The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-08-13
AN ELDERLY PERSON.
Why Little Mrs. Sphinx Deceived
the Good Doctor.

be the house, murmered a prim-iOok'ns
little body, as she peered through he
glasses at the door-plate, and from it t.
newspaper clipping which she held In
her hand. As she awaited the answer
to her modest knock, her thoughts ran
very much in this wise:
'.What pity! Such nice garden a!
it could be made her eyes taking ir
the tangled mass of weeds that -four
ished on either side of the broad Tagged
path leading down to the high stone
wall and iron gate, that shut out the
dusty road beyond. Then, as her glance
wandered to an awry blind and the tar
nished door-plate, she exclaimed, half
aloud:
'.Poor man! 1t looks as if he needed
somebody to put things to rights. The
advertisement says nice, quiet, elderly
person.
Here a dimple stole into view and
played hide-and-seek about this little
body's sweet mouth, for there was no
gainsaying the fact that her lips pos
sessed dainty curve, revealing. as she
smiled, a glimpse of unusually pretty
teeth for a lady of her apparent age. In
a moment, however, the dlmple van
ished, and her mouth assumed its before
demure expression as she sighed:
.'Oh! 1 do SO hope will suit. Ihave
tried SO hard, and-and know could
make things look so different, if he ism t
frumpy and will let me-"
s'Did you knock, ma'm?"
This from a slip-shod girl. who stood
good-naturedly cycling the ''knock"
from her post on the door mat. With
a start, as if caught doing something
she ought not to be doing, this rather
old-fashioned-looking little lady ans
wered:
"Yes; isis Doctor Nathaniel Reed
IMP"
'Yes, mann; the master, he's in. If
you're patient, master says as you're
to go in the library"
'sOh! no, /. Tell your master
Icalled about the advertisement"
No sooner had the servant, with a
nod of her untidy head, departed,
after bidding the lady stake chair"
in half-darkened room off the hall,
than that small body with a quick
look around, darted across the room to
a mirror. After a careful survey of
herself, with nod of satisfaction, she
resumed her seat to await the Doctors
coming. Not a minute too soon. for
Just then voice outside the room re-
marked:
''In the sitting-room. did you say,
Jane?"
Then the handle turned, and gen.
ueman of apparently about thirty enter
ed the room. An exclamation escaped
the lady as she half arose from her seat,
and in confused, hurried sort of a way
murmurcd:
Il think-you will excuse me. There
is mistake. wished called to see
Doctor Reed"
mo mistake at all ma am, I assure
YOU. am Doctor Nathaniel Reed. l
understood the girl say that you called
about the advertisement inserted in the
paper. She is rather stupid. SO perhaps
the mistake is on her side"
Seating himself, the doctor awaited a
reply, thinking ''poor, little woman, a
tiles" All at once the trim little figure
opposite him seemed to become more
erect as in clear, sedate tones its owner
answered.:
'.No, your servant was quite right.
1t is concerning the advertisement that
I have called"
''Wcll, am glad. Jane was right
this time, for she has a decided talent
for making plumbers. Still, the girl is
good-hearted and honest, and l would
like to give her as fair a chance as can.
Her mother, poor woman, is a widow,
with four other children to provide for.
i do not know exactly where the fault
is, but of course can see that things do
not work as they should do, and so it
occurred to me that if Icould meet with
a nice, motherly little body (was the
little an artful compliment on the doc
tors party who would undertake to set
every thing straight, why it would be q
great relief to me-"
Il would try to do my best. am
sure, SIR" was the rather faint re-
Spouse.
Not a doubt of It." was the hearty
rejoinder; then str;ding across the
room the doctor rather theoretically
drew up blind. remark'ng: Il hope
You do not believe in the saving of car
pets. Mrs. -"
''Sphinx," after brief pause, sup
piled the lady, slightly edging away
from the dazzling sunshine as itstreamed
In upon them.
do You know I have become pos
sessed with the idea that all good house
keepers abhor the sun on account of its
fading propcnsities? But am afraid l
should be rather obstinate in nv re-
quircments of light and air. Sunshine
is a glorious benefactor. It has cured
many an i'll, and is oftentimes more eff
fecii1e than doctors prescription. "
This latter with a genial smile, as,
glancing at his watch, he added: ..Weu.
then. Mrs. Sphinx, if you think we
could agree as to plenty of air and sun
-. Oh! by-the-by, / am forgetting
one of the most important items. The
recompense l could offer would not be
large-perhaps two dollars and q half,
payable monthly-would not be salts
factory TO you?
''Oh, yes!' was the somewhat eager
reply. Il should be quite satisfied with
that; but l must tell you that-that i
can not give you a reference. Yours
would be my first situation, and am a
stranger (this last a trifle flattering)
".in the city,
"Referencer' he repeated, with al