Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-08-13
|Before We're Married.;
BY HENRY c. PARKER. "
By HENRY c. PARKER.

low the table level.
Perhaps that gentleman's hand
were behaving as they would at any
. other table, but to the doctor the!
seemed always to be reaching for some
thing out Of sight 1t was just as i
ne believed that the professor had OPP
Grated an electrical contriVance from
his chair, and he was now trying tt
discover the mechanism.
IF that's what he's after" thought
DR.. Williams, with bitter satisfaction
his search Will be frultlcss
Louise seemed to somewhat clatcd al
the absence Of her father. She chat
tered gayly about what they would dc
while Mrs Williams was acting -
guest and chaperonc and expressed a
hope that the hausekecpcr might be
long in coming. Amelia gave a quiet,
perfunctory assent to all her cousins
suggestions when called on to do, and
Mr. PhilbriCk made nervous, absurd
suggestions relative to terrifying the
house during Professor Drummond' S
absence Louise found his remarks
immensely amusing, and now and
again she rctOrtcd with sallies that
were saucy rather than witty. Mr..
IhiIbrick received her shots with be
coming grac0usncss, his eyes testify
ing more eloquently than his words did
to his admiration for his hostess.
DR. Williams tried vainly to shake
off the lugubrous discomfort that had
a 4 aha
lul He really Frightened when
Louise rallied him Il bit about being
deprived Of home comforts and with
m0ckinB tenderness assured him that
he must make l'arvicW his home dur
Ing the time that his mother would be
installed there. 1t was mockery, but
sweet at that, and the doctor felt that
he would give half his rife to be able
t. cali from her some similar expires
gions IN earnest.
II shall take every advantage pos
sible OF your hospitality, Miss Drum
m0nd," he said 81 would take you at
your word literally, il it were not for
my professional duties,
Mr. Phibrick hcavcd a prodIgious
sigh,
professional duties do interfere
with mans highest pleasures, and no
mistake" he remarked, solcmnly II
tried to induce the doctor to take II
days sport with me, and he declined
even that on the score of patients.
1T Is a fact replied the doctor,
with freezing dignity, that my voca-
ton prevents me from throwing away
time in idle sport"
Lucky man. exclaimed Mr.. Phil
brick, "but for the life of me | can see
how there can be illness enough in this
glorious nciEhborhoOd to keep even one
physician busy and believe there are
two, aren't there. doCtor?"
DR. Meadows has retired from active
practice said the doctor, with his
eyes upon his plate.
think of that" cried Mr. Philbrick,
lapping on the table with his knife,
M If to call particular attention to his
remarks. belmont has actually fur
nished occupation enough for physi-
elan to enable him to retire from bust
ceivcd the mantle OF Meadows observe
that fine ALTERATION, ladies', Meadows
Mantlc!' and think of II rs resting up
On the worthy shoulders of DR. Will
liams. | congratulate YOU, doctor, and
TO continue the ALTERATION, permit me
to hope that II may mean many mil
lions to YOU, There! That's what |
call triumph"
Had these jibs been uttcrd in any
other presence than that of Louise and
Amelia the doctor would have disrc-
garded them. They would have made
him smart to be sure, for he was over
sensitive rs to his dignity ms Il profess
sional man, but he would have swal.
lowed them Ms one OF the unavoidable
Ills of life. Here they were nothing
short of rank insults, and his anger
ragged hot within him. OF course he
appeared to ignore them now, but his
pale face and downcast eyes revealed
the resentment that he rcprcssed
Amelia regarded him anXiously, and
when Louise laughed merrily, and was
for continuing the VISITORS jocose con-
Eratulntions In her own way her cousin
suddenly gave u little cry OF pain, and
wrapped her napkin around her finger
whats ,hc mAtt"r%" cried all three
at once.
Nothing worth mentioning" she re-
piled, with shamfaced smile; Il was
toying with n toothpick and silver
went under my finger nail"
Let ME see, said the doctor, going
to her
II was MS she had said. \ tiny piece
of wood lay under her nail. discoloring
Il, and the doctor had some difficulty
in extracting 1t. lie noted her al
mirahle nerve ms he worked for a
silver in such n place is far from easy
to bear, as we all know. but he had
no suspicion that Amelia had inflicted
the wound purposely, to break the cur
rent of the conversation.
The rusc was entirely effective. and
as luncheon was over all left the table
With all his bonhomto and assurance
not oven MIR philhriCK could iuNpnt \