The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1888-12-06
SELECTED.
STORY OLA PILL.

81 cant understand it," said Miss Jo-
anna kirkpatrick, Il triile anXiously
Its mortal curl s. assented Nancy
Penhill, who was securing the paint on
the hall door.
At that very moment the sounds of a
violent alteration was heard in the sec
ond story.
II won't pa! | won't! | won't III
die first came in low girli,h tones, fol
lowed by a deep, manly voice, urgent but
subdued.
But you must Blanche, you must
Think how far we have come, and do,
my darling consider the consequences.
But Miss Blanche was evidently unim,
pressed by her fathers despairing tones.
al just can pa, aud there's no USE
talking she reiterated again and
again.
Are you prepared to die then, Blanche
came next, in Il more excited voice.
And Miss Joanna sprang up from the
front step, where she had been crochet
ing shoulder cape in afghan stitch.
~ can't stand that, she declared in
her most resolute tone of voice 81
shall 20 straight up and demand to know
just what the matter is, and what he Is
trying to compel the poor child to do
And before Nancy Penhll could oper
her voice to demonstrate, Miss Joanna
was half way up the stairs, bent on car.
rying out her impulsive resolution.
Miss Joanna kept Il select boarding
house and Mr.. Fountain, with his daugh
ter, Il spoiled and willful beauty Of sweet
sixteen had recently taken possession OF
her choicest suit of rooms.
The father seemed perfectly devoted to
his daughter, aud yet they were never
alone without an Outbreak similar to the
one recorded.
Miss Joanna kirkpatrick had not al
ways been boarding-house keeper
When the tide of the family fortune had
suddenly turned from Hood to cbb, the
three younger sisters had been content to
bewail their sad fate, and to subsist OF
the hard earnings of their only brother.
But Joanna the elder sister, had rcso.
lutely set the family traditions at defiance
declaring her intention of supporting her
self.
As may be supposed, she met with an
avalanche of opposition from her sis
tiers.
"Disgracing the family" poutca Sa-
lone.
"Ruining our prospects" grumbled
Elyssa.
GLOW people will talk whined Mar
guerite.
But Joanna was unmoyed.
"Let'em talk" she returned good ma
turedly. They cant say much more
than they do now
And leaving her sisters to the uncon-
genial occupation Of turning their old
silks and studying the closest economy in
the matter of hats and trimmings, Jan
ma accepted the first position that offered,
which Glanced to be that of waitress at a
watering place hotel.
Her wages, together with the small leg
acy from an invalid lady, with whom she
had set up night after night during her
last illness, enabled her to open the
boarding house, with Nancy Penhill as
assistant and counselor.
And here IL was that Mr. Fountain had
brought his idoliled daughter
"Meddlin' won't do no good, asserted
Nancy, securing away at the front door
with rcdonblcd amount of elbow
grease" while Miss kirkpatrick lightly as
cended the stairs, I'D letem fight II
out if was her.
But Joanna was of Il tlarent opinion.
Her tap on the door being answered,
she opened it and went in.
Mr.. Fountain sat in an arm chair, look
ing the picture Of misery with his face
buried in his hands. While Blanche re-
cliued ON sofa lounge, playfully dang
ling a string which white kitten was
making frantic Efforts to seize.
And Mr.. Fountain looked up.
A sudden resolution seemed to seize
him. Miss krkpatr,ck he began. rlS-
ing and placing a chair for her, Il be
lieve that must conlide in You.
"Now pa cried Blanche, pouting a
little
But her father paid no heed to her re
monstrance.
Miss KIRK patrick signihed her willing
ness to be confded in, and Mr. Fountain
continued, though his voice sounded nus
ky and broken:
at is terrible thing for me to say
but Blanche my only child has been bit
ten by mad dog.
"Oh!" cried Miss Joanna horror
stricken.
II brought her here, continued the
distracted father, "to see certain physl-
clan, who has had great success IN the
treatment of such cases
"And he gave pa pill to give me- and
won't take it, finished Blanche, cool
" shaking up her sofa pillow and en-
herself in an easier position,
Miss Joanna, as she afterwards an
bounced to Nancy, could hardly credit
The evidence of her own ears.
'You won't take?" she repeated.
no, WON'T? declared Blanche reso-
utey. 81 can't take pills, aud pa knows
t."
But why don't you make her take it"
demanded Miss Joanna impatiently, turn
ny to the father
IL can't, I've tried every way.
vas the hopeless answer
"He scolded me first" chirped Blanche.
And then he tried to wheedle me and to
tribe me; but he couldn't, just wont
AXE It.,
~ don't see what | can do for you nm
Ter the circumstances, Mr.. Fountain,
aid Miss Joanna. But you have my
sincere sympathy, and anything | can do
will.
"Thank YOU" returned Mr., Fountain
'hut no one can help me
fear"
And Miss Joanna FASTENED away to set
the table for supper, duty when she
never trusted to any hands hut her own.
But when the meal Was over, and Mr'
In WA startlng out for solitary