Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-01-28

"In about getting lunch, anu il
you can be satisfied with hot gin ger
bread, and bread and butter, and caE
of tea. you're welcome
"Thank you very kindly said he
have you got quarter handy
ga quarter! exclaimed aston.
ished.
SO Yes; you see. l have some letters
to post, and, though I've got plenty OF
money, it's all in large bils;' and he
took out q bulky pocket book from his
coat .pocket, though he didn't open it.
IN hand i. back to John, to-mor-
row.
81 thought that queer. but I hap.
pered to have fifty cents III my pocket,
aud l handed it TO him.
"Thank you kindly he said, very
pleasantly, and offered to go out ana
change it.
al went into the kitchen, through
the dining. room. my thoughts in a
sort OF whirl, what with the queer
ness of Johns cousin, and the news Of
the ten thousand dollars, must says.T
kinder lotted on that money; for John
was working too hard for man of his
age; he was past forty, little then,
and not nigh so strong as he is now.
"Well, I'd got the tea-kettle to
boiling, and the tea out, and the gin
gerbread was done, beautifully-I al
ways did make good gingerbread if I
do say it-and Ia gone into the din
ning-room to set the table, and was just
putting the cups on, when l felt a
hand on my shoulder. 1t startled me
and I screamed and turned round.
There stood that man, with two or
three pounds of meat, done up in red
silk handkerchief-the same had seen
round his neck.
"' Would you be kind enough to
cook this 2 said he, with queer smile,
and he put it on the table, right on my
snew-white best damask cover, that I'd
got out in consequence OF the ten thou.
sand dollars--no, l mean i'll honor of
the visitor, said grandma, seeing that
we smiled.
"Well, well, it amt possible to tell
you how felt when I took up that
mess in the red silk handkerchief. l
pat the meat in plate, as soon as 1
could, and just wanted to burn the
handkerchief, but instead I put it on a
chair by the door, and went obviously
into the kitchen.
"What kind of a man can he be,
thinks I to myself, to bring meat home
in that fashion,
"There was a stove in the parlor--
one of those old.fashioned, sheet-iron.
alright stoves-and hearing noise, l
went to look through the glass top of
the dinning-room door.
swell, you'd although the house
was on fire to hear the roaring OF that
stove! He must have put all the wood
in it that was left in the wood.box. As
for the man himself, he had taken off
his coat and collar, and thrown him
| self full-length on the floor in front of
the stove, where he appeared to be
asleep. That was the moment I began
to be scared.
However, tried to reason with my
self that he was probably one OF those
old-fashioned, easy.going men, who
make themselves at home anywhere
though l do think that sort ought never
to 60 into anybody's houses but their
own.
swell, went back and cooked the
meat-of course he took that fifty cents
to buy it with--and then I called him.
Bat I'd made up my mind that I would
tell him he'd better go and see John at
the printing office; for the thought of
bis staying there ali day was beginning
to be more than l could bear.
:" It was some time before he woke
up, bnt after he did, he had the grace
to put on his coat before he came into
the dining-room. He sat down to the
table. and folded his hands and shut
his eyes. ! shall never forget the words
he said for grace
| $50 Lord, have mercy upon all Jews
give us this day our daily bread, and
make this meat and this gingerbread a
blessing and refreshment. Amen
As for me, could not eat. Never
in all my Life have seen man eat as
that man did. Five cups of tea poured
cut for him. Half the loaf of ginger
bread and all that meat disappeared, and
the wild way his eyes worked in his
head was frightful.
"Thinks I. What shall do for
he watched every movement I made.
He finished his dinner at last-but
had not eaten mouthful.
"' And now said he, Il want to
wash
"sVery well.' said I, there's a
pump in the Kitchen
"a pumpP said he. "A pump! Do
yeu take me for heather man? A
pump! No, I wish to wash like Chris
tian, and I must go up stairs, and I'd
like you to lay nae out clean shirt and
collar, for I've brought my razor
along. and intend to have o good
shave
with that he took new shining
razor from his vest.pocket, and opened
it. recognized it in moment for q
new one John had bought the day be.
fore, and carelessly left in its case on
the parlor shelf.
II assure you then cold chill ran
over me. I tried to look anconcerned.
didn't dare to move. The table was
between Us, and I felt sure now that be
was maniac.
That razor is sharp, said he, with
his horrible ewes fixed IN nv face land