Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-03-21
The little
Florist

UI making a good living. She was max
ing a prosperous living by managing am
inherited nursery. He was young. she
was younger. There similarity ceased.
He was rugged, uueultured, plain,
though with "a certain charm of vlrile,
forceIul homeiingss difficult 10 analyze.
she was pretty, college bred, aristo-
cratic. He believed % Drawn and pfaln.
sac believed III blood and breeding.
They were not neigbborly. she
called herself a "horticulturist.' lie
was merely a florist. OF course, Dick
Russell was d bachelor, and in love.
why don't you stick up a house On
your grounds" asked Uncle William
one night as be and Dick sat smoking
d goodnight pipe in the porch.
Cant afford it, said Dick, CURLY.
Pm putting every penny l can raise
into that gas machine I'm building in
the nursery
Foolish, tool" grunted Uncle Will
liam.
"Mebbe So assented Dick, grimly.
The months passed.
IlGk Sdlu NUT, Dub eau a SiNeD H6u''
One day he Mortified Uncle William by
requesting permission to put in a tele-
phone.
what for?" demanded he in a
breath.
"'Cause / want it," said Dick.
So, in spite of opposition and dire
predictions, the telephone was in
stalled, connecting the house with the
distant village of Prittlewell. His
point won, and his crop money safely
deposited in the bank, Dick threw him
self heart and soul into the compile
tion of his queer gas plant. lie bought
miles of slender iron piping, and many
laid a portion of the piping around his
orchard and. at regular distances
across it, until the ground looked like
a gigantic gridiron. The unused pip
ing (by far the larger portion) was
stored away in the gas house. When
the work was finished and the bitches
filed in, curious neighbors comment
ed on the queer nozzlesp which showed
above the ground atintervals along the
straight rows of buried pipes.
Coin to irrigate?" they asked.
~Mebbe," said Dick, grimly.
How're you goin' to plow an har-
row with them things a-stickin' up in
that way?"
The gas machine itself, situated in
the center of the orchard, was, by aid
Of a stout building, stout shutters and
aportly paddock, made curiosity proof.
No one went into this building except
Dick and two trusted workmen.
Its perfectly s~candlous!" shifted
Aunt William one bitterly cold even
ing, as she sat by the kitchen fire mend
ing a pair of Dicks socks.
which," asked William, looking up
from his newspaper absent m~indedly.
Dicks go~in's-on."
where's he goin' now?" he asked,
his mind still ON the paper.
Don't you know" she demanded,
looking at him severely, that Dick is
a-spending ev'ry penny he's got in the
world for a big black machine an a
lot o rusty pipes?"
Uncle William looked crushed.
"Listen!" she said, suddenly. holding
up one Of Dicks socks warnngly.
Borne on the crisp night air there
came the distant ringing blows of ham
mer upon steel.
just then the telephone bell rang
loudly.
Goodness mel exclaimed William
almost dropping the lamp. Stepping
to the instrument, he put the receive.
to his ear.
as Dick Russell there? ?" asked an un,
familiar voice.
NO. Hes away at work on his gas
sngine.'
VIII you take a message to him at
once?"
Whore you?"
"Neyer mind me, Here's the mes
sage-lt's important. Tell Russell that
abe weather clerk wires: Severe frost
tonight. Good-by."
Uncle William gasped and turned 10
bis wife.
What's it all about" She spIuttered.
Severe frost tonight" repeated he.
What"
That's what the man said" persist
ed he.
Hes crazy" snapped Aunt William.
'Mebbe so. Mebbe. Folks say Dicks
srazy, too. Mebbe we're all crazy"
And Uncle William reached for his
boots.
what are you goin' to do?'
DO Why cart this message over
so Dick afore it gets froze ON the way"
A tramp Of about 200 yards through
che snow brought Uncle William to the
-gassy madhouse" (as Dicks neighbors
politely called the structure).
~Who's that?' asked Dicks voice
from within.
"Me-Uncle Bill
whats up?"
There's TO be a severe frost to-niglt
Weather eyDert saws 50. An p