Iron County register., 1900-05-17
Her Very Natural Mistake
By Mary Bolton Peck
miss DEBORAH MARKHAM stood
tNk at her kitchen sink one morning

IN III lSS DEbOhAd MARhhAM StOOu
lYI at her kitchen sink one morning
washing bottle. 1t was one that had
held an acid preparation for removing
fruit stains. Almost any other wom-
an wouIu have thrown it on the ash
pile as soon as it was emptied, but to
Miss Deborah the natural thing was
to clean it and store it away in her
woodshed cupboard with an army of
other bottles, large and small.
No article ever seemed to Miss
Markham TO have outlived its useful
ness; there was always n possibility
tnat 1T might come in handy some
time" and it was treasured for the
expected need.
The l. of the great white house on
the main street of East Esmore which
had come into the possession of Miss
Deborah at the death of her father
more than 90 years ago, was a YER
liable Junk shop, but it differed in one
essential from ordinary repositories of
worn-out and worthless odds and ends,
Miss Dehorah's storerooms were scru-
rulously clean and well ordered; they
furnished no retreat for moths or cob
webs. and the floors and windows
compared favorably with any kitchen
in the village in their freedom from
dust
People might by turns feel amused
and exasperated by Miss Deborah's
exaggerated love of economy, but
their comments upon her always end
ed with: After all. she's dreadful
good-hearted; there's nobody in the
whole town more ready to lend hand
than Deborah Markham. and if she
takes any comfort in being so saving
that's her own affair: she can afford
to be over particular" For she had
the finest house and the largest in
come in Elmore.
81: Houfu be pity not to keep this
bottle" she continued, holding it
against the light. Its such a con-
venient size. and the glass is so clear.
j wonder what sort of glue that label
was stuck on with. after all the hot
water it's been in it hasn't started
mite. I've a good mind not to scrape
it off. but keep the bottle just as it is;
like as not / shall want a bottle some
time for holding poison. and then this
one will be labeled and ready"
Not long afterward Miss Deborah
decided that she must have the advice
of the village doctor. All summer she
had been tormented by nervous head
aches and sleepless nights; she had
tried one kind of diet after another
without relief. and her one servant. an
old woman who had been kitchen
maid in the house since the days when
Miss Deborah had been little Debby
Markham. had experimental upon her
mistress with all the potent mixtures
she knew how to compound. but she,
too, had failed to work cure.
Accordingly, DIR. Bascom was sum-
moned. The result of this profession
Deborah twisted between her fingers
as she watched the doctor climb into
his high buggy before her gate.
She noticed that Mrs. Prescott
also was watching from her side pi-
azza. where she sat sewing. and the
shutters in one window of Mrs. Tread
ways vault-like parlor were rolled
open. a sure indication that the lady
herself was slLting behind them.
The neighbors will be running in
TO see what is the matter over here,
so shall have to send Hannah to the
drug store for the medicine" thought
Miss Deborah, realizing that for few
hours she was to be the most interest
ing person in the village.
Her prediction was a true one;
within half an hour both Mrs. Tread
way and Mrs. Prescott were estab-
lished in comfortable chairs in her sit
ting-room. making anxious inquiries
about her health and going over the
last bits of neighborhood gossip.
Other ladies followed them, for the
doctors team hitched before the
house had advertised to everyone the
fact that either Miss Deborah or
Hannah were ill. and the last callers
did not leave until Hannah's clatter
over the tea table informed them that
the old woman considered it time
they were well out of the way and her
mistress at supper.
IT was after sunset when she found
herself at nberty to prepare the med
ic1ne for use DIR. Bascom had in
formed her that it was preparation
of bromide which would come in the
form of white powder and would re-