The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-07-16
WITHOUT ANY COURTING.

-. Peter Patterson was ill-at least he |
thought so, and depressed; he had
headaches, and he hated the dusty
streets, in which the summer heat burnt
and the summer sun shone before the
green leaves had draped the trees, and
plotted geraniums which have come to
be so blessedly popularin New York,
lent their summer freshness.
"What shall l do doctor?" he said to
the white headed old physician "You
say nothing ails me, bnt can tell you
what my feelings are better than you
can. l know I shall be down with
something soon. l rode in car with
half dozen dirty children, the other
day-going to the small pox hospital,
I haventa doubt-very red and nasty
looking, all of them; and while | was
buying something in store down in
Broadway the other day, a horrid old
woman begged of me because her hus-
band was sick with typhoid fever. No
doubt I've caught both diseases and its
the complication that puzzles you.
couldn't relish my coffee this morning;
left my milk toast untouched, Hateful
life. that of bachelor at hotel. Oh
dear me-"
why don't you marry, then?" said
the doctor.
They need so much courting," said
Mr.. Patterson. ''You spend six months
or So at least, dangling at a woman's
apron strings. Qon must go to the
theatre and opera if she is gay, and to
church meeting ifshe is pious. At fifty
man likes his slippers and blessing
gown and chair of an evening. If it
was just stepping over to the clergy
man sand getting married, put q ring on
her finger and saying and nodding yes
two or three times, why | wouldn't
mind it you know"
"Ah, we'll. counting is the fun of it
in my opinion" said the old doctor,
but every one to his taste. And my
advice to you is to get into the coun-
try"
"To another hotel and more mercen-
ary waiters!" said Mr. Patterson.
well, said the doctor, go to nice
private house, l know one-a mot herly
widow lady who cooks dinner fit for a
king. River before the house, WOO d
behind it, orchard to the left, kitchen
garden to the right; no fever, noague /;
no mosquitoes. Heavenly! ! am going
ND there tomorrow and I'll see if she'll
take you"
Very we'll" said Mr.. Patterson, 81
think I'd try it. :"
and you must drink plenty Of milk,
and eat plenty of nice homemade
bread
"Yes, | will" said Patterson, over
joyed at least at hearing something that
sounded like a prescription. And you
would advise milk"
Quart of it every day" said the doc
tor.
I'll take note of it." said Patterson
"and if / should be very i'll she'll nurse
me?'
"Splendidly," said the doctor, and
went his way.
Mr.. Patterson thought the matter
over, and thought better of it every day,
and when the little note informing him
that the widow would be willing to
take him in and do for him." reached
him, he had his trunk and portmantean
already packed, and was all ready to
start that afternoon. As for the widow,
the doctor had prepared her for her
boarder's peculiarly thus;
nice fellow social, plenty of money
thinks himself i'll, but isn't; ought to
be married: told him so, but he hates
the idea of courting; marry off some
day no doubt; Will you have me {?
Yes Call in clergyman, Over.
Very peculiar old bachelor; but then
old bachelors are peculiar generally.
The widow was what Yankees call an
amazing smart woman. She had mar
red at sixteen and had never failed tC
have washing "over when other people
were hanging out theirs. Her bread
always rose. her cake was always good
and her butter was always sweet. Al
forty-five she had married off ali her
daughters, and was we'll to-do, buxon
and happy.
Her son and his wife boarded witt
her, and she added to her plentiful say
ings by taking a summer boarder ol
two, if they happened to offer.
FIFTY and "a bachelor" said Mrs
Muntle. looking in the glass. "Well
it seems pity: but when elderly gen
tlemen marry, it is some hitytity gir
that lead them terrible life, and it
for the best"
Then she looked in the glass again
for the widow was but woman afterall
Mr.. Patterson came to the widow
and obeyeA the doctoris prescription
carefully. He ate bread and milk
robbed the orchards like school boy
and declared over the strawberry short
cake after fashion that would hav
made his reputation at the bar. Then
} too Mrs, Muntle did not smile at hi
aches and pains, and insist that he mus
be perpetually well because be had
fresh complexion and dimples in hi
potions, which she produced when h
complained of feeling miserable, an
she had that blessing of hypochondaries
o homeopathic box in the house.
There We're remedies in that box 70
: everything; and it was pleasant to fin,
that when there was crawling sensa
ton in your flesh, or kind of uneas
feeling in your legs, there were dali
little globules to be had just suited 70
symptoms; that to find yourself Yer
angry about nothing indicated pulsatills
and that even for unreqlited love ther
was medicine.
For two months and more Mr.. Pattel
, son boarded with Mrs. Muntle, an
: happier months he had never live
through. Then he went back to til
: city for few weeks, returning in urger
need Of more pellets from the medicin
, chest, and stayed until the last pin
j chrysantheum was blooming on il
withered branches. He had grown +
!. fond of his little room, with its whi
: curtains and fresh grass bleached liner
q of the country good things, and of Il