The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-08
The Fatal Bed.
BY STANLEY WATERLOO.

BY STANLEY WATERLOO. -- Copyright, 1902, by Daily Story Pub. Col
 Awful things happen. If they didn't tappen sometimes Chauncey K. LaniIeld Ind Sophronia Vincent would never have been united in the occasionally holy bonds of matrimony. That's fact,
 Chauncey R.. tanfield was tall ana honest face and big feet, taught the dis trict school in winter and was counted well to do. He was not bad sort, bash fui in the presence of women, but not Tn the presence of boys. Oh, no. In the fervor of the midwinter school teaching he could yank the huskiest farmers youth of sixteen or eighteen from his seat. dust the floor between the aisles with him for few minutes, until he became as subdued poor relation and as yield ing as the white of an egg, and then bend him, stomach downward. over the seat of a chair and go at him as If he were wheat in the bundle at threshing- time. His long flat hickory ruler must have weighed a pound and half at least. It was a blisterer! Once the big boys united and tried to throw him out of the school house. That was fine day flor a looker-on. Somehow the teacher had the faculty of catching his assailants seriatim. That night the whole adjacent farming community was an hour late !n having its chores done. Yet Lanfield was a good teacher, earnest and honest and capable. Only he was afraid of women.
 MISS SOpnrOnia vincent the school in summer. In appearance she was the opposite of the winter teacher. even after making all allowance for sex. She was short and plump. BlaZes. but she was plump She had black eyes, white skin, red lips, and a pound or two of black hair. and was good-looking despite the protuberant vastness of her healthy charms. She was light of foot and swift enough of movement in every way. but she was plump. Indeed she was! When she ran she panted and when she sat at ease the heaving of her bosom recalled to mind the Bay of Fundy The differ ence between the ebb and flood tide of the Bay of Fundy is over sixty feet. Of course, this is an exaggerated simile. but 1t conveys the idea. Yet she was an excellent teacher throughout the soft vel low summer months, when only the smaller children went to school, and her pupils were fond of her. though .she ''lammed" the small boys as vigorously In that gentle season as Chauncey R. Lantield did the larger ones in winter. Oddly enough, she was an excessive prude though the idea of prudishness is generally associated with that of far thinner and less protesting spinster Peo- pie said that she and Lanfield would make an excellent match, both being teachers, with tastes in common, and each unattached.
 It chanced in mid-winter that Miss Sophronia Vincent was a guest for week at one of the farm houses in the school district. the house of MT. Dom
 
 R. LanfieId was guest at the same house in the customary process of board ing round" There was a wing to the house in which were two bedrooms. On Of these was appropriated to Chaunce R. Lanfinld and the other to Miss SopA- ronia Vincent. There. in peace, each re- posed nightly in the mid-valey of feather beds two-and-a-half feet deep. One day Hateful day-the good housewife. wish ing to make some changes in Mir Lan- fields room, decided to move Miss Vim cent from her room to another in the main part of the house, and, temporarily to give the room so vacated to the school teacher, but forgot to mention it to Miss Vincent. That night Miss Vincent re- tired at o'clock and was soon asleep. At 10 clock the teacher retired. It was cold night, q frightfully cold night, The farmhouse was not steam-h heated, not by long shot. and its people. when the tlme came undFessed and tumbled into bed in something less than d minute and half. Several members of the family were in the sitting room when the teacher went to bed. He had taken off his boots into his new room. where the floor froze his feet. tossed off his garments. lifted up the beavy comforters and blankets and sheets and launched himself into the feathery depths.
 Mother of Moses.
 Steam whistles are very well in their way-but 1t does not matter what the family heard. They burst into the wine only to catch a glimpse of a ghost with an armful of clothes hurling itself into the room lately occupied by Chauncey R. Lanheid Next morning the school teach CT and Miss Vincent did not eat together The plump spinster was in agony. She consulted with Mrs. Dominick Tt is awful! don't know what to do.'' she moaned. T don't know what to do |" The practical Mrs. Domnick consoled her as best she could. It was nothing she explained. Accidents must happen. NOV It chanced that. secretly, Chauncey K Lanfeld was in love with Sophronis vincent though fearful of expressing himself. As matter of fact Miss Vin cent rather liked him as well, though not confessing it even to the heart ,hnt tnrobbed beneath that expansive bosom, Now she wouldn't speak to the monster Mrs. Domlnick decided that the teacher had better sleep upstairs Miss Vincnn, retaining her own room.
 The teacher was ohedient
 Ihe wing had two stories, but only one was finished, and that to which inc