The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-27

( nlI1l.
They talked there a good half hour,
and when Uncle Jerr- came out he
| looked as if he'd been drawed through
a 'nothole He looked like a man who
! had been made to "renounce the world,
the flesh and the DEVIL and all his
Stinginess to once, Miss HOPKINS said,
! laughing in her sleeve
Afterward Doctor Cross gave her a
! full account Of that ere interview
and it was interestin', and, as it turned
! out, satisfactory to all concerned.
1t seems the doctor took him awful
sollum and in dead earnest, and says
he, to begin with:
Uncle Jerry, do you set high vally
en- your wife's life?"
High vally on my wife's life?" says
Uncle Jerr=', red in the face. 'Of
| course 1 dew. What -ou talkin'
about?"
'She has been a devoted and lovin'
Dardner." goes on the doctor, calm's
a clock; "she has been kind and equi-
nomical, nussed you in sickness, n
shared gour labors in health, hain't
she?"
Yes. yes, of course. What in natur'
be YOU drivin' at?" says Uncle Jerry,
gettin excited.
The doctor onl-7 waved his hand to
| enjine silence. and went on, kinder
dreamy now, as if talkin' to himself:
I was here when you fetched her
home a bride. l remember how hand
some she was; plump as a a'tridge.
fresh as a flower, and as laughin' and
clipper girl as 1 bout ever see.
Changed, terribly changed, amt she?''
turnin' TO Uncle Jerry and feelin' in
his pocket for his han kerchief to wipe
away the tears. 1T does beat all how
she's changed says he.
Changed says Uncle Jerry, all of
fiuster. of course she's. changed!
Why, we've been married goin' on %
year; you can't expect a woman to
stay Is all her life
That's so,' lowed the doctor,
'pearin to reflect. But she's alwers
been pretty well, hain't she? Been able
to work most o the time?'
''Never sick a day in her life before
except when Ellen was born.' answers
Uncle Jerry. proudly. she's a healthy
woman, I call her.
HIM, yes. Has an excellent consti-
tuition, no doubt" says the doctor,
noddin' his head approvin'. Then he
seemed for a minute to have got lost
in thought.
q know he said at last, that far
mers' wives grow old pretty fast Is a
gineral thing-break down young,
don't they? But. Uncle Jerry" squar-
in round on him suddenly and lookin'
him in the eye, Il want to ask you to
compare your wife's looks with the
looks of other women of her age in
town, no handsomer, no healthier than
what she was when you married her,
and tell me if you think there's diff
ference
Then he mentioned dozen or so,
jest as it happened, most of 'em slick.
fat, comfortable, happy-lookin' wom-
en-, and, saws he:
Now, they're different from your
wife; and why? I ask you fair and
candid, why shouldn't she look as hap
by, be as happy and make as good a
'pearance every way as them women?
And why is it that she has took to
her bed in the prime o life and don't
wanter live no longer? For 1 find
that's about the way it is with her"
He stopped. and Uncle Jerry set
there, pale as a statu'. He didn't an
swer back a word, jest set there, with
his head dropped down on his chist, as
if he was stunned or somethin', and
the doctor went out and left him
alone.
When DR.. Cross went back to Aunt
Betsey he prescribed for her-not much
medicine, but plenty of good nussin'
and good feedin'-wine and beef tea
and chicken broth, to begin with; and
he left it to Mis- Hopkins to see that
she had 'em. Then at last he leans
over Aunt Betsey and says, real cheer
full:
Now. you must brace right UP,
Aunt Betsey, and try to get we'll. Your
husband can't get along without you,
noways, and I guess he'll make things
as easy and pleasant as he can for
you if you'll only get WE'LL
She hadn't no idea what he really
meant; so she only smiled, kinder sad,
but her great eyes spoke volumes. She
didn't wanter live-not yet-and the
doctor knew it.
When Uncle Jerry came back he
went up to the bed and set down beside
his wife and looked at her. She was
asleep, and Mis- Hopkins thought he
must "a realized how pitiful she
looked, for she seen him draw his
hands acrost his eyes two or three
times on the sly.
Bimeby he got and went out to Mis-
Ho0ldns, and, SAYS he:
What was the doctors orders?
What can 1 do to help ye?"
He ordered nourishin' food. and
wine, and so on, she says, and guess
the fust thing you may kill a chicken,
if you're minter, and git it ready =
the broth; then go over to Jim jack
sons and buy a quart or so of that
Oldest grape wine O. his'n. She'll be
it, I guess"
Uncle Jerry didn't so much as wink
at mention of the chicken, but when
she spoke o. the wine so offhand and
the matter O. course he draWed in his
breath once or twice kinder spas
modicky, but he never opened his head.
He killed the chicken and got it
ready fer the pot, as spry and handy
as a woman, then took a gallon jug
and started off to Jim Jacksons after
the wine.
When the broth vas ready Uncle
Jerry asked if he might take it in; so
Mis- Hopkins filed one Of the chiny
bowls that was Aunt Betsey's mars,
and set it in plate with a cracker or
two, and he took 'em along.
The broth was kinder strong, and
when Aunt Betsey tasted ont she
looked at her husband real kinder
scairt, and, says she:
Where did this ere come from?'
And he laughed and says: It's
made out o. one of our best Plymouth
Rocks. Is it good?'
A wonderin, quiverin' smile lowered
for a minute on to her poor face; she
didn't know what TO make ont But
when he logged in the jug o. wine and
poured out a hull half tumbler full and
handed il to her. her eyes fairly stuck
out of her head with establishment.
Drink it; it'll do you good says he. |
It's Jim Jackson's oldest grape wine
you've heard tell on"
''Why-why, husband" she whisper |
ed, didn't it cost an awful sight O.
only IS a gallon" he answered. try
in TO smile but loOkin' rather CHASTITY |