The state capital., 1892-02-13
NELLIE BELTON'S RUSE.
She Cures Her Father of His I'M
aginary Diseases.

''Hush, hush, Nelly.' said Mrs. Bel
ton, holding up a warning finger, as
her daughter sprang up the steps with
gay laugh. 'Your father is suffering
very much this afternoon, and is trying
to sleep. He is in the sitting room@In
the lounge, where l made him go, as it
is much cooler there"
whats the matter now?" said Nell
1y, with her pretty face curiously un-
changed by the news of her fathers in
disposition.
''Oh, Just one of his nervous spells!
And | think he said he had head
ache, too. | broiled him bird, and he
seemed to relish that, and drank some
buttermilk of the mornings churning." {"
''Well, then, if he can eat and enjoy
buttermilk." remarked the girl, with a
short laugh, ''he is not so very bad off.
Be honest, now, mother; do you believe
muck in fathers ailments? No, no;
don't you frown, but tell me the truth!
Aren't his appetite and looks too good
for there to be much the matter with
him! l declare | have caught DR.. Les
ter smiling broadly several times when
he has been here to see father, and it
was all he could do to keep from laugh
ing right in his face"
Mrs. Belton's kindly face wore a
half-amused half-frightened express
sionas she listened to her daughter, but
she answered, demurely:
"How can you talk so, Nelly? OF
course, your father is ill., or why should
he feign to be sop
HE likes petting and coddling just
like baby; and mother, | really be-
lieve you know it is mainly his imagin-
alton that is at work, but you have got
in the habit of waiting on him and
humoring his fancies until you do it as
matter of course. Now own up. Do
you believe in his sickness to-day?"
The mother evaded the clear, truth
compelling eyes turned up to her own,
but she laughed and whispered back:
"Well, he did eat about six biscuits
with that bird and drink three glasses
of buttermilk and dispose of nearly a
third of glass of my straw berry PIE
serves"
Nelly caught her mother in her arms
with shout of delight. Bravo!
half the battle. Mother, l know i'll the
bottom of your heart, tender and kind
as it is, you are tired of fathers morbid
fancies, and of ministering to his i'm
aginary ailments. And it is time some
thing was done to arouse him or he will
become confirmed hypochondriac, for
he is nearly that now. l believe could
break him.
mo, you couldn't, child. l used to
| try and get him to shake off his des-
| pondency and not to think so much of
his little aches and pains, but l only
| got called unfeeling for my exertions. ;"
"Well, l would approach him diff
ferently. Listen, mother, l have a
| plan"
And the two heads, one still brown
and handsome in spite of the fine lines
| of silver over the temples and the other
| bright chestnut, drew close together,
and in the golden sunshine of the beau
| tiful September day a dark plot was
| formed and when Rob Harper came
| strolling in with the most purposeless
air that ever conceived purpose the
sam. was impaired to him under seal
| of secresy. Then when Nelly chanced
| to walk as far as the turn of the road
as Rob took his way home, the doctor,
| driving past, was halted and made a
| partner likewise in the mysterious bus
| mess