The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-06-04

He went on . May picnic to gather
May flowers. eat sandwiches, and drink
lemonade with the village boys and
girls. IS tho young people called them.
selves, though many of the aforesaid
were out Of their teens.
He was . yonug doctor, just gradu.
sted and anxious to get prsctics enough
to pay his board. if nothing more. hi.
first name was Stephen. the second
Brown, and be Vas very bashful-too
bashful for anything but doctor.
There were two preachers. . lawyer
and . school teacher along four as
young ss he. but their tongues rang like
one Of George Gibbs turbine wheels
Yet the girls didn't pay any of theu'
hslf a. much attention - they did n
Stephen. It was doctor here, and doc
tor there, all the tims-one wanted to
know the botanic name Of this flower.
and another had lost her fan could DR..
Brown help her 70 6nd it.
And poor Stephen. blushing all the
time, did oil be could to meet the de.
lnsnds on bis time, his knowledge, and
his services.
There was widow. . pretty young
widow. in the party. There almost
always is in such gathering. And thi.
pretty widow had Just buried IN old
husband. Who had left her snug for
tune to pay for her tender nursing while
he lay 80 long helpless on her hands
And the way she went for Stephen was
to him most bswildering. She was
never moro than ten feet from him, nc
ustteriwhos sil!si him. ! And she wanted
10 knowlthe medical properties of every
flower and plant she gathered. She
learned tho my steries of tardxdeums. ths
properties of psratrum riride, the use Of
lactuca satuas, and many other things,
and was 20 profuss in her exclsmations
of wonder that one small head could
contain 50 much knowledge. that Doc
tor Brown would have been less than
man, had he not felt the fattery.
Aud the young single girls. thinking
it q shame that the widow should 90
openly set her nets for = second hus.
band, renewed their efforts to attract
his attention to themselves until the
"boys" began to think the girls
thought there wasn't any man in the
party but Doctor Brown. And they
began to study out wickedness that they
might lessen bis powers Of attraction.
Just then ooe OF them-I grieve Ia
cay hs was q preacher ty the name q
Ed. Powsll-discovered large nest Of
yellow jackets, a species Of hornet which
when sngered, is the most virulent oi
its species. He called lawyer. one
Msgee, and together thsy planned q
dire plot to ,unsettle the attractions
Of Doctor Stephen. One of them
placed = curious.looking stone in the
fork Of . tree. right over the hornet
nest. 20 that any one carelcesly sp-
preaching to reach and examine the
stone. must push against or disturb the
hornets nest. Then Powell cried out
doctor. you have studied geology,
have you not Z"
YES. sir-at college," replied the
doctor.
"Then come here quick. Here is q
curiosity. A stone in the crotch Of q
tree--it must have been lifted by its
growth from the ground
The doctor hurried to the tree. At
tended by bevy of girls and tho widow.
glanced at the stone. and attempted to
take it down.
He had scarcely touched the stone
when the hornets. from their overturned
nest were at him. from his eyes down.
and such yelling end dancing were
never ssen outside Of . Pswnee war cir.
Gle.
The girls scattered. The men yelled
and laughed. and kept we'll out Of the
circle Of fire.
Only the widow the brave little
widow stood her ground. and doub.
ling up her shawl. beat aud thrashed
the stinging insects from the object oi
their wrath, hardly needing the sting.
received on her own fair face and
hands.
The doctor at last got clear OF his ter.
rible tormentors. and With just eyesight
enough left TO find his buggy, started
for his Office 10 get ammonia and olive
oil for himself and his fair defender. the
widow.
She vent with hin. and she is with
him yet, he not caring much whether
he has any practice or not since her
fortune l. enough for both.