
such a vice as gambling, and the sight
of Willis and the thou,- jf what it
meant to him gave him sober thoughts
on the subject, and be could not drive
them away. Mrs. Preston's prediction
concerning Willis more rapid fall
smote Edward as he thought of all be
owed Willis for the paper route and
many other old time kindnesses.
This feeling grew on him until he
could not resist the growing conviction
that he ought to do something. But
he did not know Just what to do, and
finally, in his perplexity, he went to
President Royce and told him about
the affair.
The president listened with growing
seriousuesg. ,
"1 hail no idea that matters were so
bad lu Riijnor. How many of these
fiainMlng places are there on the
iTveet r
"I don't know, sir. Williams, who
carries a rouu on the other side, told
Cie the other day that there were two
big places In the west block. I know
of three smaller places at the end of
my route down by the river."
"How many of the students did you
Bee in this one place?"
"I think eight or ten in all. Of
course I didn't stay long enough to
notice much. But there were at least
that many."
"You say that Mr. Preston was
among them?"
"Yes. sir," said Edward, with some
reluctance.
"Frost on has been going down faster
liau ever lately. I've had to have him.
In here twice within the last two weeks
ana warn iilm. I fear he is iu a very
bad way. I'm sorry for his mother.
Of course 1 know you have left him.
Are you sure that was a right step?"
"No. sir, not altogether," replied Ed
ward in n low voice.
"Well, my boy, we will not discuss
that now. The question is what to do
about these gambling dens lu Haynor.
They must bf stopped If possible."
The president was silent a moment
Then he spoke abruptly.
"Are you willing to testify agfast
the place. Blake?"
Instantly Edward confronted the
situation and understood what It might
mean. In the flrst place It would mean
an enemy on the part of the proprietor
Then rostfln his mind the question of
spying. He entered the place unchal
lenged because he was on the paper
route. If now he used that advantage
to bring testimony against It, the fact,
when it come out In court, would mean
the loss, not only of thnt one customer
for bis paper, but probably of several
other keepers of disreputable places
He would have the whole crowd of
lawbreakers down on him, and it
would damage his prospects seriously.
But, ou the other baud, here was e
real moral danger. These men were
enemies of society. Had he no duties
as a citizen toward society? Was Le
to plead as an excuse for noninter
ference the probable loss that would
come to bim If be testiUed against the
wrong? Was uot this Just what the
average citizen was constantly doing?
lie kuew well enough that the real
owners of the block where the gam
bling was going on were the niembera
of the business firm on the ground
floor. They were men who passed as
respectable citizens In llaynor be
cause of their wealth and social stand
ing, nnd yet they took the rent from
these gamblers and knew what was
going on and all for the sake of the
money that was iu it.
Edward was not too yor.ng to know
and understand those facts, and lu hs
heart he had long had a contempt for
tnte real owners of the building who.
while walking about like good citizens! j
were In reality '"accomplices and de- i
served stern punishnVnt for their own
lawlessness due to theitvlove of gain.
The president was watching bim
eh sely and knew exactly what was
passim? In bis mind. When Edwun
looked up, be was strengthened lu In
final resolve by the look on the pre
dent's face.
"Yes, sir; I'm willing to testify in
the case," he replied.
"Are you? Then I will go with you."
said the president quietly.
"You go with me!" exclaimed Ed
ward slowly. ,
"Yes. Why not? Are these young
men in Derll not my young men? Is
It not the duty of the citizen to do bis
part In the republic In times of peace
and lawlessness as well as In times
of physical war? What I have asked
you to do Is nothing more than what
the law expects every good citizen to
do. According to the ordinance. If I
remember It rightly, all that the law
requires Is that an eyewitness of the
gambling testify to the use of the
gambling device. I. know enough
about the condition of local politics In
Bnynor to feel convinced that appeals
to the authorities will do very little
good. Preaching and praying and
teaching have got to be supplemented
with some kind of action that the peo
ple of Raynor will respect. We need
an old fashioned revival of righteous
ness In Raynor."
Edward listened In astonishment,
and yet his admiration for the presi
dent increased as he went on. lie bad
a respect for that kind of courage and
began to think less of his own possible
losses and more of the probable
amount of criticism that the president
would suffer for such a course.
"When do you think we had better
go, Blake?" the president asked after
a short silence.
