The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-09-25
"a WONDERFUL CURE"

"a WONDERFUL CURE"
"What's that black figure agin the
white SNOWY" asked Mrs. Getclley, fit-
ting OH her farsightcd specs, as she sat
at the window upon q threatening Mon
day morning.
"That!" said Aurilla Ann. "Why,
that's Mr.. Dorking Arranging out the
clothcs!"
"Mr. Dorking!" repeated Mrs. Get.
chey. "Why, where's Mariar?"
Her daughter-in-law, Aurilla Ann.
INDUCED in short, snorting laugh.
up stairs in bed, calculate" said
she.
"sick?" said Mrs. Getchey, in &C.
cents of concern.
'tNo more'n / ami" said Aurilla Ann,
shaking the table cloth out of the but
terry window, so that the long-leggcd
Brahma fowls might lave the benefit Of
any stray crumbs which might be 60
ing. Cranky, that's all. She always
was as odd as Dicks hat.band."
"Eh?"
Mrs. Grctchey, q Western woman,
was evidently IMMERSED in local allu-
sions.
Don't you know ?" said Aurilla Ann,
with chucklc. Dicks hat. band,
that went half way around, and tied in
the mitldle?"
"Oh" said Mrs. Grctchcy. "But
Marian Dorking used to be as smart,
stirring a women us ever see."
"Shc's took notion t'other way, of
late" said Aurilla Ann. II declare, I
never in all my life felt as sorry as I
do for Daniel Dorking. He's dretful
peaceable, good tempered man, and
Marian treats him real mean. He does
oil tho work of the house himself, even
to the washing and ironing, because
Marian chooses to fancy herself sick {;
and jest wish You could see the poor
mans shirts! Besides, there's the mill
to see after, and the farm work, though
of course that last amt so heavy this
time O year. But it's too much for one
man, let alone the worry of it,"
CANT they able to hire no hclp?" said
Mrs. Getchey, who had fallen back on
her knitting
why, of course they he" Aurilla
Ann made answer. "But Marian won't
have no help about the house,"
"That's rather hard OH Daniel, aint
it?" said Mrs. Getchey.
"Well. ! should think so, replied her
sons wife, piling fresh knots of wood
under the wash boiler, preparatory to
her Mondays work.
While the neighbor who. unconscious
" to himself, was the subject of so much
solioitude among the surrounding fami.
lies, hung out his last wet and tapping
sheet, secured 1t by battered clothes
pin, and hastened, with blue nose and
frozen fingers, into the house.
"Maria!" lie spoke up the stairway,
which wound around and around like o
wooden cockscrew-"Maria!"
"Well?" sighed mournful voice.
"Shan't l make you Il little buttered
toast?"
II don't care forno buttorcd toast"
returned the funercal strains.
"Or fry ye an egg? DO try an egg,
Maris-with shaving O bacon and
some coffee! Ye must cat, Maria. or
yell break down. For my sake, Maria,
eat something.
Only u sigh was the response.
But Daniel Dorking made the coffee,
and fried the little slice of bacon, with
it's accompanying eggs, speedily carry
ing the tray up stairs, where lie opened
the door by means of gentle impetus
with his foot.
Maria occupied the best room in the
house, that was very evident.
A rag carpet. woven in gray maroon
and yellow strips, covered the floor; q
cheerful wood 1iro blazcd in the CHM
ney the window was curtained with
Turkey red; and Mrs. Dorking, propped
up on pile Of feather pillows, was
surrounded with variety of devotional
books, q camphor bottle. and q fan,
"The washin' is all out. Maria" said
poor, little Mr.. Dorkin; lend I've wiped
up the floor. and set the kettle OF veg.
etables back, where it'll simmer and moi
burn. And now I'll just step over to
the flower mill.
"And leave Hss all alone, Daniel p
said his wife, lugubriously.
"The mill has got to be seen to, now
that Eliab johnson has gone on his we'd.
ding-trip." said Dorking. "And man
can't be in two places at once, Maria, "
know"
ooh, we'll, it don't matter, said Mrs.
Dorking, with melancholy sniff
I'm only poor crcetur, sllan't both.
er nobody very long"
"Hev = little moro bacon, Maria p
soothed her husband.
But Mrs. Dorking, who had already
eaton enough bacon for working man
both the fried eggs, slice of brea,l and
butter. and drank about apint of coffee
shook her head, and fell back on Her
vey;s Aeditations Among the Tombs:
II won't be gone long," said Daniel
cheerfully. "And I'll fetch bit o
fresh meat to cook for dinner. P'rapl
you'd fancy steak or chop. Sal
meats gettin' sort O monotonous.
But Maris declined to notice this re-
mark at all, and poor Daniel crept away
believing himself heartlcss poltroon
and his wife prosecuted angel.
II don't see how on earth Tn roino
to get along this way.n said she. a.rhon