The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-09-01
pence an ounce. but then | was not in !.

pence an ounce. but then was not in 4
decline. Mrs. Pye and the servant got
our tea in silence and on tiptoe, and we
drank it in the same funereal fashion.
until we heard her speak in low tone
to the patient, and then followed fit
of coughing, of the hollow. sepulchral
kind l recalled so well: then we heard
grooming and gasping. with Mrs. Pye's
voice speaking in soothing tone to the
sufferer. I'VE shall have another night
of it, l am afraid. said Jem, speak
ing with something like a groan on
his part; that is just how he begins.
Come in and see him. l followed
Sheldon. and not having seen Tobbs for
long time, l recoiled with horror ut
the CHASTITY spectacle he presented.
have described him before, so it is of nj
use my telling you over again how he
looked. He seemed, as before, very
pleased to see me, and again and again
thanked me for my kindness in coming
to see him, and for the care with which
he had been treated. l checked him,
as saw it distressed him to speak, but
he insisted upon going on. 1t was
probably the last opportunity he should
have, he said; | could see what wreck
he was, and although he had, by mir
acle, got through the winter, vet he
OILY too well knew what was before
him. Mrs. Pye was forced two or three
times I'd give him small quantities of
brandy while he was speaking. to keep
him from fainting, and although l was
pleased to hear him so grateful and salts
! fed with his treatment, | was relieved
when it was time for me to return, and
felt heartily glad to think that to Skel-
don share fell the task of living with and
watching him. No amount of money
could have compensated me for such an
ordeal. Speaking of money here reminds
me that l had to give rather large sum to
Jem on this occasion, as he had run little
into debt with Mrs Pye; so when had
done this, had paid nigh upon seventy
pounds for the premium, and had
cleared up at my own lodgings, there
was not great deal left of my second
advance, and despite the pity felt for
Tobbs while in his presence. could not
avoid very natural hope that the poor
fellow would soon be released from his
sufferings. That was the way Itried to put
it in my meditations, Sammy, but Unreal
ity was frightened at the awful outlay.
Well, / won't bother you with all the
details, but a good while before the next
premium became due
"He lived through the summer,
them" said, rather astonisEed. for l
had expected to hear of the patients
demise long before.
'He did, sir" said my cousin: he had
a way of saying "sir'' to me, or to any
one, when he wished to be particularly
, emphatic. "He did, sir: l got two
| hundred in the spring, as tell you, and
but for u little stroke of luck turning up
Just then, l could not have held out
through the summer. I contriyod to
clear hundred and twenty pounGu over
the Goodwood Stakes. which was about
my only speculation that season, for had
been obliged to drop betting-but for
this, say. could not have made the
advance hold out. However, managed
to pay the next premium, which brought
us to October, SO that Mr.. AbsaiOm
| Watts, YOU see, had lived all through
the spring and summer, and was about
to face another winter. He did not seem
materially to mend during the fine
| weather, nor could we see that he was
any worse; the only change was that he
now took more exercise, drove out five
or six miles once or twice a week in a
| fly, and that, again, was an expense. 1t
was pretty clear that unless his COM
plant took a sudden turn l should be
obliged to raise some more money, and
the idea of doing so made me low-spir-
| tied, for began to think should never
! see the end OF it. So heavy were Jen,'s
| demands that was obliged to tell him
l could not stand them; that Tobbs must
be content with palmer living, as in the
way he was going on, it would be cheap
er to board a dozen men than him alone,
and he must draw his horns in. Two
days after this message got telegram
from Sheldon, urgently requesting me
to 90 down at once, as Mr.. Watts was
dying-you may guess l went pretty
sharply, Sam, and, l must confess it, in
the best spirits had known for many a
day. l shall not stay to tell you how he
| looked, and all that, because | want to
get to the end of my story, but SHELDON
opened the door for me, having been
watching for my arrival. and said in a
whisper: Hush! he has just dOzet
off-he has rallied little this
morning'-I could not avoid Civ
ing a groan, here, Sammy. l could
not. indeed. Hang me! if l had not
expected as much but he has been
worse than ever said Sheldon. Mrs;
Pve feels sure he cannot last the week
.Confound Mrs. Pye and her opinions,
I retorted; all this is what we have
heard before. What does the doctor
say?' The doctor says it is a most in-
teresting case,' answered SHELDON. but
l recollected that DR.. Bump had Sid
that before.
[To BE CONTINUED.
| Pooling HURRIED