Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-22
wATERRuRY r1rAY rznn1JARY D 1aor


 I physician don't believe she has any I real heart. It's piece of leather with l valves, warranted to let just so much
 blood through, and only so much, every
 beat. She hasn't any more real circu
 lating system than frog"
 Erie stared at the doctor. He had never heard the doctor at his very l gruffest say. anything so harsh. The
 doctor seemed ashamed immediately
 and tried to apologize by saying: "I ought not to have said that, but I
 feel better for it.''
 | Two days went by, and still the situ- ation between the mine owners and the 1 strikers remained nearly the same. The owners at the lower range had not yet succeeded in getting enough men in to go to work. Several of them who had | gone on from Champion had been per 1 suaded to leave. The troops were still | at De Mott, and the speeches of the miners in their daily meetings at the park were growing more bitter against | them. The wounded officer at the ho- | tel was recovering. His friends had | come up to take care of him, and the doctor thought he could go home at the end of the week. Andrew Burke had 1 proved delightful companion to the officer. He had moved some of his choicest roses down into the room and had himself proved the truth of the proverb, "A merry heart doeth good like medicine.''
 It was Friday night that the Vas plaincs had invited Aunt Royal, Lou ise and Stuart to quiet dinner at their house. Stuart did not want to go. He knew what the company would be, and he had no liking for the young Vas blaine who for year or two now was evidently trying to win the favor of Louise. Stuart. even before the experi- ence which made life a new thing for him, never had any fellowship except that of an acquaintance with Vas blaine, and he knew enough about him to dislike his im1aoral character and his general make up as q man.
 The family was exceedingly wealthy. and next to the Duncans' their house was the finest in Champion It was built at the other end of the valley to- ward the park. The elder Vasplaire had retired some years before His brother and his son carried on certain lumber and copper industries north of Champion. Ttsey were not directly in- terested in the iron mines, except as they were involved in the general con- dition of business, all of which, of course, felt the effect of the strike. There was also in the family daugh- ter, Miss Una Nasplaine, d young wo- man about Louise's age. The girls had been playmates.
 Stuart was sitting by Miss Vasplaine at this dinner, and the conversation was general all about him. He was just replying to a question put by his companion, and she had rallied him on his serious appearance. Miss Una was vivacious, striking looking girl and Stuart in the old days had always found her an agreeable talker. He smiled in reply to her question and was on the point of answering when the whole company received q shock that set the ladies screaming and the gentlemen starting to their feet in alarm.
 Tine large dining room fronted on the Veranda, and a magnificent plate glass window extended from the floor almost to the ceiling. looking out on the pine tree lawn. The night was clear and frosty. It was growing late in the sea son, and winter would soon set in; the ground was bare now and dry. The moon was just coming up oyersxhe Da- wis hill range.
 Suddenly through this window q chunk of iron ore came crashing right over the table. It scattered the glass in every direction, crashed through the pendants of the electric chandelier and