Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1898-03-19

HEN Meyer CdHit " l me
w vile he gave his name rs
Y Wilhelm Windmeyer. and it
was promptly changed by the citizens
to Bill Meyer
lie came direct from the fatherland
to make pinevillc his home. He thought
1t WAS his duty. too, TO tell everybody he
had left Il sweetheart behind, and that
1t WAS for her sake that he was work
ing to make Il home. Her name was
Lenken. SHE was very beautiful, he
said. and 50 good that 1t seemed almost
miracle she had lived TO the age of 20.
1t was this loyalty to the girl he had
promised to marry. and who was so far
away. that made Meyer faVorite with
everybody in I'incNille.
But Never WAS slow, easy going fel.
low. and the one thought about Lenken
seemed 10 occupy every Granny of his
thinking apparatus, to the exclusion OF
every other thought. He was very
small man, and that, and the wooden
leg he wore, he said, had saved him
from doing duty as a soldier.
Meyer found employment with Judge
Peterkn. The wages We're low. but
it was Il steady job. and that was what
Meyer most desired.
During his first year in pineville
Never gained little sum of money,
and lost four fingers and part of his
nose. lie was trying to whistle Die
Wacht ann Rhine down the barrel of
L 3 n
accidentally and carried away part of
his nasal organ. The fingers were cut
off with small circular saw used for
cutting tirewood.
Two fingers on one hand were cut off
first. When the wounded hand had
been tied up, Judge Peterkin, his daugh-
ter Molly, and Aunt Phyllis the cook,
followed Meyer out TO the woodShed to
be shown how the accident had occur
red
1T must have been piece of pure
carelcssness on your part said the
Judge. looking very severe. Now
show me how it was done
Il vas singing Over die garten vail, B"
saIu Never. Den | pick mp Il Shtick OF
wood like dis" picking one up with his
unwumded hand. ''Und den hold it
like dis. und den de Shtick ship like
dis. und den my fingers vas cut off like
dis" And that was how Meyer came
to lose The second two fingers.
The second year Meyer laid up an
other small sum of money. and was di-
vested OF part of an ear, two toes and
Il good deal of his hair. The ear and
toes were lost accidentally. and the
hair incidentally. from natural causes.
why, Meyer. Lcnken won't know
YOU when she sees you again. you are
such II wreck" said Molly to him one
day.
Well. maybe So. he sighed. But in
q moment the confidence in his sweet
hearts Steadfastness returned. "Oh,
She vas so goot, Miss Molly. und so
beautiful" he said. dat it makes no
difference to her how | look. She vas
true All de time"
Then Molly thought she would see II
Never would not pay her Il compliment.
'IIow does Lenkcn look, Meyer? Does
she look something like me- she asked
Like YOU" he exclaimed. "Lenken
don't look like nobody. Miss W1ggln
look like you, maybe, but Ienken vas
different
Miss Wiggin was Molly's rival beauty
In Pineyille, and the reference to her
made the latter flush very red in the
face Meyer laughed merrily.
You don't look pooty ven you look
like dat. Miss Molly" he said.
Tnen there came changes, and Meyer
did not profit amy by them. Judge
petcrkin died, Miss Molly married, and
Never had to look out for himself as
best he could. True. Molly still inter
estcd herself in him rs much as posi-
bic. but she had new cares ana new
duties now that claimed her attention
most of the time.
But Meyer was always hopeful. anu
I'm good humor. His every thought, act
and deed was to accomplish something
TO bring the day nearer when he could
write to Lenken and tell her that ne hao
made home for her. 1t was all lor
Lenken.
How long since you heard from Len
ken?" Molly asked him one day.
Meyer thought awhile.