The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-04-08
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ALL FOR LENKEN.

and it was promptly changed by the
citizeus to Bill Meyer.
He came direct frCm the therland
| to make PinevIIe bis home. lie
! thought it Was his duty, ZOO, to tell
every body he had left a sweetheart
| behind, and that it w&s for her sake
| that he was working to make q home.
Her name was Lenkeu. She was very
| beautiful, he said, and so good that is
| seemed almost miracle she had lived
to the age of 20.
Ii was this loyalty to the girl be
| had promised TO marry and who was
so far away that made Meyer favorite
with every body IN PineEiile.
| But Meyer was a slow, easy going
fellow, and the one thought about
Leuken seemed 70 occupy every
Granny of his thinking apparatus 10
| 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 Peterkiu. The wages were low
but il was a steady job, and that was
| what Meyer most desired.
During his first year in Pinevilie
| Meyer gained little sum OF money
and lost four fingers and part of his
nose. He was trying to whistle Die
| Wacht am Rhine down the barrel of
al old musiet when the gun went off
accidentally and carried away part of
his nasal organ. The fingers were
| cut off with small circular saw used
for cutting fire wood.
Two fingers on one hand were cut
| eff first. When the wounded hand
had been tied up, Judge Peterkin, his
daughter Mcllie and Aunt Phyllis, the
cook, followed Meyer out to the wood
shed to be shown how the accident
occurred.
1T must have been piece of pure
careiessuess on your part, said the
| judge, locking very severe. Now
show Inc how it was done
Il vas singing Over Die Garten
Vail, " said Meyer. Den pick up
a stick of wood like dis',-picking enc
up with his unwouuded hand-"und
den l hold it like dis, und den de
shtick ship like dis, und den my fling
ers 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 mouey and was di-
vested Of part Of an ear, TWO toes and
d good deal Of his hair. The ear and
toes were lost accidentally and the
hair Incidentally from natural causes
why, Meyer, Lenken wont know
you when she sees you again, you are
such a wreck" said Molly TO him one
day.
We'll, maybe So he sighed, but in
a moment the confidence in his sweet
hearts steadfastness returned. "Oh,
she vas SO goCt, Bliss Molly, und SO
| BOOtiful," he said, dat it makes no
difference to her how look. She vas
true all de time"
Then Molle thought she would see
if Never would pay her compliment.
How does Lenken look, Meyer"
does she look something like me?"she
asked.
Like your he exclaimed. Lien
ken don't look like nobody. Miss
Wiggin look like you maybe, but Len
ken vas different"
Miss Wiggin was Molly rival beau
tv in Pineviile, and The reference to
her made the latter flush very red in
the face. Meyer laughed merrily.
You don't look poorly ven you look
like dat, Miss Molly" he said.
Then there came changes, and
Meyer, did not profit any by them.
Judge PeteThin died, Bliss Moilie mar
rieG, and Meyer had to look cut for
himself as best lie could. True, Molly
still interested herself in him RS much
as possible, but she had new cares and
new duties now that claimed her at
tentiou most Of the time.
But Meyer was always hopeful and
in 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 he
had made home for her. 1t was all
for Lenken.
How long since you heard from
Lenken?n Molly asked him ole day.
Meyer thought awhile.
"a little over two years ago. he re-
piled.
And when did you write to herr"
ooh, dat vas tree years ago"
Meyer, you ought to be ashamed
of YOURSELF cried Molly. You must
sit down here right now and write
Lenken a long letter and tell her that
you are still alive. Why don't you
| know that she is ;rrigViu,r all the time