Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-05-23
4 WOMAN'S WILL.

Its no use trying" said Picnic,
4'mother hates me, and everything | do
is wrong
Your mother can't help it, Picnic, .
said DR.. Jasper. He was the new medi-
cal man in huge favor with Mrs. Alba
tross, Phemies mother. Your mother is
highly strung-quite a woman of genius
and allowances must be made for her
temperament, my dear young lady. lem
permanent rules everything"
Indeed, Mrs. Albatross' temperament
seemed to rule DR.. Jasper the parson,
the squire, the parish, but it did not rule
Picnic.
Look there said the girl-she was
just past 2O-"yOu and mother are al
ways croaking about me, l know, but
you do nothing to help me. At least |
think you would, but you're afraid
Your mother used to take an interest
IN you, but you did not meet her half
way. Is not that SOP
No, it isn't. When I was 16 she had
4 fad of dressing me up in last-century
costume and making a doll of me-nOt
my style at ADJUST to show off her own
cleyerness and queerness at my expense.
She said l was ugly and only dressing
could make me fit to be SEEN"
al
rising young medico of So as he looked
gravely and judiciously at the pretty,
much-tried girl. who only half believed
in his good will.
Well said Phemie, everyone
laughed, and l showed mother l would
not stand it.
''Then she packed me off to school.
The mistress said I was sort of dazed for
q time, as if | had been ill-treated-
| had-and quite neglected, but they were
kind to me there, and [ was very happy
for more than a year except i'll the holt
days, which were always odious. Then
you came along" And Picnic paused
and stole a doubtful glance at the doc
tor.
What them said the doctor. like a
person coldly inquiring for ordinary in
formation, yet with a certain little twin
kle in his eyes which did not escape the
aggrieved Picnic.
Then said the girl, II thought you
We're my friend at first, but ! don't now.
At least -
At this moment Mrs Albatross entered
and turning sharply Oh Picnic, said with
i snap:
I suppose you haven't fed the fowls or
sorted the linen or done anything but
idle away your time, as usual|
L was called when DR.. Jasper came,
I'm sick Of your excuses. DR.. JAS
per does not wish to see you.
Then, in quite an altered tone, as Phe-
ME shrunk away out Of the room: DO
you mind coming up to my sitting room
| want to have talk with you about
those changes at the infrmary. l am
sure that you will agree with me, and
you will be most useful. We can't al
low things to go on ct cetera.
DR.. Jasper always did agree with Mrs.
Albatross, but somehow he nodded her,
and she usually came around to his opin-
ion. He listened and she talked. He
could wait, and when he had taken her
bearings-without ever interrupting or
contradicting-she listened and he talked,
and not then, but next time, she echoed
his opinions and fancied they were all
her own.
1T is such a comfort to find sensible
man to talk to in stupid place like
this said she, laying her arm contding
ly upon the doctors as he sat smiling and
agreeing with her.
Mrs. Albatross had worried one hus
band into the grave-she was too clever
for him-but her intellectual vivacity, i'm
agination and enterprise made her an in
teresting companion. She was only a
little past 40, and very well preserved
and she meant to marry DR.. Jasper.
Whether it was hypnotism or will
power the doctor came again AID again
and would not send in his bill and the
doctors bill never was paid. He paid
himself.
Don't speak to me- said Picnic hur,
riedly, as she met the doctor coming
down stairs after long confab with her
mother. Mothers about. She's out all
tomorrow afternoon. I've got to paint
the DOORS" And Jasper passed out with a
sympathetic smile. He knew he would
call and advise her about painting the
doors. He did call.
Wv hat q deal you know about mixing
paints and things I'm sure | want good
advice q great deal more than mother
does. But then, I'm not clever like
mother" added Picnic, with little ag-
grieved pout. $50 it's not worth while
talking to me"
L do feel for you said the DOCTOR
with an unusual warmth Of manner. Il
have done all [ could to get your mother
to be fair to you, Phemie''--he had never
called her Phemie before, and she felt
her color rise. Whats the matter?' he
added hastily, for suddenly Phemie's eyes
filled with tears, and she just went oft
then and there and left the paint pots
and things, without saying another word
DR.. Jasper's visits became more fire.
quent. Mrs. Albat roSs was constantly
seen about the village with him. They
met in cottages. She was devoted so she
said, to nursing the sick. 1t was GER
tainly a new development. She was new
er seen with her daughter, nor was JAS
per, but he saw her daughter oftener
than she knew. Still it seemed less and
less possible tie do without Mrs. Alba
tross. Her ability, her cooked foods, and
port wine in cases." her influence with
the squire, who disliked and obeyed her;
with the parson, whose good will was i'm
portant to the doctor, and who was
afraid of Mrs. Albatross, for she brow
beat him in the chair at parish meetings,
picked holes in his sermons and organ
lied the penny readings-which he dis
liked, under his very nose-all this and a
great deal more-for Mrs. Albatross was
a woman and not above feminine arts
put Jasper in rather a tight place.
He knew that Mrs Albatross wanted