The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1904-04-22
RIO s,eratifudo of S7an

when it is explained that Mrs. Pilking-
ton possesses five sisters who are all old
maids
About a month after the Pilkingtons
had settled in their coy flat, Mrs.
Pilkington was called away by the i'll
ness of the wealthy aunt for whom she
had been named The third day of
Pilkington's enforced dictatorship he
sought to relieve his loneliness by call
ing upon his wife's relations. He was
met with reproaches for not having put
in an earlier appearance, and Miss
Amelia, the eldest sister, demanded Sc
verely:
"John, how long has that cough been
troubling you?'' Miss Amelia never
called him Jack)
'I'm sure | mont know" Pilkington
replied rather family. He had never
acknowledged it, even to himself, but
he stood in mortal fear of Miss Amelia.
'Does it pain you in your chest when
you cough, John?" Miss Amelia asked
with professional air.
Pilkington rashly admitted that it
did sometimes, then tried to change the
conversation, but Miss Amelia was
launched upon pet subject. She Grew
her chair closer. SIS there consump-
tive tendency in your family, John?'
she began solemnly.
Goodness, no!'' he cried, springing
to his feet and pulling out his watch.
"Sorry 1 have to go. Promised to meet
friend at" that wretched cough
stopped further speech and Miss Anne
liza interposed firmly
81 cannot think of allowing you to go
out into the night air, John. Please
90 up stairs to Millicent's old room,
and mother will mix a plaster for your
chest while I brew pitcher of herb
tea. 1t is providential that you came
to us at this critical time.
Pilkington stepped into the hall and
reached for his coat. "You are max
ing q mountain out of a molehill," he
said, half-laughingly. 81 must"
Here Miss Keturah, the second sis
ter, chimed in appealingly: John, dear,
think of the danger" while Sarah, the
third sister, added decisively: "We
never could look Millicent in the face
again did we permit you to expose your
self further this inclement night, John"
Pilkington uttered an exclamation.
But when Mrs. Gray, little, plump and
persuasive, chimed in too he saw that
all the women-folk were against him
and yielded with what grace he could
muster, declining, however, to have
anything to do with plasters and herb
| tea.
When Pilkington awakened the next
morning he was the unhappy victim OF
the worst headache he had ever had.
He attributed it to his mother-in-law' S
over-heated house. Miss Amelia de-
cided differently, and it seemed to Pix
ington that she gloated over his help
less condition. Foreseeing what was
in store for him, he groaned, then re-
Guided mustard footballs, hot-water
bags, flannel soaked in goose grease and
wound around his throat, and liberal
doses of herb tea.
"Old fashioned remedies are the best,
DEAR" Miss Amelia observed once with
a beaming face. She WAS in her element
and it loosened her heart strings and
made her actually aifectionate. When
Pilkington groaned by way of reply
ing, she flew for the camphor, his pet
adherence, and deluged him with it,
observing all the while; "Try to be
patient, John. A week of this thor
ough treatment will bring you out all
right"
Pilkington mentally decided that two
days of it would drive him insane. He
hailed with delight a precious moment
when he was left alone with the man
who had come to secure a rafting win
dow, and bribed him to send tele-
gram to Mrs. Pilkington.
The latter arrived to find her hus-
band in bed with his self-constituted
nurses mounting guard. But his joy
Gus "Hello, Milly. You are more well
come than the spring." reassIred her,
and presently she said, with a grateful
assumption of authority: Get right up,
Jack, and dress MS quickly as you can.
We must go home
"Your husbands Geath will be on
your head, MilIicent, if you take him
out of doors today" Miss Amelia said
in sepulchral tones,