The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1893-07-07
HER OPPORTUNITY.

" non MRS. bAbO5 was c0urted by
Mr.. Babbs that estimable young
farmer experienced no difficulty in
encircling hcr supple waist with his
strong right arm. Even SITTER several
years Of married life her sIendef
dgure was tho pride OF her heart and
tho delight Of her eyes. Then, for
no well-ascertained reason, Mrs
Babbs began to grow stout
Not long after this tiournful dis
covery MIR. Babbs was brought into
the house in = dying condition. He
had fallen from load OF hay and i'm
paled himself in picket fence,
though why 1t should not have been
Just easy to fall on the side
iarthest from ths fence Mrs. Babbs
could never enthusiastically aetertnine
Physically Mrs. Babbs bore hcf
afliction bravely. Grief seemed to
agree with her and she thrived
amazingly under its leadcn sway.
but her temper suffered proportion
ately. II enraged her that she could
not dwindle sadly away and droop
disconsolatoly and look sweetly In
teresting. as Mis-. LucrsllR Barnes
had done when her lamcntcd spouse
was terried over tho Acheron. She
swallowed untold measures OF vine.
gar with her soup and beans and
rigidly eschewed potatoes aud but
ter and other, stct generators Of adj
pose matter; but II WIS Of no ayaii.
Week by week she increased in gloB-
ularity and weight. Her mighty
step made the windows rattle again
N their sashes and the circumference
Of her waist, ar at least that part OF
her anatomy cncirole5 w nsron
strings and popularity supposed to be
her waist. was a secret which her
dressmaker alone possessed
Ono day, however, n faint streak OF
silver edged the dark-hanging clouds
Of Mrs Bahbs' despair. A newspaper
paragraph, setting fot'th the wonder:
full cures Of undue corpuloncy. no
matter by what supcrinduccd, ct-
fected BY an extraordinary physician
in an adjacent city. fell under her
credulous eye and hope eternal once
more sprsna up in her oapacious
breast.
She opened correspondence with
the man Of miracles. gently limiting
at her ample girth and the unh.ppi-
ness II caused her. The modern Hip
pocratos was honorcd by Mrs. Babbs'
application. He woald cure her or
refuse all rccompense for his services;
but NJ Mrs. Bebba declined visiting
him, he would bo under the necessity
OF visiting her, and taking hcr meas
ure for divers electro .magnetic
braces, belts and pads, OF which his
course OF treatment con sisted.
A day or two after Mrs. Babbs hal
dispsfAfa' her.. SUMMONS, q middle
kirs an nccktie TO match made his
appearance AZ hos door. Mrs Babbs
was very much pleased with the
eminent dfstor's promptncss and
made eolos4s. haste TO admit him.
'.Mrs Babbs. presume. said the
rcd whlskcrcd stranger
Yes, sir. Walk right In. doctor. v
answered Mrs. Babbs with bulky
smile.
$50 you expected mop' inquired
the doctor. taking n seat In tho par
lor opposite Mrs Babbs and careful.
~ arranging his glowing tie.
"Oh. yes Not quito 81 soon. per-
APPS; but ! thought 1t wouldn't DO
long fore you'd come"
Hum" said the doctor looking
slightly pcrplcxed. yet gazing at
Mr.. Babbs with critics eye. "Only
twenty-five stone or so." hn muir.
INJURED to himself di.appointedly. II
was In hopes she was largor" Then
aloud to Mrs Bsbbs; GLOW old ARE
you. ma'am'h
al dunno as thot- got ennythlns
tor do with tho mi'ter," she rcjoined
with some aspcrity.
"Oh, no oifonsc. m i'am. no offcusc
! only wanted to know In order to
better estimate your chances
al won't be itilli next November. "
she whispered husklly.
..Gooi heavens As old NJ that"
exclaimed the doctor. strangely star.
tied
Mrs rabbs, II is duo to her TO say.
had nn acn,cly dishcaricning sense
Of being little too full blown to
quite deserve this compliment, yot
she did /, openly disclaim II. but ON
the cont ary east hor eyes down In
very fair Imitation Of the coy en-.
barrassmcnt OF tender youth.
This little bi, OF acting was, unfor-
tunate 3. los, upon tho doctor. who
was pnllIng nbsonily ut tho lobo OF
his ear md mntt.ring To himself.
"Too bad ran hi. thought III
she'd been ten years younger now.
there might have been some hope,
Blu, for,y.four' Too old. too old.
Tar,
Then producing leather memo.
.andnm book, he made short entry
In H.
"wiil you obligo me by standing.
Mrs. BabbsF" no asked, sucking the
end Of his pencil and holding his
book open with rather dirty thumb
81 should like TO study your entire
proportion, all Mt once"
Mrs Babbs coughcd confusodiy.
II seemed 10 hcr that the doctor had
n very blunt and disngrccablc way Of
putting things. Nevertheless, with
an effort. she assumed n pcrpondinu-
lar position and stood swaylng upon
her mountainous toes In painful siini.
lnrity 10 a balloon Juggling NJ It's guy
ropes before being SO, adrift
'lium.' said tho doctor with
curious sound Of ipgurgitation. Then.
pccring nj hcr through his half.
closed eyes with critical computations
about fiyo loot four. should ray.
Mrs Babbs"
.Ef you moan my height, tbot.
lost H." replied Mrs, i,nbbs. growing
rod again and gazing with Dispute
tude NJ the memorandum book. In
~ lab tha dantor wua making ma