The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-10-22


chastise with whip Of scorpions
The doctors head was immense above
his great, generous ears, and his capa-
cious, shabby hat was set far back upon
It His clothes were rusty and spotted
with chemicals, and he carried about
with him the odor Of the drug shop, a.
doctors often do. His hands, strange to
say, were small and fine. and seemed al
ways involuntarily lingering Q weak
pulse. A sixth sense seemed to reside in
those supersensitive hands He came up
to Hannah's ironing table. and little
furtive smile began to curl round her
thin lips and light up her dark face, for
she knew what was coming. The doc
tor had slipped q dollar greenback under
the ironing stand
"You know. Hannah" said he, in the
wheedling, coaxing tone he used with
nervous, fdgetty. unreasonable patients
4 couldn't think Of taking the old mans
money. You must use the fee to buy
him some little comfortA Why, Ham
nah. it's such privilege to come in and
talk q bit with the old man. don't do
1t half as often a. | would like to; 1t
seems dissipation, like the opium habit
or gin drinking. You should have heard
him today; he was immense-way up In
the starry spheres, and you would have
thought that those old chaps who wrote
his favorite books were right there in the
room with him"
The doctor was talking against time,
and Hannah, as she paused In her work.
gave him peDetrating look. II guess
said she slowly, there are angels up
there that smile, II they don't laugh
right out, at some Of the lies that's told
down here. As II the old man had
money to pay in fees. As II he had had
0 cent In his pocket since he came to me
three years ago. We thought that meb-
be some Of his distant rich kin might
think to send him Christmas present,
but they never do. There's two things
folks always keep clear Of, doctor-pov-
erty and pestilence"
"But it's to be remembered, Hannah,
responded the doctor, "that the poor are
always good to the poor. Without their
kindness to each other the world would
not 20 on. I've seen good deal Of hu-
man nature in my time, and know it's
awfully mean in spots, and in other
spots it's lit up with heavens own light
unexpected spots. too, mostly"
Yes" said Hannah, softly setting
down her iron. when | think Of you
going round in the country in your old
mud spattered shay, tending the tired
farmers wives, and the rheumatic old
folks, and the sick babies, somehow ]
think Of them lines In the Bible, The
desert and the solitary place shall rejoice.
and the wilderness shall blossom like the
rose"
"Sho, Hannah, said the doctor, push
ing back his hat still further on his great
head, and looking warm and embar-
raised. who'd ever thought you would
drop into poetry1 What am | or any Of
N compared with that old philosopher
in there nailed to his chair, helpless and
half dead, and with the light Of happi-
ness all around him. l tell you, Han
nah, he's daily lesson to me. BY the
way, have you heard that Joel has had
an offer for his farmi A big offer too
A city man Il coming here to set up o
racing stable and to raise fine stock
Hes taken fancy to the old place. and
It IL thought Joel will get almost any
price be may ask. You know that de-
tached piece Of fifty acres on the Dew
berry road the old man left in wood landi
Well, it's coming right into the market
The town Is growing rapidly out in that
direction, and Joel talks Of cutting It
up into building lots and selling 1t of
at 90 much the foot They do say the
best part Of the town Is going out that
way, and Joel will know how to make
his profit"
THAT wood lot would have been
mine and the children's," cried Hannah
suddenly, throwing up her hand with q
passionate gesture, ''if l hadn't signed
away our rights, and now the wicked
flourish like green bay tree"
"Tut, tut" said the doctor, In Q mild
tone Of rebuke. Think Of the old man
In there who never utters o word Of
complaint against those who have
wronged him"
"lmow, said Hannah, suddenly hum
bled; ''he'S saint, and he's brought .
blessing to this house, but | am not Q
patient nature and sometimes when
get to thinking about the past I'm most
mad"
The doctor looked for Q moment SILENT
ly into the woman's thin. dark face and
eager eyes II am sorry you signed
away your rights to JOEL" said be ct
last, "but II the old mans property turns
out valuable beyond all that was expect
cd, shouldn't wonder II the court
could rip up that agreement, for the
children are still minors and in q way
under its care"
Hannah's sinewy hand trembled with
eagerness as she grasped the handle Of
the iron. II was half crazy when ]
signed that paper. What with Joel nag.
ging me about Anson's debt to him, and
the mortgage on my house coming to
foreclosure, and my heart in the grave
with him had lost-for he was q good
man-and the children elinging to me
and crying, signed away their right
and title. It was after that Mr.. Rand
came and brought me the paid up mort
gage, and then came to my senses for
the first time and the tears moiStened
my dry and stony eyes"
II know II all, Hannah" said the doc
Tor, a. II coaxing dck child at don't
do any good TO keep going over thoss
hard places in life Let us look about
and zee what can be done In the pres
enk."
"Oh, II l could but find that paper
acknowledging the payment Of the
UIoneyi Il all comes back TO me now