"One time Is as good as another,"
said Edward.
"Say this evening, then. I'll start
with you from the newspaper office."
Edward Blake will never forget that
little experience with President Royce
that evening. When the timecame,
they went up the stairs and entered
the room together.
It was, as usunl, pretty well filled,
although there was a much larger
crowd present Inter In the evening.
Their entrance provoked no especial
notice at first. Several boys and young
men were at the tables and a number
were trying the new device that Ed
ward had seen Willis try. Ra they had
time enough to take note of details and
had started to go out ngflln when the
proprietor of the place, who had seen
the president when he came In, rose
and went over to the dour.
"State your business here, you!" he
said, planting himself In front of the
president
"State yours, sir. first!" replied the
president, standing up with nn athletic
strength that made the man recoil.
The president and I-Mwnrd walked to
gether to the door, nnd the man backed
away from it. The crowd In the room
nearest them had turned to see what
was going on, but before anything else
was said the proprietor had turned
back. The president and Edward went
out and down toe-stairs unmolested.
They at once went to the authorities
and swore out a complaint under the
ordinance, and that evening the place
was raided bjr the- police, who arrested
the proprietor in the very act of re
moving his apparatus, having a sus
picion of what was coming. To relate
briefly the results of all this action on
the president's aud Edward's part, aft
er many delays of the law and much
technical skirmishing on the nart of
the attorneys for the ntc.md, the pro
prietor was convicted ,i,;d sentenced.
The conviction frightened all the other
gamblers in Itaynor and closed every
den in the city, for a time at least
The owner of the building was also
puilty under the ordinance, but nn at
tempt to convict him failed owing to
his social Influence and the use of his
means, and nothing ever came of the
attempt. And yet it Is said that the
poor man as well as the rich man has
I'qual justice shown him In our courts.
Does any one lu America today dare
ileny that wealth and social position
have It iu their power to defeat justice
in our courts? If they do not have
that power, how does it happen that
so often wealthy offenders escape the
penalty of the law they have violated?
The entire affair caused a great stir
In Itaynor. There was a good deal of
criticism of President Royce's course.
Good citizens who were very indignant
always when mention was made of
lawlessness In the city nnd wanted to
know over their coffee and morning
paper why something was not doue by
somebody to prevent such lawlessness
said that President Royce had done a
thing unbecoming a president of a col
lege. So uudigniiled and-and-well-so
lacklng-ln the-the-best judgment
But the ordinance expressly provided
for testimony to convict. The law of
the state plainly snid that It was the
duty of every good citizen to Inform
the authorities of a breach of the law.
Hie president was a citizen. Tike other
nieu, aud he had simply done his duty.
lifit was there wrong about that?
V ell-It was a very undlgulUed thing
to net as a spy-to enter such an In
famous place-to contaminate himself
with touching the thing, so these
Pood citizens said, and yet thev were
t ie very men who never did nnvthlng
w.fv.tit, r.n'i)c TO m.,1 fnn It wlU
the
- tuuil vv I L It
People for electing bad men tr.
olise
ce or tor uot enforcing the law In
some way. tm good citizen of this
country. f tllI yppi take
ifchtful place some time alongside the
lawbreakers and be labeled with his
true name, which Is "Bad" citizen
itb a capital letter "B" for "Bad " '
To be continuiHt.
First-class board at reasonable rates
can be obtained at the R.i Front House
Thia ..pnature is on every box of the genuine
Laxative BfomoQmnine tus
tne remedy that curea cola In iie day
A Midnight Eaeapade.
It was midnight as a thundering
knock came at the door of room No. ,
Phenlx hotel.
"What Is wanted?" asked the oe.
pant as he sat up in bed with furiously
beating heart.
"We want you! Open this door.1"
"Never!" y u '
"Then take the consequences."
The man sprang out of bed and hur
tledly dressed himself. His face was
pale and his hands trembled, but he
shut his lips with a determination 4o
Bell his life dearly. lie heard foot
iteps moving In the hall, and presently
bis door was burst from its binges and
ft dozen hien burst Into the room. They
found him Standing with a revolver in
each hand and the Ught of battle In his
eyes. '
"You may hang me," he said In a low,
lense voice, "but 12 of you will go into
the other world before me." '
"Who said anything about hanging?"
Inquired a voice.
