Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-09-24
RS. MINNA SCHMITT stood
at the kitchen door of Mer-
riam's big house and looked

" 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 it would
have been not only strange, but suspi-
cious of anybody else, after having
been 'lectioneering" 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. If such
men were only mean all the time peo-
pie 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
to see Mrs. Merriam, he drove up to the
gate and whistled 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
in 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.
Minna could not see but what 1t 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 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 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 n bit uncer-
tain, even for 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 to travel cheerfully the some
times slippery path between the inn
and the house at all times.
And still he did not come In. Nlinna
bethought herself that she ought to go
over to the stables. Tomorrow would
be Sunday, and Peter often needed Il
stitch put il somewhere. 1t was not in
Minna's quick fingers to see any one
untidy on Sunday if 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 shiftlessly on the
seat, and Peters best coat lying across
1t. After moment Minna's sharp ear
heard deep breathing, and there, at the
bench, inside the door, lay Peter fast
asleep. Now Minna could not believe
that any man would go fast asleep
without his supper unless there was
something wrong. But she was used to
doing things, not standing and looking
at them. She took the cushion off the
seat, and along with the coat carried
1t into the carriage shed. Something
p,,1 in,
her hand, and she knew it at once for
a bottle. 1t was almost empty and the
contents were not to be mistaken
Then she tried the other pocket. Be
hold, another bottle!
"That camel of a Judge" she NUT
tered. HE has five stomachs and he
does not rest until everybody is like
him" The zeal to 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 to the kitchen
with them.
Mrs. Merriam met her at the kitchen
door. 'Where is Peter?" she asked
Minna marched past her and tragic
ally held up the two bottles in front
Of her.
"Minna," gasped that lady, "what-
what have you been doing?"
"1?" screamed Minna. Peter, you
mean"
peter! Oh, Peter, Peter you too,
Peter" walled Mrs. Merriam, as she
sank down in chair. But wait; this
is the first time, and there is still hopes
for him. have it!' And she hurried
to her medicine shelf and came back
with bottle with some brown stuff in
It "This will make him wish he'd