The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-09-19
Polly had taken off her hat.

"
sew she replied, cheerfully. "And
it's only two o'clock now; plenty of
time to put things in order and have
something baked for tea. You stay in
the other room, Mrs. Smith, and leave
the kitchen work for me-"
And Mrs. Smith left the kitchen with
the serene consciousness that the bis
cults would be as light, and the tea
cakes as delicately favored, as if she
herself had made them. So heartfelt
was her gratitude, that half an hour
later, when they had exhausted the sub
ject of city life, the neighbors and plec-
ing bed-quilts, she surprised her cousin
by waxing eloquent over Polly, Polly's
father and Polly's wrongs. 1t took near
ly an hour to tell the story, allowing
for the Interruptions occasioned by lit
tie Fife, who was of an inquiring dis
position; but Mrs. Latham was inter-
ested, and listened delightedly.
"And wouldn't it be surprise to every
BODY if her fathers inventions did turn
out to be worth something, after alp
she exclaimed. Things like that have
happened l read of man of that kind
getting twenty-five thousand dollars for
patent once"
s'He WON'T" declared Mrs. Smith,
shortly. ''We used to think about it at
first (look out, child, don't drop that
vase); but there's ben more than doz-
en- come to look at his inventions, diff
ferent times, and they all agreed they
want worth the stuff that was put in
them"
81 suppose they ought to know" re-
luctantly admitted Daniels wife.
("Effie, dear, don't cut holes in the sofa.
Pm afraid Cousin Ann won't like it,
And Daniel says that there isn't one
thing out of thousand like that that
pays. But always think of what might
happen. And you know there is
chance"
Mrs. Smith tiptoed to the kitchen
door.
"Polly's good girl to work, if moth.
ing else," she declared, coming back
we'll pleased with the look of the creamy
custard and nicely-browned biscuit.
''She's as quick as flash Of lightning."
"Yes, and so handsome" chirruped
Mrs. Latham. eff she was only as rich
as some of the girls that
"Md-ma-Gp' it was a wild shrek of
terror and pain. Fife, in her endeavor
to find out where the smoke went, had
stood too close to the open fireplace,
and her thin muslin apron was in
blaze.
"Help! Save her! Water! Where's
the water? Oh, my baby, my baby!"
shrieked the frantic mother, at that in
slant hardly less insane than the child,
who was running wildly about the
room. Mrs. Smith rushed into the
kitchen, screaming as she went: "Fire!
Help! Fire! She's burning to deathr'
"Who?" gasped Polly, dropping her
armful of wood with a crash. The next
instant, before Mrs. Smith had time to
realize her purpose, she had rushed into
the other room, caught the frantic child,
and wrapped her in her wooden dress
skirt. 1t was only for one minute. In
the next, Mrs. Smith had deluged them
with water, Polly was ruefully regard
ing her burned hands, and the fire was
out. But that minute made the in
ventor's daughter the heroine of Scrogs-
vile.
They talked about it at the store, and
the sewing society, and on their way to
church. The weekly paper devoted half
a column to a description of the Incl
dent, and the II. S. S. Association pre-
scented her with copy of Lies Misera-
bles" as testimonial of her valor and
courage. AS for Effies father-'Tm not
q ioh no oh IL II
mechanic declared, when his wife, with
the tears running down her cheeks, told
him the stOry-"but some way or other
I'll try to make up to that girl for what
she's done for us. If there's any thing
in her fathers inventing that any
amount of my work can fix into paying
him ordinary day wages for the time he
spent On it, I'll find it. And what s
more, he won't have to reckon with any
thing but the gross proceeds. The ex-
penseS l'll pay out of my own pocket"
And that was how the investiga ton
. commenced. From the first, Scrogs-
vile people did not put much faith in it.
1t was very thorough one. All John
Spriggs' inventions, brought from gar
ret, store-room and barn, were exam
ined, taken to pieces, studied, put to-
gether again. turned this way and that,
and experimental with in every posi-
bic Ombination. But the more Mr..
Latham worked the less hopeful he be-
came. And after week of patient labor
he was forced to agree with the others
who had tried, that ''the inventions
want worth the stuff they were made
Of" He came into the Spriggses' kitch-
en- that day, looking rather crestfallen.
mo; there's nothing in Them" he
said, in answer to Polly's inquiring
! glance. Nothing that car find, and
used to call myself a good hand at that
: sort of thing. 1t can't be helped. But !
: wish l hadn't said any thing about ii
now."
, John Spriggs looked up from his
, work with reassuring smile. He had
| been the least interested of any one in
: the investigation. ''Oh, you needn't
be-" he responded cheerfully. ut was
. very kind of you, very kind of you; but
) It's hardly to be expected you'll find
7 any thing of consequence in those old
\ contrivances of mine. Now, this weav
t ing machine when I get the idea
| worked out, Mr.. Latham, 1 wouldn',
take twenty-five thousand dollars for
? the patent"
Daniel rubbed his head. 81 s'p'ose
not, sir. You-you won't mind accept
Ing little money from me, Miss
. Polly, for the time you couldn't work or
, account of your hands? But I'm sorry
? what are you doing?"
t Polly was christening jar of pickles
She turned around. at is a cover ia
: ther fixed for me because it was sucl
: hard work Ia uuScraw tho otboro w,