Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-09-05

VIC nah clOSeg. IhoSe are my own
the ones she has-those that the
ladies at the Hall gave me when I
went to housekeeping" 1 sighed.
'The clock, then"
"The clock is mine too"
"The Holy Bible with the card
board marker"
"All those things are mine, Aunt
Jane Mary. That room is furnished
with my own things. Poor creature!
She doesn't want to walk off with
anything. She's trained nurse.
She's tired out. She has just come
from her last case. She is nearly
dead. The man died"
what off"
1 sat down stunned. 81 never
thought of that" 1 said.
Aunt Jane Mary held her hands
out as if to ward me off. go! go!"
she said. "Out of my sight! Out
of my presence! Go, and fumigate
yourself, and when you are sure
that you can bring me no Infection,
come back to me and tell me the
rest"
AS arose to leave the room, cast
backward glance at the helpless oc-
cupant of the old-fashioned bed.
Aunt Jane Mary was very stout
old lady. She had her head shaved
and wore black cap and false
front. She tied the ends in front in
rabbits ears. She wore a lowered
sacque with large ruffles. She was
not pretty, but she was my mothers
sister, and the house was hers, and
1 had no where else to go. She
needed a great deal of waiting on,
and she scolded me unpleasantly
sometimes, but if l left her, where
would Tom come for his holidays?
my dear boy Tom! And 1 must
say right here that she allowed me
to take half of all sums coming in
from the boarders in consideration
of my doing the work. She needed
an immense amount of waiting on.
on account of her rheumatic govt,
but there could be no question of
my declining the service. She was
helpless and she gave me home.
I ran down stairs as swiftly as
possible. I could not believe that j.
A. D. had brought infection to us,
certainly not willingly. Her pro-
fession of nurse must have taught
her to be careful, and she had, / was
sure. come from nothing worse than
sudden death from heart failure
OF something similar.
1 went out on the veranda and re.
sumed my discarded hemming. I
had not sat there many minutes when
l saw man coming along the road
leading out from Galtersville. He
was on wheel, and, as J. A. d. had
done, he stopped at my door and
jumped lightly to the ground. He
leaned the wheel against tree and
opened the gate. There was no
click of the latch. and in coming to-
wards me nc walked on the grass,
which angered me little, as l hated
to have path made in my small
lawn. He came and stood at the
foot of the steps and looked up at
me with a pleasant pair of brown
eyes. He wore whiskers and mus
tache. He was Il man of about thir-
ty-five. strong and stocky, but with
the highest, deftest movements 1
ever saw in anyone. He had on knee
breeches and an old gray coat, very
much worn. From his lower pock-
cts protruded several papers, and
from his breast pocket stuck up the
rubber head of a pencil. l knew at
once that he was newspaper man.
l wondered if he had come to ask
questions about the great family on
the hill. If he had, he might as well
SO away again; my lips would be
sealed forever on that subject. 1t
was too dear one to me, too near
and too dear. I saw that he was
speaking. but our great dog, Bill,
was barking at the stranger, and
could not hear what he said
"Be quiet, Bill" said I, giving the
great creature useless push with
my knee. What did you saye"
II heard in town that I could get
room out mere.
Its a good way from the city,"
said L.
"Oh, that's nothing. can take the
trains and leave my bike at the
station when l go in. Have you a
vacant room?"
Yes" said 1, "but l don't know
that it will suit you"
Let me see it," AZ he said these
words he came up the steps, his rub
Der shoes making no noise. / thought
l heard the blinds of the lower front
rattle, but it must have been nv
fancy, for the girl was sound asleep,
felt sure. l went in at the front
door, and looked around to see if he
was following. Yes, there he was,
right behind mo.
Now, back of the room which had
just rented to j. A. D. was another
room, somewhat smaller, it is true,
but very comfortable withal. Its
back window looked out upon the
wood-shed and chicken-coop; its side
window upon the veranda.
Have you other boarders in the
house?" he asked me, after a cursory
survey of the room.
I hesitated.
II see you have" he said in his
soft voice. Very well, then, it
won't do for me. l dctest racket"
"Well,' l acknowledged haltinglY,
81 have one boarder,n