Middletown transcript., 1904-11-26
LURINDY
BY CARRIE N. PRATT

Lnrinda with ready sympathy.
"Wall, don't edzactly know. Some
kind of fever l should iedge, and mebbe
It's ketchln' but when | see you a-trud-
GIN along with your COWS, l couldn't
help thinkin' what comfort 'twould be
to the poor soul if you could jest make
up your mind to go down and see him.
| knowed how handy you allus was in
sickness land sez l to myself: 'I'll jest
put flea in Lurindy's ear, and she can
do Jest as she has mind ter"
Then, without waiting for reply, he
added: "Wall, l must be goin'. Come
up and see us when you can, Lurindy.
Git up, Jenerwary
But "Jenerwary" responded less will
ingly to this command than to the former
one; and it had to be repeated several
times before he finally gathered himself
up, and, with switch of his tail, started
on his way down the road, to the accom-
paniment of the rattling bolts and spokes.
Lurinda watched the wagon and it's
occupant meditatively till they disap-
peared from sight, and then resumed her
interrupted journey.
At last she came in sight of the small,
one-story house, set we'll back from the
road, with few hollyhocks and SUM-
flowers blooming in front OF it. In the
doorway stood little old woman, white
haired and wrinkled, who, at sight OF her
daughter, re-entered the kitchen and set
about preparing the evening meal.
Lurinda drove the cows into the barn
and inilked them. Then, taking the
milk into the house, she strained it and
set the pans upon shelf in the cellar
way"
During all this time her mind was oc-
cupied with thoughts of the man lying
i'll in the camp, suffering, perhaps dying,
for want of care.
Even after she had retired to rest for
the night the thought of the sufferer kept
her awake; and it was not until she
finally resolved to act upon her neigh
boris suggestion that she fell asleep.
The next morning she was up betimes
After performing her customary duties
of milking the cows and driving them
to pasture, she proceeded to concoct some
cruel, with the intention OF taking it to
the invalid
Her task completed, she poured the
mixture into a tin pail and started off
across the field in the direction of the
camp.
Arrived at the shanty which furnished
shelter for the workmen, she found that
they were already at their tasks. A
moments hesitation, and then she knocked
timidly upon the door.
At first there was no response but
repetition of the summons was answered
by faint, peeyish> voice from inside,
bidding her to ''come in"
Lurinda complied with the request and
found herself in miserable hovel, whose
one room served the triple purpose of
sieeping-room, dining-room and kitchen.
Upon cot at one side lay a man, evil
IDENTIFY suffering from fever.
He was perhaps twenty eight or thirty
years of age but his large blue eyes, and
the yellow curls which framed his thin,
flushed face, made him appear still
younger. His face, under other circum-
stances, might have been fair to look
upon yet the mouth and chin lacked
frmness, and the features were almost
too delicate for man.
OF figure he was tall and thin. The
slender hand which lay upon the coarse
blanket was blistered by the unaccus-
toned labor it had been required to per-
form. At sight OF his forlorn condition,
Lurinda's timidity vanished.
~ heard you was ailin'," she observed,
'and 1 thought I'd. come over and see
if there was anything could do for you.
knew there wasn't no women folks
here ; and men are always so unhandy
in Sickness" she added apologetically.
"You'll take some of this porridge I
brought, now won't you? It's real
strengthing."
The invalid's face frightened.
''To be sure will" he replied, and
his voice and accent were unmistakably
refined.
sit was awfully good of you to come,"
he went on, taking the pail from her
hand. 81 haven't had mouthful in
this beastly place that was fit for dog
to eat"
With that, he fell to slipping the cruel
with evident relish, using for the purpose
an iron spoon, which Lurinna handed
him from the table.
''How does it taste?" she inquired.
"Is it seasoned to suit you, Mr.. -"
Here she paused, and the man, taking
the hint, hastily broke in, "My name
is Geoffry-Nate Geoffry, the fellows
used to call me. Yes, the Cruel is simply
delicious he continued, as if desirous
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