Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-09-05
The Sick Artist.

| 10 Nlsit US WotiuH put 50 Hiuch dS d
penny in our pockets toward coal and
taxes.
| Mrs. Hall. who lived next door TO us
said she knew we wouldn't make it
pay. No one but an experienced house
keeper could make it pay.
| Miss Cynthia Caldwell thought that
il would be much nicer and more select
to do fine sewing or get place as gov
erness or something of that sort, which
wouldn't have been quite so public.
Old Fernleaf said his daughters
shouldn't visit us, and DIR. Millet looked
the other way when he brought his
fashionable new bride to town and met
NIFTY face TO face in the street.
Dear me- said NIFTY, laughing,
what queer world this is
But | was angry enough to cry.
No matter, Nifty said L; 'we'll
teach them that we can be quite indie
pendent without them
Well, As time went on, we had sew
eral boarders. Old Mr.. Pettigrew and
his niece Clarissa, the two Mr.. Hen
leys; and the minister's niece, who
gave lessons in wax flowers and water
color paintings. Our rooms were full,
all except the little over the wing.
Kate said NIFTY, triumphantly, we
are making money. put eleven pounds
in the saving bank to-day, over sand
above all expenses for the past month.
L dare say Mrs. Hall saves more than
that said L.
Il think very likely said NIFTY.
Only, you see, Mrs. Hall does every
thing on grander scale than We can
pretend To keep up with
We do our own marketing, wash
and iron our own table linen, and sift
IL . ashes on the sly, while Miss Hen
rietta Hall is practicing The Maiden's
Prayer on the piano.
But them observed I, we are not
such fine ladies as Mrs. and Miss Hen
rietta We are only two poor little old
maids, who are obliged to earn our own
living.
Kate, you are not an old maid in
dignantly cried out NIFTY.
And you are "a fresh "a rosebud
beside Henrietta Hail. said /, patting
her cheek. DO you know, dear, | think
hard work agrees with both of us.
So things went on, until one summer
evening We were out on our steps,
when there was quite a cOmmOtion in
the carpeted hall of our neighbor, Mrs.
Hall.
of course he must GO Mrs. Halls
voice shrilly announced. 1t was a
great imposition on me that he should
ever come here. supposed he was an
author, or a lawyer, or some such gen.
teel occupation, and now, you see, he's
nothing but a painter. \ common
painter.
An artist ma'am,' suggested Mr..
Birdseye.
And where's the difference should
like to know sputtered Mrs. Hall.
Except that one has at least daily
wages to depend upon, and the other
hasn't. And now here he is down with
scarlet fever or smallpox, or some
such hideOus ailment, and
Only malignant form of intermit-
tent fever, ma am, again put in Mr..
Birdseye.
No matter what name they call it
by said the lady, waxing hotter and
hotter in the ardor of discussion. Il
don't keep hospital here, and if |
did. wouldn't harbor any such low
trash. So the sooner he packs of, the
better | shall be pleased
But where is he to go?' asked young
Deiderman. He has no friends that
anybody knows of, and
AN the more reason that | should
get him off my hands as quickly as pos
sible,' said Mrs. Hall. The idea of my
becoming responsible for his funeral
expenses. or
Hush, Waller will hear you,' inter
rupted Mr.. Birdseye. His window is
open
Il don't care if he does hear me-
snapped Mrs. Hail. He ought te have
been ashamed of himself, coming here
under such circumstances as this. But
he goes, sick or well, before sunset this
very night. There are public hospitals
enough, | suppose
Plenty of EN- said Mr.. Birdseye, |
dryly, and while he is waiting for all |
the forms to be gone through with, in
order TO gain admission. he will most
likely die in the street.
"well, let him die said Mrs. Hall.
That's no business of mine, that /
know Of
NIFTY looked at me. | looked at
NIFTY. Our eyes sparkled mute tele-
graphic messages to each Other-and |
spoke out of the choking indignant full
ness of my heart.
Mrs. Hail. cried |, Mr.. Waller may |
come here, whoever he is. A sick man
friendless and alone. should be able to |
claim brotherhood with all the world.
NIFTY and will take care of him until
he is able to take care of himself
Mrs. Hall took us at our word with |
extreme promptitude, and before night
fall poor Bernard Waller was snugly |
installed in the little vacant room over
the wing-a pale, ghostly-loOking !
creature, babbling idly of people and |
places on the Continent that We never |
had heard of.
DR.. Millet shook his head very |
gravely. He is a very sick man. was
his verdict.
Kate whispered NIFTY, when the
doctor was gone, and the sick man was
all still and settled for the night, sup
pOse-suppose he should die
In that case, NIFTY, don't think we
should ever repent that we had done
our duty
Il am sure we should not, said NIFTY |
softly.
But Bernard Wallar did not die He |
got well-and of course, according TO
all the rules Of true love, he lost his |