The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-08-09
THE SAVING
OF PETER
By EUGENE UHLRIcH
oopTr.sht. l0ol. By EaEsnls UAlrlsA
By EUGENE UHLRlch
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

MS MlnnA ccnulltk aAV04 ~ Nv
kitchen door Of Merriam's big house
and looked at the changing west. Ey'
cry moment the light was growing
fainter and duller, and stil Peter
Burns did not como In 70 tho supper
that had been waiting for him over
two hours. This was strange Of Peter,
and Il would have been not only
strange but suspicious OF anybody else
after having been 'lectioneering' all
afternoon with the old Judge, MrA her'
RAMS husband
Mrs Schmitt did not like the judge.
The worst men In her eyes are those
who always seem 50 nice and pleasant
20 everybody and between times set
drunk and abuse their wives II such
men were only mean all the time, PEG
pie would not blame their wives for
everything that goes wrong, as the
village did Mrs. Merriam when she had
the old Judge bound over TO keep the
peace. Since that time the Judge had
been obliged to live az the village DO
tel. and Mrs. Merriam was left In the
big house. Now when the Judge want
cd to see Mrs. Merriam be drove up 70
the gate and whistled FOR her. Then
Mrs. Merriam put on her best dress
and went driving with hir1. FOR the
Judge was really very pleasant when
be was In a good temper" as Mrs.
Merriam herself would have put Il
Every evening she made Peter drive
down to the hotel to see that the Judge
got to bed without his boots The judge
paid those OF bis bills that be could
out OF his practice. and Mrs. Merriam
paid her own out OF the place and the
summer guests" Sometimes she paid
an odd one Of the judges
Nina could not see but what II was
much better 80. though whenever she
went TO the village she had TO hear
something about women who wear the
pants" and like remarks. which passed
for wit thereabout But Minna, who
had had a sharp and happily short
married experience Of her own, loftily
ignored these supposed Jokes, for her
German tongue was too slow. 20 risk
answers. The delectable Peter himself,
who made possible the harmony OF the
present conditions. was Irish. He drove
the Judge home one day when the
judges driving was q bit uncertain,
even for a horse that could hnd the
way home alone. Peter put Up the
horse aud looked after things that
evening. and he had been doing so ever
since. Now he was the one person who
was able 70 travel eheerfully the some
times slippery path between the Inn
and the house az all umcs.
And still ne did not come IN. Nina
bethought herself that she oughn 20 50
over TO the stabIes. Tomorrow would
be Sunday. and Peter often needed q
stitch put In somewhere. IL was not In
ACnna's quick fingers 70 see any one
untidy on Sunday II she could help L..
So she went over 20 the stabhes-nOt
that she was curious or. even worse.
worried Things did look queer. Tho
road wagon was standing In the.drive-
way. the cushion left shiftlessly ton the
seat, and Peters best coat lying lacross
r. AFTER a moment Minna's sharp ear
heard deep breathing. and therc on a
bench inside the door lay Peten fast
asleep. Now Minna could not believe
that any man would so fast asleep
without his supper unless there were
something wrong But she was used 10
doing things. not standing and looking
al them. She took the cushion OF the
seat and. along with the coat carried
Il into the curriugc shed. Something
hard In one Of Peters pockets struck
her hand. and she knew Il ut once for
bottle II was almost empty. and the
contents were not 70 be mistaken
Then she tried the other pocket Be
hold. another bottle!
That camel OF a judge" she NUT
tered ale has five stomachs. and he
does not rest until everybody Is IKE
him" The zeal 20 save woke In her,
and she did not ask herself whether
she had that fine zeal for every waver-
ing soul or only for Peters. She took
the bottles and hurried 20 the kitchen
with them.
Mrs. Merriam met her at the kitchen
door. Where Is PctcrY' she asked
Minna marched past her and tragically
held up the two bottles IN front Of her.
"Minna." gasped that Indy. what
what have you been dolngT'
"IT' screamed Minnn. Peter. you
meant"
Peter! Oh. Peter. Peter. you. too
Pcterr' walled Mrs. Merriam as she
sank down In a chair. But wait: this
Is the first time. and there is still hope
FOR him. have IT. And she hurried
10 her medicine shelf and came back
with a bottle with some brown stun
IN Il. This will make him wish he'd
never touched any election whisky In
his life Run and slip them back. Min
ma"
Mlnna obeyed and then MIXED the
complaining COWS. grown restless wait
ing for Peter. and when everything
was well done she went up to her room
and cried a BIT In the morning she
was up earlier than usual There
seemed no use IN waiting for Peter 90
Arfxa hor IN aorlv maaa this Morning