Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1900-11-01

he had to perform with single hand,
his temper got quite beyond his man
agement. Z
"lan' sakes!' he sputtered, "Car'-
liny don't seem to care no more fer
me than If was some scalawag dog
If she had one shark O. kindness, she
would hev offered her services with
the chores. She might a-dore the
nlilkin' anyway"
While conducting this one-sided
conversation. he proceeded to extract
the milk with quick, savage jerks and
entirely forgot to accord the worthy
bovine the respect she believed was
due to an animal of her rank. Not
possessing the power of speech she
made use of the only available means
at hand of successfully remcnstrat-
ing against such barbarous treat
ment; for, concentrating vast
amount of strength in her right hind
leg. she unexpectedly exhibited sur
prising degree of celebrity and ca
ressed, Mr.. Jonas Pages shinbone
with her rough, hard hoof in man
ner that was not calculated to in
spire undying gratitude; at least
Jonas didn't take it that way, If we
may regard the forcible language he
used 1--WE will not repeat it) as can
did expression of his feelings.
''Drat the beast!" he exclaimed, an
grily, picking up his pail, which had
been kicked some distance to one side,
and recommending operations with
gentler movements. whats got into
her-seem's though everything on the
farm was itchin' to git into fight!
I'll bet dollar my legs black an
blue; there's lump comm on it big's
hens egg. I'll probably be lame
now fer MONTH"
His work at the barn finally con-
cluded, he hoDbled slowly into the
house. Mrs. Page had gone to bed
and Jonas, disliking to disturb her,
hunted fully half an hour for the
liniment bottle. Man-like. he at first
neglected to proclife light, but felt
in it's usual place, in The darkness,
and failed to locate it. He ran across
the ink bottle. however; it was on
the corner shelf, perilously near the
edge. and his sleeve brushing against
it rolled it over on it's side, splitting
a portion of its contents on the shelf
and the remainder on the spotless
floor of the pantry.
The last letter he wrote he lost the
cork out of the bottle and thought
lessly set it away without putting in
a new stopper.
"I'll ketch it now!" he declared. rue
fully, when he had obtained a light
and taken view of the damage done.
"Ev'ry 'tarnal things gone wrong to-
day. Where in the name o goodness
is that pesky liniment? House an all
in it goin' to wreck an ruin. jist
through sheer carelessness! Car'liny's
so slack-no place fer nuthin' and
nuthin' in it's place! That ink
wouldn't hev ben split if the liniment
bottle was where it orter be-"
Standing on a chair and holding
the lamp high above his head, he
scanned carefully each of the top
shelves and then looked through the
cupboards; but the object of his quest
stubbornly refused to De found. In
desperation he pulled the cover off
the salt barrel and even peeked into
the hour-bin.
liniment If I don't battle my leg
with it won't be able to git onto my
feet tomorrow" he said, ENORMOUSLY.
Then raising his voice to pitch SUI
ficiently loud to awaken the dead,
were it possible, he cried:
"Car'liny, say Car'liny, where's the
liniment? Where the deuce dye keep
it? Half the time faint in its placed"
"Of course it amt IN its place when
YOU git done a-usin' it," came the de-
iiberate retort in chilling accents
from the bedroom. perhaps, If you'd
take the trouble to look out on the
wash-bench, you'd find it where We
had it. fore SUPPER.
"spunky's ever" commented Jonas,
under his breath. "Sure 'nough-
come to think bout it did hev the
plaguey thing there dopin' my sore
hand. Whydidn't I hev my wits bout
me without askin' Car'liny; might
a-known wouldn't git civil answer"
This particular liniment was prep
aration in which Jonas had mistaken
faith; and he proceeded, with many
stifled grunts and groaus, to apply
liberal quantity to his injured leg. 1t
was indeed severe and painful brulse;
the swelling was apparently getting
larger and taking on purple hue.
oval, 1 guess kin RETREAT Last"
he said. looking at the old clock in the
kitchen corner, whose faithful hands
pointe d to the eleventh hour.
As he sunk down on the soft feather
bed and drew the warm clothing about
him. a pleasant sense of restfulness
came over his weary frame; but his
mind was far from experiencing sim
liar sensation. A train of sober reflec-
ton had taken possession of it.
II amt no more exempted from ills
than you be, yet amt tellin' ye of 'em
all the time" These words kept COM
ing before him necessarily, and just
the least bit of pang of regret that he
had uttered them began to gnaw at his
heart strings.
| A multltuOe or Ills were coming upon
him a good deal sooner than he antici-
pated. He wasn't prepared for their
visit, and, somehow or other his stock
of fortituGe appeared exceedingly
small. 1t was very difficult to lie there
and suffer and receive no tender words
Of sympathy to which he was accus>
toned when i'll or in trouble on previ'
Gus occasions.
How he had boasted of his wonder