Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-03-20
ny w1nn1HM T. NICHOLS.

fortune being kind, an old negress
was installed as nominal nurse and
actual housekceper. She had been
born slave, according to village talk,
but had secured her freedom and mi
grated north. She was an excellent
cook, but SO surly and Grabbed was her
sposition-moreover, she was very
deaf-that at last nobody would en-
ploy her. A recital of her disabilities
sent me post-haste after her; for, if
she was as unsociable as she was repre-
sented to be, she was the woman i'll IL
thousand for US. When she took charge
of the kitchen we were relieved of one
point at least; there would be no gos-
siping at that end of the house.
Meanwhile, had contracted for food
and lodging at one of the farmhouses,
and had put out my shingle in due
form-much to the satisfaction of my
hostess, who confessed that it pleased
her to have evidences given that there
was "a grown man bout the place" She
was Mrs. Elvira Weston, a widow, and
the mother of two boys, neither Of
whom was yet old enough to relieve
her of the cares of the farm. She
was a CHEEKY soul, who had endured
many misfortunes without losing cour
age, and / was glad to secure quarters
under her roof. She allotted to me
wing of the house, which, having III
entrance of Its own, would serve adj
mirably as an Office. Isoon had my den
fitted up in a way to excite considerable
local admiration. A few books, couple
of anatomical charts and some walls OF
drugs were disposed to the best adj
vantage to impress patients with the
mysteries of the healing art.
In its beginning my practice in Rod
neytown was much like an early spring
in New England-more promise than
realization. A daily visit to Lamar was
the basing-point of my routine. AS a
rule, it was very brief, though OCCASION
ally he let me understand that my post
was no sinecure. Now and then he sent
me on trips to Trent, a thriving hive
| Of manufactures about 80 miles from
/ the village. On the first of these jour
neys one of my duties was to mail n
| letter to q New York banking house;
on the next was informed that large
sum was on deposit to my credit witt,
the principal bank of the place. Thus,
while my patron kept some control over
the purse-strings, l was the acting pay
master. From first to last there could
be no charge of niggardliness made
| against him; he looked over my ac-
counts now and then, but never ques-
toned their accuracy.
AS he finished his superficial auditing
on one of these occasions, he looked
up and asked, rather abruptly:
1.-THE old fisherman who lives yon.
der-what do you know of him?"
Not much," said I, except that hi.
name is johnson, that he has been il
the navy, and that he has the best OF
regulations for honesty"
mo more"
well, he and his two brothers who
live with him are an unsociable lot,
who keepmuch to themselves. There's
no woman with them; they're then
own housekeepers."
81 may buy of their fish. Bid the
eldest to come here tonight. You
need not be present" said he. With his
usual ceremonious bow at parting, he
turned on his heel and stalked upstairs
TO his sanctum.
The order was surprising, in view Of
his desire to avoid his neighbors; but
though it puzzled me, l sought on;
johnson and delivered the message
That night in my coy office tried in
vain to discover reason for the inter
view then going On in the honse on tho
knoll. The old fish explanation was
fishy indeed, old Martha, the cook. be
ing quite able, in spite of her deafness
to bargain for any supplies for her dc
partment. TWAS improbable thatIa
mar had any notion of setting johnson
tc spy upon my doings, for he has
used me rs means OF communicating.
with the man, n course he would no
have adopted had he entertained an;
suspicious of my faithfulness. 1t nigh
be that he desired to arrange for the us,
of sloop owned by the brothers, Will
an eye to the possibility of opening
way of retreat by sea in case his pres
ent stronghold became untenable
Yes, that seemed to be he most reason
able explanation, although, so far as
knew, Lamar was not in the slightes
danger of discovery by his enemies
Such precaution at that time up
peared to be about as necessary as
shipment of antidotes for frost-bte t,
the Hottentots.
Sleeping over the matter gave me III
Il 1srr1,{ 7 Al
for my pains for many a day there
after; but at last chance, the much ex
planning, furnished the clew.
/ had tarried at the house on th
knoll unusually late that afternoon
and the sun was setting as began M
walk homeward 1t had been a clear
pleasant day. with q good deal o
warmth in the sunshine, althoug1
autumn was now far advanced; but a
the evening came on the air grew chill
and the brisk otf-shore breeze took o
a touch of the approaching winter
With turned-up coat-collar and hand
buried in my pockets, l stepped GU
briskly on the tramp homeward. rattle
rcconciled at the moment to the sler
derness of q practice which guarantee
me an undisturbed evening. With boo
and pipe and an easy-chair, and
!. bright fire, several hours could b
: passed very delightfully."-, with the sti1
breeze whistling through the tree-top
| and signaling warnings to good fol
, within doors to keep snugly under COY
i er. Just at this point in my reflection
, there came fierce gust which almos