Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-09-28

| edly and prayed Tor her; old friend!
flocked to the house and filled it from
the porch to the sickroom-or, rather
the dying-room, as 1t was now called
The leading druggist -poohed
the story. He had theory. He inn.
agined he could see somebody expert
menting with chemicals. But If the
| experimenter was wise he'd ''sing low
| But he ought to write a letter confess
| ing how the trick was done-it was
nothing but chemical trick of some
| sort
Meanwhile Miss Saline Jones was
surely but certainly failing. She could
| not live week, in the doctors opin-
ion, If she fell away at the rate he had
reckoned. However, he would adhere
to his original plan. He would give
her enough to insure sleep for four or
five hours. Meanwhile he would cover.
haul his log" He had served before
the mast when in his teens. The sailor
lingo still found utterance when he
was puzzled.
His thoughts turned toward the
IL
nobody had visited the melon patch, a
circumstance that did not surprise a
man who argued that not one man or
woman in ten could see two inches be-
yond their noses.
On his way out to his buggy he
asked for Tommy. Tommy had been
taken in by a friendly neighbor. The
doctor sat upright in his buggy when
Tommy made his appearance.
He was very much alarmed when
the doctor asked him to take little
rice with him-as far as the end Of
the lane.
Can you show me near where you
got the melons for your aunt, Tom
my?' the doctor asked in a kindly
voice. Tommy thought he could.
I'll drive around the old back lot"
said the doctor.
A heavy growth OF locust screened
the old back lot from Miss Jones
house. The doctor lifted Tommy out
of his buggy and entered the old melon
patch. He remained in it ten minutes
or more.
Had anybody passed that way he
would have heard a gurgle like that
made by water dropping into a brook.
1t was the doctor. His broad chest
rose and fell, his head shook con-
vulsively, his eyes were cast upward
very much to Tommy's alarm. Then
he wiped his eyes (Tommy said after
ward, The doctor c'ied") and, placing
Tommy carefully outside the dilapi-
dated fence, drove rapidly away.
He returned later in the day, and,
summoning the neighbors who had
seen the last warnings, closeted him
self with them in a room. There he
displayed to their wondering eyes fac
SMILES of the picture they saw on the
melons. The pictures the doctor ex-
hibited were made on putty, curved
to resemble the surface Of a good
sized watermelon.
Now" said the doctor in his brisk
est tone, Il want you all to come to the
'dying-room' with me-"
The whish Of skirts that Miss Jones
said she was sure was the wings OF
the angels who would carry her to
heaven proved to be the retinue that
attended the doctor, fully resolved to
carry out his somewhat vague instruc-
tons.
The pale face Of the spinster flushed
slightly as the room filled with her
friends.
Miss JONES'" began the doctor in
hearty voice, I've brought these ladies
here for purpose l am sure they will
like. am going to order them to make
as much chicken soup, wafIles, gravy
and mashed potatoes as they can pre-
pare in an hours time. They are your
guests-my guests also. I'll help foot
the bill If it's permitted-in short,
nothing would give me more pleasure
When they have everything prepared
I want you to get up and set them a
good example by eating just as much
as you can. You need it. 1t won't hurt
you a bit. I'd advise you to give your
shroud to the poor board-you won't
have any more use for it than have
for fifth wheel to my buggy"
Miss Jones craned her head-she was
not sure she was not dreaming. But
there were nearly a score of familiar
faces. She sat up and gazed at the
DOCTOR The doctor laid down a parcel
where she could see it. Opening it, he
lifted out three fiat pieces of stone,
saying:
Il have brought you these stones to
show you where your three warnings
came from. l found them in the old
melon patch where they have been ly-
ing ever since Jabez Strong smashed
his wagon and broke the headstone
designed for his third wife into smith
Greens. He tossed them over the fence.
There are enough left, l should judge
to make dozen more warnings. Pro-
vided the melon lying on them is big
enough to gather weight"
The doctor never finished his re-
marks.
OF all the women present no two can
be found who will agree as to the pre-
else words Miss Jones used. She lifted
one stone, smiled, sat up, demanded
| ner CloIneS ihiheuidteiy, SoL up, Sc
lected two of her visitors to assist her
drove the others out of the room amid
peals of laughter, and speedily repaired
to her kitchen.
All the women agree upon one thing
that she got up one of the best din
ners they ever ate, and one and al
aver that she violated all rules by tn,
way she ate when she had served he
visitors.