Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-01-19

known authority caught his atten ton
'Timidity and fright" said the great
AUTHORITY, lin the handling of the
plague was doubly to be deprecated,
for the reason that it not only predis-
posed people to the contraction of the
disease, but also because it blinded JUS
tice and assisted crime; briefly, the
effects and symptoms of certain min
eral poisOns were exactly similar to
those of the first stages of the cholera
disease, and therefore such poisons
feloniously administered would pro-
duce-as many times he believed they
had-a death that was really a muir
der. but that passed unnoticed and
unsupported. 1t was well to be warn
ed"
Jacques Fleurnois read the passage
again carefully. laid the paper aside
and two hours later announced to his
wife rhat he had made up his mind.
I'm ashamed of myself" said he;
Il ought to have gone before; I'm a
Marseillais: and I'm going now, at
once, to volunteer my services for
duty in my native town; the cholera
lis hourly increasing there, and the
government has issued an appeal for
all the skilled attendance that Paris
can spare. You, of course. will re-
main here
Remain here, Jacques-I?' exclaim-
ed Madame Fleurnois, surprised. Ger
tainly not; shall go with you. Some
one must look after your food and the
proper condition of your home to keep
you i'll health for your work. I'm a
doctors wife. and doctors wife's
place is at her husbands side 1 go,
and that settles it,"
Dr. Fleurnois had calculated upon
this decision, and laid his plans ac-
cordingly.
His wife, he said, was right;
cleanliness and good nourishment were
two-thirds the battle, in his opinion,
and she certainly would be of great
assistance to him. if she was not
afraid etc
Two days later the thing was done,
and they were installed in a comfort
abb" little apartment in the healthieSt
and airiest part of the town. with a
stout, strong EARNED bonnie to wait upon
them. Madame F1eurnois busted her
self not only in attending to her hus-
bands wants and seeing him always
supplied with fresh. strong coffee of
mornings and appetizing little dinners
Of evenings, when he returned from his
labor. but she also did many kind
ness for the i'll and diving
Neither husband or wife seemed to
fear the infection and so for nearly a
fortnight their stay in the dirty and
pest ridden city passed without a
break or special incident in their busy
lives. Then the epidemic began to
abate. the cases grew fewer, the deaths
NOR infrequent, and Madame Fleurnois
began to talk of the return to Paris.
For two days now everything had
been bright and cheerful. The sultry
heat of September had fled before a
rapidly freshening sea- breeze. that
seemed to sweep from its path all i'll
ness and death. and this morning Ma
dame FleurnoiS had gone to Came
blere market to lay in a stock of flow
erS. She stayed so long that the doc
tor. apparently impatient for break
fast. at last touched the bell, and told
the bonnie to bring in the coffee he
would wait no longer. He really had
seen from the window his wife return
ing, though he did not say so, as he
hurried Toinette with the plates and
coffee pot, and when she had gone
again to the kitchen for hot milk
to fill up the cups he hastily dropped
the contents Of Il little paper that he
took from his pocket into the sugar
already placed in the cup Of his wife.
He had scarcely resumed his seat
and his paper when she entered the
room. her hands full Of flowers and her
face full of concern that she had kept
her husband waiting SO long.
Il am truly half starved" she cried,
land you were right, Jacques, not to
wait for me longer. There's a man,
ing for you now down stairs at the
door,
And the doctor. anxious as he was
to see his wife drink the coffee, was
obliged to rise and go and see what
the messenger wanted, while Nine.
F1eurnoiS threw off her bonnet, laid
her flowers and took her seat at the
table.
AS she did so she glanced with the
instinct Of Il houSekeeper at her hus-
bands cup; something black was float
ing on the liquid a fly or insect of
somekind, shaken probably from her
roses, and helplessly bobbing about in
the steaming fluid. She took up a
spoon and lifted it out, but spilled
the coffee into the saucer as she did it
in Il way that still more offended her
fastidious eye.
Really it was too bad! What a
mess she has made of it! And no time,
with Jacques so hurried, to have him
a fresh cup drawn. All! she had it!
She didn't mind for once a splash or
two, while jacques was always so par
ticular"
The exchange was made, the coffee
drunk and Nine. Fleurnois all ready
to help her husband to a fresh piece
of omelette when he returned to the
table. as he did in a moment, to swal-
low his coffee at a gulp, and hastily
excuse himself
Fresh cases had broken out in the
suburbs. and he must go at once. He
wouldn't return for lunch, but she
could look for him at dinner.
And the doctor, with a strange, wild
glance at the wife's empty cup, turned
and was gone.