The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-08-08
SAVING OF PETER.
How He Found Something Nicer to Take
Than Ipecac.
RS MINNA sCHMITT stood

vi RAMS big house and looked
at the changing west. Every
moment the light was growing FAINTER
and duller, and still Peter Burns did
not come in to the supper that had been
waiting for him over two hours. This
was strange OF Peter. and 1t would
have been not only strange, but suspi.
clous OF anybody else, after having
been 'lectIoneerlng' all afternoon,
with the old Judge, Mrs. Merriam's hus'
band.
Mrs. Schmidt did not like the Judge
The worst men. in her eyes, are those
who always seem so nice and pleasant
to everybody, and between times get
drunk and abuse their wives. III such
men were only mean all the time peo'
Die would not blame their wives for
everything that goes wrong. as the VII
lage 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 at the village hotel,
and Mrs. Merriam was left In the big
house. Now, when the Judge wanted
10 see Mrs. Merriam. he drove up to the
gate and whlstled for her. Then Mrs.
Merriam put on her best dress and
went driving with him, for the Judge
was really very pleasant when he was
I'm good temper" as Mrs. Merriam
herself would have put It. Every even
ing she made Peter drive down to the
hotel TO see that the Judge got to bed
without his boots. The Judge paid
those Of his bills that he could out OF
his practice and Mrs. Marian paid
her own out of the place and the sum
mer guests" Sometimes she paid an
odd one of the Judges.
Mlnna could not see but what II was
much better so, 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 thereabouts. But Mlnna, who
had had sharp, and happily short,
married experience of her own, loftlly
ignored these supposed jokes, for her
German tongue was too slow to risk an
swers. 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 a bit uncer-
tain, even for n horse that could find
the way home alone. Peter had put up
the horse and looked after things that
evening, and he had been doing so ever
since. Now he was the one person who
was able 10 travel cheerfully the some
times slippery path between the inn
and the house at all times.
And still he did not come In. Mlnnn
bethought herself that she ought TO &c
over to the stables. Tomorrow would
be Sunday, and Peter often needed a
stitch put I'm somewhere. 1t was not In
Minna's quick fingers to see any one
untldy on Sunday II she could help It.
SO she went over to the stables-not
that she was curious or. even worse
worried. Things did look queer. The
road-wagon was standing In the drive
way, the cushion left shlftlessly on the
seat, and Peters best coat lying acros.
II. After q moment Minnas sharp eal
heard deep breathing. and there, ut IN,
bench, inside the door, lay Peter, fas
asleep. Now Minna could not beliey,
that any man would go fast asleel
without his supper unless there wai
something wrong. But she was used {,
doing things. not standing and lookin:
at them. She took the cushion Off tn,
seat, and along with the coat carrie,
II into the carriage shed. Something
hard In one of Peters pockets strucl
her hand. and she knew it at once TO
a bottle. II was almost empty and tn
contents We're not TO be mistaken
Then she tried the other pocket. BE
hold, another bottle!
THAT camel Of Judge" she NUT
tered. He has five stomachs and II
does not rest until everybody is llk
him" The zeal TO save woke In hel
and she did not ask herself whethe
she had that fine zeal for every wavel
ing soul. or only for Peters. She too
the bottles and hurried to the kltche
with them.
Mrs Merriam met her at the kltche
door. Where Is PeterY she aske,
Minna marched past her and tragi
ally held up the two bottles In fror
OF her.
"Minna." gasped that lady, what
what have you been doing?"
"If' screamed Minna Peter. yo
mean"
Peter! oh, Peter. Peter. you to
Peter" walled Mrs. Merriam. as 81
sank down in a chair. But walt; ia
is the first time, and there is still hop
for him. have it, And she hurri,
to her medicine shelf and came ba,
with n bottle with some brown stuff
IT, This will make him wish he
never touched any election whisky
his life. Run and slip them bac
Minna."
Minna obeyed. and then MIXED &
complaining cows. grown restless wa
ing for Peter. And when everythi
was well done she went up to her roc
and cried n bit. In the morning $
was up earlier than usual. The
seemed to be no use In waiting
Peter to drive her TO early mass Il
morning. She trudged along the dai
road from which the late August $
had not yet drawn the dew. And /
feet somehow felt very heavy.