Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-04-05
Chow long has he been sick?" asked

Chow long has he been sick?" asked
she.
Well, he's been kind of ailing o
number of weeks, ma'am-a low fever,
like; he consulted she doctor once, and
he told him he wanted nursing more
than medicine; but master wouldn't
hear to having woman in the house."
Had to come to it, though" OBJ
served Miss Penniman. "What have
you given him to eat?"
His appetite seems to have failed
him pretty much. I've made cruel for
him, but I couldn't get him to touch it. f"
"Let me see some of your Cruel.
Popkins handed her dipper contain
ing thick, soggy substance.
"You call that Cruel, do you? No
wonder you couldn't get him to eat it;
it's my believe you've starved the poor
gentleman to death. Suky Ann, you
sit here while go and make him some
Cruel. You've a kitchen, suppose ?"
Certainly, I do all my own cooking
there now" said Popkins, leading the
way thither.
ga clean porrinSer, said Miss Pen
niman.
This has had Cruel in it, and this
used about my dinner" said Popkins,
taking up one porringer after another;
but here's one that's had nothing in
but shaving water"
{" And SOAP" said Miss Penniman,
shifting at it with an expression of in
effable disgust. 81 can wash it how
ever, towel please. That o towel ?"
surveying the article Popkins held out
to her. cit looks to me like the half
of torn pillow-case-or worse. Rut
never mind; it's is almost daybreak, I'll
go home and make the Cruel"
And as Miss Penniman walked across
the yard to her own house, there fitted
through her mind the words of cer-
tain old ballad, beginning
Bachelors hall, what a queer looking place
it is."
The invalid not only drained Miss
Penniman's Cruel to the last drop, but
his eyes seemed to linger lovingly on
the delicate napkin, the transparent
china, and the brightly FURNISHED
spoon, with whicn it was served.
"Poor man! I suppose he hasn't
seen anything clean before for good
while" said Miss Penniman aside to
Suky Ann. ''"'i
"Just..see that pair of-of-mustnr men
ton ems hanging up over old Merridew's
likeness" said Suky Ann.
"And the boots on the center-table, !"
responded her mistress.
"And the chimbly of the lamp;
they'd better keep it to look at the next
eclipse with" said Suky Ann.
That MIR. Merridew needed care rath-
er than medicine was evident, for un-
der Miss Penniman's excellent nursing
he grew rapidly better, and as he noted
the tirmness and the gentleness, the
judgment and tenderness with which she
ministered to his wants, he more than
once found himself repeating Scott's
lines-he had always thought them ra-
ther "spooney'-concerning " woman in
our hour of ease" as contrasted with
that same being /" when pain and an
guish wrings the brow"
"You have been very kind to, madam;
very" said he, one day when she had
brought him piece of cold chicken
and tumbler of jelly.
"For cantankerous old maid, yes,"
said she.
"Good heavens, madam! Did Pop
kins-" -..f.
"No, Popkins didn't. heard it
myself" ,s,
"You heard it, and yet you came to
me, Miss Penniman you are an angel of
goodness. t.
go no; for I should not have come,
only that Popkins told me you were
dying" ......
>" And but for you, believe would
have died. Miss Penniman, I have
been woman-hater; have even told
Popkins few weeks ago that would
not have woman in the house as long
as I had my senses
"And you didn't" observed Miss
Penniman. .....
"True," said he, smiling; but one
came to me in my extremity, and now
l cannot bear to let her go again.
Through her I've learned the folly of
setting myself against God S ordinances.
In Eden he placed the first married
pair, and in marriage has man ever
since found his Eden"
For one moment Miss Penniman fall
tered under the gaze of those find gray
eyes; but quickly recovering herself,
she said
eff YOU had despised my sex; I've
detested yours; and if I've detested one
class of men more than another, it's
the old bachelors. Why, MIR. Merridew
when heard that you had moved into
this house I was we'll nigh tempted to
move out of mine; only I concluded it
would he wiser to stay and drive out
instead. I believed it would be the
happiest day of my life when I should
see you quit these premises, never to
return; but, MIR. Merridew-"
eco on, Miss Penniman."
Eve changed my mind
When Miss Penniman announced