Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-10-24
the people are honest. 1t should be
SO2 67 ins<ooI of eos SSO

willingly" replied, and l wrote at
the foot of the bill, "$2S.67. Korrect."
Thanks" said Mrs Bland. "What
Il wonderful head you have for figures"
She was scrutinizing the bill closely.
And what queer way of making
sevens!'
"Oh, in the bank l am in I do little
else then add up figures for hours on a
stretch. There is nothing queer about
my sevens. l always cross my sevens.
Then they do not look like ones. In a
great many banking houses in New York
that is the rule. Scientific calculators
! always use the crossed sevens.'
"Ah, indeed. If you want to see q
ludicrous 5 or 8, look at mine-such
wormy, twisting things. Look" and
Mrs. Bland drew the numerals.
"They are quite ludicrous, indeed I
said "There, make your this way,
and don't bring the tail of your 5 below
the line, like Il French s." and made
the figures.
"Thanks, for the lesson. | will detain
you no longer. | must 20 now and pay
my bill-$2S.67, you saw"
With a bow / lett Mrs. Bland, and:
hurrying to the waterside, got my boat,
and was off after blue-fsh. I had better
luck than usual, and brought home that
AFTERNOON some fine bllie-iish and weak
= fish. | had the best fish cooked for
supper, a portion of which sent to Mrs.
Bland, who seemed to partake of it with
relish. l was not idiot enough to think,
though it was three years ago, that the
lady was especially pleased with me for
no Otf hut no, two
moonlight one, Mrs Bland fingered on
the veranda. was smoking Il cigar,
seated at the bottom Of the steps, within
speaking distance of her.
i You very kindly offered me the use
of Mr.. Bland>s tackle. Now, you have
not congratulated me on my luck,' I
said
|" I do, l do, said Mrs. Bland quietly,
with a certain amount OF responsiveness.
She rose from her chair and held out
her hand, and it fairly trembled. | was
surprised. What possible sympathy
could their exist between us? did not
care even to have a passing Irritation
with her. How the deuce had my fish
called for 50 marked an expression on
Mrs. BANDS part?
! Five blue-tish, which would weigh 80
pounds, not counting the weak, and a
: dab Or So" | said, in the most common.
place way.
Yes, yes,'' said Mrs. Bland, appar-
emily absorbed.
Bnt I have broken my squid, my
best one, and I would really like to Dor
row a hook or so from you to make
another. Could you really lend me some
hooks until l send to New York?'
Willingly. Wait here moment
and Mrs. Bland rose and went down the
j hall to her room. Just then David, the
colored waiter, came in with q telegraph
. ic message for Mrs Bland. She returned
at once, and took the message, read it
under the hall lamp; then she went to
her room.
i "David,' 1 asked of the waiter, II
did not know that you could telegraph
to such an out-of-the-way place as this?"
g. 1t amt often that it is done, sir. The
telegraph station on the road is fourteen
mile from here, but you can get mes
, sages sent by the coach-tho' Mrs. BANDS
message comes BY horseback, with a man
Arising.
1t was none Of my business how Mrs
BANDS message came, though now re-
member that On her hotel bill there were
quite number OF charges for Geographic
messages. In moment more Mrs. Bland
was down stairs, holding in her hand
quite number Of large hooks. It was
not my fault, but the lady had taken up
with the package small Ay-hook, which,
as she opened the parcel, punctured her
rosy first finger, so that drop of blood
started. Il am so sorry" said, "may
I not tie this handkerchief around it,"
"What, with the hook in my finger?
Pull it out! Please, no fuss" Here
Mrs. BANDS face looked rigid, and the
wrinkles between her eyes made series
of archings.
"But, but" I exclaimed, really dis
turbed, 81 can't pull it out. Can you
bear the merest cut with my penknife?''
"Can l? Nonsense, of course I can,"
and she held out a taper white finger,
and felt my heart sink with me as l
made careful probe, and, fortunately,
extricated the barb, drew out the hook,
which I deliberately put in my pocket
book. "Would Mrs, Bland faint now?"
I asked myself.
ga glass of water?" I said anxiously.
''What for? To dip my finger in?
Ridiculous! I will put it in my mouth.
Please do not destroy your pocket. hand
kerchief. You will excuse my sucking
my thumb like baby while l talk.
There, it is all over now, young gentle
man. | never scream at a mouse, go
into Mysteries over caterpillar, and do
not blink at lightning.
You are very brave little woman
then. Here, take this Geographic mes
sage which you have dropped" and 1
handed the message to her.
81 heard the waiter tell you, [ re-
ceived ten messages day. Now you
can put that together with my dozen
newspapers p
l cannot-dare not do it. It is not
any of my business, Mrs. Bland. I am
not curious" I replied.
"Well, am-very much so-and my
business is to-ah &c here she stopped,
for David just then rang the bell, which
meant that the stage coach with the pas
sengers from the railroad was coming.
This coach stopped at the house first,
then continued on its journey to small
tavern further up the coast.
"You were saying, Mrs. Bland-pray
continue"
Cali can tell you is this, sir, that in
that coach you will find man you hard
ly expected to see. Go and look" With
that Mrs. Bland famed herself quite
composedly, and went to her room.
went to the coach, not understand
ing what the woman meant. Some three
women got out Of the vehicle, followed
by an old gentleman who had to be
helped out-evidently an invalid. On the
box by the driver was man, who, as I
approached, lit a fuze, and with it his
cigar. His face I did not recognize.
then felt some curiosity to find out what
Mrs. Bland meant about the man IT
hardly expected to see:", l did peer
into the coach. I was aided by David,
who, with a lantern, was looking for a
parcel one Of the lady passengers had
left. There was man, apparently
asleep. Though it was summer, hand