St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-04-02

I tioning Mr. Lynde and his reported
engagement.
"OhO recollect now Coleman had
lien on the young woman himself.
Queer | should have forgotten" unused
the discounted advocate, dipping his
pen in the ink.
That night Mr.. Coleman had chill.
no metaphorical heart ague, but gem
uine physical, bone shaking rigor that
demanded blankets and hot bricks
and a heroic dose of quinine.
"He's caught malaria from some of
those COMPOUNDED Western bog-holes, 4"
said the doctor aside to the landlord.
"Unless we break it up, he's in for a
fever. See that he has good nurse.
/ I'll be round in the morning"
The landlord himself sat up with the
patient. and busy night he had until
daybreak, when Mr.. Coleman sank in
to browse. The weary watcher i'm
proved his opportunity to steal away
for nap, and sent his son to take his
place by the bedside. After an hours
sleep the sick man awoke refreshed,
the ringing III his ears greater, but the
pain in his limbs no longer absolutely
unbearable.
"Heigho that you, Harry ?" he said,
catching sight of the boy munching an
apple for entertainment. "Where
were you when l came home last
night ? didn't see you."
"At ST. Marks, sir, blowing the or
gan. Mr.. Lynde has hired me for the
quarter"
sob, he has, has he 2" Mr. Coleman
/ I'm ned Oy..p in h,.1 a,,I ScnNSIaH Ia,
smoky lamp chimney. Soon he Topped
back again. ''Do you like this Lynde
fellow, Harry ?"
''Tip-tOp everybody dOes.n
Mr.. Coleman grOaned.
''Is the pain coming on again, sir ?
Can | do anything for you ?"
"Nothing, thank you, my boy Pm
pretty essentially done for. I'd like to
hear you talk, though. Tell me what
has happened since Pve been away.
What's this Lynde been up to 2"
ooh, he's been flying round, you'd
better believe"
"Been doing a stiff business, | sup
pose, driving out with the ladies? ?"
"He's been driving out with Miss
Haywood some. | haven't seen him
with any body else"
The invalid suppressed another
grOan.
"They've been looking at dishes
and curtains and things"
Mr.. Coleman rose savageIy upon his
elbow. This was ten thousand times
worse than he had dreamed. "The
story Pve heard, then, is true, Harry
Mr.. Lynde is going to be married"
''Why, how did you know, Mr.. Cole
man? He said it was II secret. He
let me go all over his house yesterday,
he's hired Lunt's cottage, corner OF
Vine strickland things shine, | tell
you. You just ought to see those car
pets. Miss Haywood helped him pick
'em out. The other woman don't sus-
pect thing"
''What other woman P'
"Why, the woman he's going to mar
ry. She lives down in Maine. She
thinks after the wedding on Christmas
she's coming with Mr.. Lyndc TO his
boarding house but instead of that,
sir, he's going to bring her right
home to this bully cottage. III bet
she'll be surprised"
Mr.. Coleman dropped back upon the
pillow with an expression II Raphael
might have despaircd of reproducing,
He lay there ii few minutes rejecting,
then sat bolt upright, his towel-begirt
head in bold relief against the mahOg-
any headboard.
elbow ont the lamp, Harry, please,
draw up the curtains, and hand my
writing desk there OH the table. I'll
give you dollar if you'll carry Il mes
sage to Miss Haywood for me this
morning.
"Bless my soul, Coleman, you're as
tough as a pine knot !" exclaimed the
doctor, hOlting in as his patient scale -
the note. "YOu had aguc enough last
night to shake Il sensitive mortal into
the grave, and here you're up and at
| tending to business. Let's feel your
pulse. Rapid yet, but softer. Ifyou're
prudent you'll be out in few days"
| Harry rushed off ON his errand, and
delivered Mr.. Coleman's billet into the
hands of Miss Rue herself, who in his
private opinion looked very sober and
red-eyed.
"DEAR RUE" (thus ran the missive)
-"Hve been having a chill, one of the
bona fide castanet order. | hope you'll
do me the favor to believe it was COM
ing on at your house. If raved furi-
ously and behaved worse than saw
age, as know | did, do forgive me,
dear. I'm coming to beg pardon on
my knees rs soon as they are firm
enough. Enclosed please find your
ring. Ever thine, JOHN.
"P. S.-DOn't on any account with
draw from the Operetta."
''Poor dear soul, how i'll he must
have been !" unused loving little Rue,
slipping the cherished ring back upon
her finger. 'But | hope he isn't going
to be subject to these chills," she added
with Il doleful look. 81 do hope he
isn't, for the sake of both of u.s.