The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-12-27

LIZ you hStB EeatNA SOAAdAf1- ~AAi
he asked, tremblingly.
eyes. sir" she answered, smoothing
her apron down.
"Give me some," he said, vaguely.
What siZe?"
40, any size! | don't care"
She looked at him.
Don't you know your number" she
asked.
me, ma'am! But don't care much. -
"Ludm she CALCULATED "Here, sir.
Just you take your collar off and let me
measure it ?"
So she did, and she handed him an
other
"Thatll fit you, sir" she said
/ Then he tried TO put it on, and his
hand trembled so that he broke one OF
the button-holes.
"Now it's done, sir" she said.
"Fm afraid / am" said he.
"Sirw
Il mean I'm afraid it isn'
Then he took up another, and, out OF
compassion, she said:
"1et me button it for you. All me,l
are death on buttons and button-holes-
| know by poor Thorn"
Then she fitted on the collar, and the
bachelor was ecstatic. AS she handed
him his change, she .saidl
YOU'RE the gentleman that plays such
sweet, dreary tunes on the horn, aren't
your
eyes, play a little. But it's dread
full lonely playing all by myself"
"Isn't there any one with your" she
asked.
"No, I'm cursed-Pm a bachelorw
"Deary me! that is bad; I'd ask you
over here to play, sir"
COP he interrupted.
"But Pm afraid the doctor next door
would come in and ask if anybody was
hurt" she continued.
CO.," he said again, in quite differ.
ent tone, and left. Five minutes after
he was moaning out "The Last Link is
Broken" as if that link had in its sound.
ness held heaven and earth together
The doctor needed a lot of snuff; the
baker was clearly smoking himself into
the grave with his Marial and the bach,
elor used 50 many paper collars that the
little widow ordered as many boxes OF
his as she did of all the other sizes put
together But at last, one night, came
the maid servant from next door, pound
ing up the Widow Thorn, telling her tc
come in, for the doctor was i'll and didn't
know anybody Hastily throwing or
her dress, in she went, and saw him lay
ing there in a state of collapse, with his
wig over one eye.
"Ginger and cayenne pepper and
brandy" ordered the little widow
while she held his head. Then, forcing
the frey dose down his throat, she held
him tight, while he spluttered and gasped
for breath.
Whatever is the matter with him?'
asked the frightened servant.
Cucumbers!" remarked the widow
for she had seen the doctor march
home that afternoon with two fine speci
mems of that proverbially cool vegetable
in his hand. Then, the doctor becoming
better she went home as cheerful as ever
and slept the dreamless sleep of the
innocent and of the non-dyspeptic.
Early next morning the baker called
[ hear that DIR. Ash was sick las
night, and that you went in?" said he
almost as though he had right to ask.
Yes" she answered. "The CIR
came for me, and | did the little | could
Poor old chap. It's a pity he never
married. He might have had a wife
and family around him, instead of ;
poor, ignorant servant girl, who calls VI
the neighbors on trifing causes"
Widow that's what | always say
A lone man is the devils delight
you'll excuse profanity. Everything
conspires to make his life UNDESIRABLE
What allied the doctor?"
80, he'd eaten too freely of cucum
bers."
Widow Thorn, you know I'm as mucf
alone as he is"
Why-bless me, sir-what are yo1
driving at?" asked she.
Nothing" he said with melan
choiy smile, and left the shop.
Ten minutes after, she saw him %
home with five Overgrown cucumbers il
his hands-she knew how many, for she
pulled a box in the window aside t.
count them. She smoothed her apron
down and shook her head. She expected
as much-and more. Just at that mo
ment in came the bachelor from over tn,
way.
''Is anybody sick next door, ma am q
he asked.
eyes, sir, Dr. Ash was taken i'll las
night. Why?
81 was playing I'VE met, twas in
crowd late, feeling miserable, and | saw
his servant come here, and saw you 90 il
with her. What allied him.
"Now, sir, | can't tell you. Tn
afraid Eve been the innocent cause O
|, future agony to the baker at the corner
by telling him; so if you'll excuse me
we'll say the doctor was imprudent"
"Tm afraid Pm that myself, ma am,
he said, low-spiritedly; "and lately ",
got to feeling a pain here" And he
pointed in the region OF his heart-tha
is, his left side, where nobody's heart is
you know?
go! you play too vigorous, sir" she
, said. I" once knew a gentleman who
played the fife lovely; but he died sud
denly, sir, and the doctor who opened
him told me he was as clear as a whist,
inside, sir-his own identical words
clear as a whistle Everything hac
gone"
But, 1 dare say, he was a married
manT'
Yes, indeed A blessed wife, anG
twinSi"
"Ah! That's the reason. "Tll never
die that way, ma'am-for there's no one
to mourn for me. I'll keep on blowing
till, after awhile, you'll hear the echoes
rolling in me, and I'll play the same tune
twice at once: and one bar behind the
other"
"Oi goodness gracious men she said
you'd better see a doctor"
Then he shook his head sadly and went
on.
She sat in the little shop for an hour
or more, writing long letter She
linked her fingers, said bother.' to the
pen for spluttering, folded the letter
crookedly, refolded it straightly, direct