The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-04

senses, he discovered that, although a
good deal Jared, he had not been hurt.
He also discovered, to his great surprise,
that the water was very low, and that it
did not come up to the top Of the rubber
overshoes which he wore to protect the
well-blacked boots he had put on for the
flower show. The season had been dry,
and but little rain had run into the els
tern, and 1t might be that the difficulty
of dipping with a bucket in two or three
inches of water would explain Gottlieb's
remissness in the matter of watering the
violets.
Nathan's first impulse was to wade
around the sides of the cis:ern and en-
deavor TO find some means of climbing
ont. This was instinctively natural, but
impossible. The walls. although not
quite perpendicular, were smooth and
slippery.
Then, at the top of his voice, Nathan be.
gan TO call for help. but after INDUCING in
this exercise for some time he was forced
to admit to himself that it was useless.
The door OF the violet house was shut, and
as it was at a considerable distance from
any other building it was not at all likely
that he could make anybody hear him un-
til Gottlieb, not finding his employer any
where else, should come to that building
TO look for him.
Nathan's anger more than filed the cis-
tern. He was not a swearing man, but if
the dilatory Gottlieb could have heard the
threats of his employer and could have
seen the clenched fist he shook in the air,
he would probably have been afraid to GO
to his assistance. But as he could do
nothing but wait Nathan thought he might
as well wait as comfortably as possible so
he laid hold of the bucket, and, turning il
bottom upwards, sat down upon It, He
drew his coat tails over his knees and as
his feet were protected by his overshoes.
hs.y ..at i..2, .-,- ~
wet.
1t was not cold in the cIstern for the
air was tempered by the greenhouse at
mosphere above, and although it was
very damp, Mr.. Rinkle did not mind
that. lie had passed so many years of
his llie in moist glass houses, going from
their heat out into the cold and darnpness
OF the outer air without any change of
clothing, that his skin had become tough
and hardened and he never thought of
such thing as taking cold. As he sat
thus and considered his mIsfortunes he
was still very angry, but he did not des-
pair. Even if Gottlieb did not make his
appearance until S o'clock it would still he
time enough Tor him 10 start with his
flowers for the show and so he sat and
sat until, as his sleep had been very much
broken the night before. he fell into a
doze. With his hands folded in his lap
and his chin on his breast, he slept as he
had often done during the night watches
IN his greenhouses.
While Mr.. Rinkle slept Mrs. Nicely Lent
was AZ work III her kitchen. She was a
pleasant looking woman of a cheerful
temperament. and vet as she worked she
heaved little sigh. Her breakfast was
over and she was preparing the mince
meat Tor the flrst mince pie OF the season.
and was dong 1t with great care, for Mr.
klnkie was fond OF mince pies and would
gladly welcome this unexpected harbinger
oi the season of good eating.
Moreover IL was Mrs. Lent's birthday.
ana she saw no better way of celebrating
II than IN making something good for Mr..
kink.e. IL was quite certain that no one
would think OF making anything good for
her In no way was Il very joyful ami
verSarY. for Il IS louelier to ce lonely on
one birthday than on any other day.
tven her Little maid Elizabeth was absent
on WISH 10 her parents and Gottlieh.
whose oWn good natuve-eyen If Mr. Rim
kie had not tod him IA do so--should have
prompted hia - come 10 the house 20 see
II he were needed. had not made his ap-
pearaucs.
Il suppose" thought Mrs. Nicely. chat
Mr. klnkle had coed breakfact NJ Mrs.
SAaTp :. Tor she expected him, and IL may
be-Ior she - quite forward enough for
thaI SORT ci thius-;hat she has persuaded
hlm 20 take her 50 the dover show" And
here there came little sigh. But If he's
done tina, he's done Il. she reflected. land
there's no aelp Tor Il. Bun I snail put off
dinner and Won't have il till he comes
home. And tAen he shall have his mincs
pie, nice and he: rs he likes il.
she sas turning over the mince meat
with fork. looking for such pieces Of suet
IS might DC Large enough 10 be picked cut.