The Forrest City times., 1903-10-02
'APowerful Blend



assure you. Mr.. Martin. sslo the
soctor with slight aoerbity for - had
been asked the same question many
times. and al bis patient WIS suffering
only from feFerlsh cold. such extreme
anxiety seemed absurd 20 him. How
could be know that John Martin. the
man who had begun life as an errSnc
boy. and row had more money than he
knew what TO co with. had only one
dread. which wss. that the wife be
sdorec, who had fought by his ride
through long years Of hardship ard
helped him 10 win suecess, might be
taken from him.
On this occasion Mrs. Martin had bad
cold. and the doctor had advised Der TO
sray In bed for day or Two. With bis
wife confined 20 her room. John Martin
~ss absolutely lost He had insisted on
Der having a trained nurse and be speEt
al bis time ln wandering ciseonsolsiely
about the house
You are quite sure" be said 20 the
doctor. perfectly certain there IL moth
iny seriously wrong: fhe-she-is not
sickenipg for anything"
Only the old mans intense anxiety
prevented the doctor from answering
him quite sharply. but he replied again
that Mrs. Martin had merely severe
eold
You'll come In and see her again this
afternoon. WOE I you" asked John Mar
nm as be accompanied the doctor TO the
door.
j really don't think" began the Coo
ter, but something in the trusting blue
eyes, more like those Of a child than Of a
man who had looked on the world for
seyenty odd years. stopped him. Very
well. Will look in again" be said, and
went
John Martin had miserable. lonely
lunch, and then betook himself 10 the IT,
trsry. where be sat in front Of the fire
and regretted that riches had come 10
him. In the old. fsr-off days when Mary
had cold he looked after her himself
Now. II be went into her room the nurse
seemed 10 resent IT,
His thoughts went back loneingly TO
the rare occasions when she had had a
headache, and he had made her special
cup Of tea. which always cured her. He
smiled as he remembered she always
ssid 10 one could make cup Of tea like
be could. How Perkins, the immaculate
butler. would scorn such proceeding.
Still IL bis tea could cure Mary's head
ache. why should he not make some
Why should he not make tea. IL be so
desired? He was master; he could do
az be chose
He looked at the fire: its glowing en-
ters were ideal for toast. ard Mary al
ways liked bit Of hot buttered toast
with her tea. And why not make IT? Not
IN the kitchen. of course. not under the
Gisapproying eyes OF the servants, but
here. In the library in secret and alone.
There were difficulties. certainly. bat
they could be overcome: be squared his
shoulders and sat up very straight He
would Go H. Mary should have tea. not
the weak. washy stun the housekeeper
provided. but tea with a good. strong
favor about il. such as they had enjoyed
in the old days Of poverty and freedom.
He would buy the things and smuggle
them into the library
He decided that HIS purchases could
not be made in the shops where the
trades people knew him, so he walked for
some distance till he came TO a side
street. and here he found what he
wanted. And what a number of pur-
ehases were needed, Tea first. OF course.
half pound at one shilling and six
pence pound. good. pungent, black tea
a quarter Of a pound OF sugar. bread for
the toast. and quarter Of pound OF
fresh butter. Even milk he had 10 buy.
70 he bought pennyworth, and a bottle
tn which 10 carry II.
But this was not all: cups, saucers
plates, knives. toasting-fork. all were
needed. He might. he thought, abstract
two spoons from the dining-room while
Perkins was downstairs. and at the same
time he might secure the silver teapot
But for the silver teapot he felt only
scorn; his foul hankered TO see again on
the tea-tray a little brown earthenware
pot. So he bought brown teapot and
two blue cups and saucers, which re-
minded him OF some Mary and be had
bought when they were furnishing their
cottage.
Fate was kind in allowing him to en-
ter his house unobseryed; he shut him
self in the library and began prepare
tions. With what Joy he examined his
purchases. Mary always said he could
cut bread for toast better than anyone
else. and HIS hand trembled with con-
scious pride as he cut two even slices
1hen he put the kettle-for he had