Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-30

| ton for him.
Joe returned these infrequent visits
| with compound interest, and spent a
| good deal of time at the office partly be-
cause he was neither ornamental nor
| convenient at home, and there was a
| comfortable feeling of safety in having
him with Uncle Max, but chiefly because
it was his own sweet will, and he could
talk and ask questions there to his hearts
content, even though, as in the present
| instance, not half of them were heard or
| answered. Joecertainly did not consider
the room either dreary or lonely, but
then the doctor had scarcely thought
about it until lately himself. He had
| not known, either, how much he had
been thinking of the quiet, earnest,
young music teacher, and how thoughts
of her had frightened every place for
him, until her growing reserve and dis
tant politeness had awakened him to con-
seriousness. And she had fancied he
might annoy her with his persistence,
perhaps! No fear of that He was not
so vain as to think himself irresistible,
nor SO selfish as to press even his love
upon her, if that love could not make her
happier, he said to himself
"Burglars % remarked Joe.
''Eh! what ?" demanded Uncle Max,
10 be sure, Joe had been talking almost
necessarily for the last ten minutes, but
he had heard nothing of it until that
rather startling word attracted his atten-
ton.
They've broke into a good many
places about town, and carried off lots of
things" pursued Joe. Il guess they
must be pretty rich by this time; and
they don't care about folks bein' about,
either they just put 'em to sleep. How
do you s'pose they do that, Uncle Max 2"
ooh, l don't KNOW" responded the
doctor, carelessly. Relieved that only
burglaries in general were under discus
sion, and that neither his brothers house
nor the bank had been robbed, he was far
less interested ia any marauder's boldness
than in considering Edith More's shyness
and constraint when she had called with
a message that morning She would
never have come to him, he was sure,
only that the unsuspecting old lady who
sent her would swallow no other doctors
potions, and Edith was too tender hearted
to refuse SO slight an act of neighborly
kindness. How quick she had been to
assure him, when he promised to be in the
Office on her return, that it was of no con-
sequence! If only he could leave the
powders for her, that would answer quite
come. What if he met her, and spared
her a part of the long walk? 1t was out
of her way, he kneW-so well he had
learned the round of lesson-giving!
Joe was still deep in the subject of bur
glars. He had explained to his own sat
isfaction how, CATER dark, they carry
lanterns that'll shine, or not shine, just as
they want 'em to; and they wear stuffed
shoes that you can't hear no more'n a cat
with mittens on. And, anyhow, you can't
tell who they are, ifyou do see 'em, cause
their faces are covered with-with-oh!
what is it they put on their faces, Uncle
MAXI"
ION their faces?" repeated Uncle Max,
bordering another question-Should he
go Or not? Would there be any danger
OF his failing to meet her?
eyes; what they cover their faces with,
you know" pursued Joe.
Cover their faces with? Why, wells
brown wells, generally" added the doc
tor, little absently, thinking of GER
tain brown one that would be fluttering
along the street somewhere now. He
decided to go.
"Such as women wear?" queried Joe.
"Why, yes, of course; it's always
women that wear them"
"Is it," demanded Joe, quite excited
by this new item Of information. II
didn't know that"
I'm going out for a little while" said
the doctor, drawing on his overcoat and
taking up his gloves eff you will stay
here till | come back, I'll walk up home
with you"
"Well," said Joe, contentedly.
"And if any persons come, try to keep
them till get back; it won't be long"
= 81 y
here, is there?" asked Joe, looking some
what startled.
"Why not?" laughed Uncle Max, no.
ticng only the words ''You are not very
complimentary, Joe. Do you think I'm
so poor doctor that it wouldn't be
worth while for any one to stop here?"
Outside the door the gray mist seemed
to fold about one in chill, dispiriting
sort Of way The doctor felt it, and
struggled against it, pressing forward
with quick, firm step, but the whole town
looked old and sad He had longed to
be away from it lately-a restless inclina-
ton that he had resisted because of a
brave, brief creed he held, that the very
life of life is not its joys or its sorrows,
but it's duties. There was work for him
there, those who needed him, and he
would not desert his post from any cow
aTdly rear OF pam. Some Ola words from
out his boyhood-words that a mothers
lips had been wont to quote long ago
came back to him, and the strong man re-
peated them with more simple, earnest
faith than the boy had ever known
''Take care of the happiness of others,
and God will take care of yours"
Joe, left to himself, suddenly discov-
cred that the office was rather dark. He
stirred the Goals in the CRATE, put On fresh
fuel, and soon had bright, dancing blaze
that sent its CHEEKY light into every cor
ner.
"That's more like!" he soliloquized,
perching himself in an arm chair, and set
Ting his chin meditatively between his
hands, quite oblivious to their recent con-
TACT with the coal. Expect this isn't so
poor place, neither. Heard him say
that white stuff, over in that jar, is one
of the most valuable medicines he knew
OF. Cost as much as diamonds mebbe,
and he's got a let OF it. But if l was go
in burglarin', wouldn't steal no such
nasty tastin' stuff. Ugh"
A soft rap at the door interrupted him
him suddenly. He started to his feet,
and, after an instant's hesitation, ven
tured a rather uncertain "Come in % He
had not heard the light step on the stairs,
and that surely was a suspicious csrcum-
stance. When the door opened, it re-
yealed q lady which was more susniciors