The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-11-05
The Story of a Bible.
Qsrom Cornhil Magazine. In -Four Parts


PART H.
| whats he bin ADDING of now?' asked
Mrs. Wicks, at once diagnosing the COM
| plant.
Mrs. Flinders unwound a portion Of the
| towel, thus disclosing her left eye, which
appeared, like the local trsdesman, TO have
| adopted the early closing movement, point
| ed to a rapidly rising bump that adorned
| her brow, and sobbed: "Doin' of? Why,
| tryin' TO make a cold corpse Of is welded
wife. which he viii, one % these fine days
| if 1 only live long enough
Dear, dear," exclaimed Mrs. Wicks
sympathetically. land I'm SIGH good us
ban when the drink isn't in i'm
ITS a true word you're speakin'," an
| swered Mrs. Flinders. but for all that it's
| a widower he'll find ITSELF with a rope
round rs neck sooner or later"
Men Emily thought we card somethink
as though you was 'aving little falling
OUT was Mrs. Wicks' delicate way of
putting it.
"FaIln' .-'twasn't failin', twas chuckin'
it at me ne was. an a mercy is aim wasn't
so stiddy as Il might be, or it's in my cof-
fin I'd be at this very minnit stead o
sittin' ere
Mrs Wicks expressed her sense Of the
seriousness Of the situation by clicking her
tongue against the roof of her mouth prior
TO inquiring:
WAS it the poker this time, or what %
That's what's breakhl' my cart, let
alone my cad" responded Mrs Flinders,
rivulets Of grief irrigating the soil OF her
countenance. ITO think O. the trouble /
took, an the way 1 wore myself out, goin'
round the parish gettin' letters o. reck-
ymendation to the suss:ety as supplies
wooden legs an glass eyes an SIGH Ike
post free. COS is old one was done for,
b6in' broken in two places; an proud /
was fust time I walked out with i'm IN
the moo 'un. Little did think as in less'n
a fortnight he'd be f1ingi' the old leg al my
cad an knockin' my brains out as near
as ever was. Sich wife as I've bin TO
I'm an aup'
All" commented Mrs. Wicks, as the
visitor paused to take breath, 'if we only
knowed what we was laying up for our
selves, there's many CT us'd turn back at
the church door and say. Much obliged,
but III change my mind an not my
name
''You may we'll say that" sighed the
other. When L married Flinders he was
in the bricklayin' line, till the side of a
ouse fell on i'm an crushed rs leg Ike it
'ad been made o. wax, ar I thought 1t a
fine thing when they give i'm the PLAINLY
origin an donkey to drore It by way O.
compensation. Though times an times I've
said since, as I'd rather ave i'm as he
were, stead o. with a leg as unstraps an
stands in a corner at night, an gets SHE'D
at you permisc'ous when the drinks in
i'm or things not jest to is lik;n' But
there" drying her tears on a convenient
of he IT,
from yer tea only some'ow felt as must
relieve my mind to somebody, an you bein'
neIghbor let alone 'avin' seen trouble
"Ah. you're right there, Wicks were a
'andful in is time, though 1 wouldn't wish
to be casting it up agen i'm now he's
gone. an it's always been a comfort to me
to know as 1 done my duty by i'm with
three Grape tucks round my skirt, when
many'd a-said two was plenty
We'll, L don't say l wouldn't do as
much for Flinders come to that, but then
we women's that forgivin' Anyow I'll
get i'm bit o. fried fish for a saveloy
for is supper
Mrs. Flinders oozed out of the room, en-
countering Miss Weeks on the threshold.
who gave her cool salutation and eyed
the towel with distinct d,sapproval
why, Emily was her mothers greet
ing, what time you've bin, amt your
We'll, wasn't going 10 be put off with
ard roes, not # L picked over the whole
stock But I've got two beauties
Half an hour later nothing remained but
the skeletons of the feast.
I'm thinking said Mrs Wicks, as she
set down her empty saucer, '-as I'll jest
go up to Mrs. NUGGETS an arst 'er for the
loan of 'er big Bible. The distr:ck visitorh
be round to-n1orrer, and she was accom-
planning last time as the print in ourn was
too small, being near-sighted, and she do
read so beautiful it's treat as don't like
10 miss, an Mrs. NUGGETS an mes the
best o. friends, an she'll be only too
pleased to lend it,
i've noting to say against Mrs. Mid
GETS" answered her daughter; She's one
as keeps 'erself to 'erseif, and 'er place Ike
a new pin. I'll wash up she added, gra-
c:Ously, ''and il you've mind to stop and
ave a chat, you can"
Having put herself into visiting trim by
the simple means of turning down her
sleeves, and twisting her apron round her
waist, Mrs. Wicks set out. She had only
to turn to the right along a dark stone
passage. ascend a fight OF stairs, turn to
the left, down another passage, and knock
at a door at the very enG-a drab colored
door. which lorded itself over its neighbors
on the strength of a little iron knocker
and a slit for letters; which last innova-
ton somewhat stank in the nostrils of the
other inhabitants OF Barker's Buildings,
who were content 20 have their rnissives
poked under the door. The knocker, as
tending to lessen the wear and tear of
knuckles, was regarded with comparative
favor.
Mrs. Wicks' progress, however, was not
so rapid as il reads, IN consequence Of her
having to pass the time of day and re-
spond to the various salutations OF those
she encountered en- route Moreover at
one point the way was blocked by Mrs.
Prigg,ns. the prina virago asseluta OF the
Buildings. who happened to be in partic-
ularly good form.
'LiZabeth Ham, IL appeared, had been
guilty of calling names after neigh
boris child. and had thereupon been threat
ened with bodily cnasttsemert by an indig-
nant parent. THIS reached Mrs. Priggins'
ears, who, accustomed as she was to beat
her offspring black and blue, and any
number of intermediate tints, herself. nat
uraliy resented any encroachment on her
maternal rprerogative. She. accordingly.
took advantage OF an accidental meeting
on the stairs TO make a plain statement
OF what would be her plan OF campaign---
with respect TO sundry eyes and limbs
if any outsider so much as laid the weight
OF her little finger on the said 'Lzabeth
Ham.
So Il was with sigh OF relief. ana q
sense OF having reached a haven Of refuge,
that Mrs. wicks found herself confronting
the drab door with the Iitle iron knocker.
4 mild application OF this last was produc-
tive Of an invitation 20 come in"
'Lor. Mrs. Wichs. that you9 Why. you
are a stranger. an what a day is hin %