The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-08-04
A CASE OF
~ GRIP
i By EMILE RUcK DE ScHELL
AnR. LOUISE ALDEN, I ask you for
the last time, will you marry

~ 'ne last ''in'
Attorney Bernard Holme. I answer
you for the last time, NO." "a sr>'
There was slamming OF doors and
scurry of feet on the stairs. There was also
a CLEAN of wrath in pair OF fine black
eyes and a smile of amusement in a pail
of tranquil blue ones. The question ano
answer had been repeated so often that
they had lost much of their significance
and all of their romance.
Before the young attorney had gone
half block he halted abruptly, turned
and retraced his steps. Louise had
meanwhile taken up ponderous tome
on nervous diseases and was intent on
the study of a perplexing case when
q series of vociferous sneezes greeted
her from. the outer office. sa
IT didn't come here to make fool OF
hyself," Mr. Holme began. as lie
thrust his head in at the door. L came
to get you to dose me up. have taken
a wretched cold-sneezed 70 times by the
clock this afternoon, and ache all over
in spots, as If had been sleeping on
the rock pile. Now don't you dare tell
me that 1t Is the grip"
Poke out your tongue, little boy.
Here, you may smoke up while I count
your pulse" and she placed the bulb OF
q tiny thermometer beneath his tongue.
Call it what you like. but 1t is influenza
Just the same, and a good round case
of It, with danger of pneumonia, heart
disease, and other complications. Go
straight home this minute and have
your mother make you barrel Of hot
lemonade Boil your feet for an hour
and then turn into bed and stay there
until you sweat it nut. Yes, and you
must take one of these every two hours, "
and the woman counted out II huge tab
lets.
"All right. doctor. I'd as soon die by
your hand as by that of any other men,
Der of your murderous profession. BY
the way, you must have me we'll before
Trix comes. So you were in earnest
when you said must fall in love with
herr"
Certainly, and marry her-if she'll
have you. She looks exactly as did
when you proposed to me dozen years
ago Trix is IS, and ought to have
no difficulty in curi"g you of your ridi-
culous infatuation for an old maid Of
80. neglected to tell you that she will
arrive tomorrow, instead Of next week. 4"
"And I neglected to tell you that
have already met your niece" her COM
panion returned, in tone that seemed
to her as unnecessarily flippant. "She
was in the same sleeper with me when
/ went from Albany to Boston last week.
While the porter was making up her
berth she came and sat with me, and, of
course, we chatted. recognized her by
her resemblance to you, and had no diff
Guilty in verifying my suspicion. I'm
afraid I should have fallen in love with
her on the spot if it had not been for
the contemplate disloyalty to you"
NONSENSE" Louise calculated. 60
home and take your medicine, or you
won't be able to see her tomorrow even
ing" and she resumed her study as II
she were quite alone. For an hour after
the door closed behind her too persistent
lover, she tried to read. For some un-
accountable reason the words conveyed
no meaning. A sentence that at any
other time would have been perfectly lu-
cid had to be read again and again before
she could grasp its significance. At
length, disguised with herself, she threw
aside the book, ordered her carriage, and
went out to make some professional
calls. When she returned it was quite
dark, and the telephone was ringing fu-
riously. It was Mrs. Holme. and in q
voice full of excitement she announced
that Bernard was very i'll, in a raging
fever, and that he was going on like a
crazy man."
Bernard in delirium!" the physician
cried, and for the first time in her pro-
fessional career she lost her wits. The
carriage had been dismissed, and, in a
tremor Of fright she ran-yes, actually
ran TO the home Of the man for whom,
not an hour ago. she had told herself she
cherished only sincere friendship. As
she entered the sick mans room, he
stretched out both his hands, and with
q hollow laugh, he exclaimed: 'Trixie,
my darling, have you come at last!"
With that he seized her hand and pressed
it to his fevered cheek. How have
been longing for you" he continued
And to think that she thought all the
time wanted her. Bah, she's a cranky
Old maid, and blue-stocking in the bar
gain. I was foolish enough to think I