"But you have come for that. Twelve
years ago In this town I killed four
men. You have recognized me and
have come for revenge."
"Not much, stranger. We don't know
anything about the four men and don't
want to. You live in Missouri, tlon't
you?"
"I do."
"Well, what we wanted to ask was
whether three of a kind beat a straight
In your state."
"They do not."
"Then that's all, and you can go back
to your snooze. Sorry to have disturb
ed you, but we had a dispute and
wanted to settle It." New York Sun.
Man's Fool Age.
A medical man has discovered thnt
neither in youth nor old age Is a man
likely to make the biggest fool of him
self. Extreme youth usually is con
sidered not to have arrived at the dig
nity of years of discretion, vet a
ly proverb would have us believe that
"there Is no fool like an old fool," This
medical observer has broached the the.
ory that there Is an "aberration period
of middle life," between the ages of 57
and 62. "If," he says, "a careful ex
amination be made of the preventive
disasters of the last 20 years and of
the ages of those who were held re
sponsible by the verdict of mankind
for such lamentable Issues, there will
be found a strange coincidence In the
range of their ages."
Here Is an Interesting and nractlcallv
inexhaustible field for Investigation.
Politicians who are "agin the govern
ment" may trace the blunders of an
administration to the sinister influence
of some boss who was passing through
tne ratal period at the time, and "re
grettable Incidents" of all kinds, In
war or peace, may be traced to their
true origin. . In time" no doubt we
shall appreciate the necessity of re
quiring all publie men, on entering the
fatal period, to take a five years' holi
day and to resume work only when
they have passed the age of aberration.
New York Press.
The Ilardeat Head Yet.
Cheerful Rastus hobbled painfully
Into the office of the city physicians,
supported by two abbreviated broom
hnndles.
'Well, Rnssy, how Is the limb to
day?" Inquired one of the young men
In charge.
'Tol'ble. tol'ble." replied Itastus, grin
ning like u uew moon
'Ah tejl ye." lie said as the dressings
were changed. "Ah'?,c lieeid nil kin's
stories alioot niggers' balds how bawd
dey is an how presumshus It becomes
er white' man ter 'tempi ter break 'em
but leniine tell ye ye (loan know
about It tel ye inns ag'ln de real t'ing.
Me an dls feller wuz wo'kln togedder
puttlu up a b'iler. nn a dessertation
nriz between ns. an Ah In de 'zuber
nnce of nie r lin's UlcI.ed wid all me
mite. Wei!. Ali reckoned ter strike
him on de luiid. a:i Ah did. 'Deed Ab
did! Caught lii:n s-.j;mr'. He nevah
moved no. sail But tie reaction didn't
do er t'ing but ureal; five of me toes,
an dat's whin A'.i'i.i here fo' ha, ha.
ha! Huh. huh!"
And cheerful Knsms. with the broken
toes. laughed hilariously while the phy
sician readjusted the splints. Detroit
Free Press.
Like a Cat on a Wall.
A Scotch highland minister was very
fond of commenting on each verse as
he read It out. On reading the precept
"Walk circumspectly," he said: "Ye've
all seen a cnt my brethren, walking on
the top of a wall covered wl' broken
bottles and bits of glass. See boo it
lifts ae fit and then anither fit and boo
slowly and carefully It puts It doon, to
keep clear of the sharp bits of glass.
And so, my brethren, In this warld o'
snares and pitfalls, we should be like
the cat on the wall we should walk
circumspectly."
Clove Reaemblance.
Mrs. Talkso's husband was reading
an advertisement which asserted that
"the mail Is quick, the telegrapher Is
quicker, but the telephone is quickest
and you don't have to wait for an an
swer." "Ah," be reflected, "in one particular
that reminds me strongly of Mrs. Talk
so." Baltimore American.
Thoneht It Una a I'roixmnl.
Scene, cab stand near London. La
dy, distributing tracts, hands one to
cabby, who glances at It. hands It back
aud says politely. "Thank you. lady,
but I'm a married man." I-nd.v nerv
ously looks at the title and. reading
"Abide with me," hurriedly departs, to
the great amusement of cabby.-Span
Moments.
The men-of-war of the Romans had
a crew of about 225 men. of which 174
were oarsmen worklug on three decks.
The speed of these vessels was about
six miles an hour in fair weather.
Never mind who was your grandfa
ther. Who are you? Proverb. i
1