Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-15

IL
and twice he dreamed that he was
standing on scaffold with a moose
about his neck. He began to grow
thin and haggard, and as Aunt Com
fort would call it, "wofully peaked
And now ensued a most ludicrous
game of cross-purposes, for there
wasn't an ache or pain suggested by
Aunt Comfort that he didn't have.
The comedy was of short duration,
however, for the chance to dose some
one was consolation to Aunt Comfort,
and she acted promptly.
Stick out your tongue" she said to
Meier, and red and healthy specimen
shot out of his face.
"Nothin' the matter with yer STUN
mick ez | kin see," she calculated,
feeling Of his hands, ON no signs o.
fever. You say your head aches, n
back, n legs, n you sartainly amt
eatin' naturally. Do We hev cold cnills
up n down yer spine?"
"Yessum,' responded Meier, eagerly.
Feel dizzy?"
Cali the time"
Sick to yer stummick?"
"Yessum"
bad dreams, you say?"
"Yessum"
well, yer gittin' bilyus," returned
Aunt Comfort, wiping her specs" on
her apron, adjusting them and pulling
one of the invalid's eyelids down
Let's see your tongue agin."
For moment she scanned it, and
{, then added, You want a good dose of
thorough-wort n 1 guess I'll begin
with lobelia," and she started for the
attic.
Its Gurus" she observed to Angie,
after Meier had swallowed his dose
of lobelia tea without murmur and
FASTENED out of the kitchen, 81 never
saw that boy SO willin' ter take medi-
cine afore, nm yet he amt got no
signs, 'ceptin' loss of appetite n a
leetle yaller round the eyes. Must be
Suthin' comm on, though
If there was, she took prompt, Wig
orous methods to head it off, however,
and gave Meier no rest.
At first he had dreaded discovery
and dreamed of hanging, but inside of
tive days, persistent course of
thoroughwort, catnip, opodeldoc and
lobelia, again varied by hot applica-
tions of burdock leaves and pepper
tea, had made prison seem a blessed
escape from trouble, and vinegar taste
sweet
BY this time Meier was sick in ear
nest, and Aunt Comfort, somewhat
him, and after Aunt Comfort had re-
counted the remedies she had tried, he
laughed.
you've both had a good time,
guess" he said, land the boy won't
soon forget it, but there's nothing the
matter with him.
Aunt Comfort was not convinced.
however, and though Meier began to
eat again, she watched him contin-
uously for more symptoms, and his
dread returned
For some years it had been Angles
custom to devote a few Saturday aft
ernoons to outdoor excursions, usu-
ally taking Meier along for company
and protection. In spring they went
after arbutus, cowslips, water-cress,
and later for strawberries and other
summer fruits. In autumn, when the
woods were brown and golden, nut
gathering was the incentive, and then
Meier was Indispensable They had
been out twice since Martin had gone
away, and now when Saturday came
again, she took Meier and started once
more, and never was the boy more
grateful for the chance To HMM
spite of his mischievous nature Angie
was the one person whom he most
shrine he worshipped. He had by this
time become SO reduced in spirits
thanks to ''arbs"-that he felt the alb
solute need of making some one his
confidante. He had, in fact, kept his
awful secret as long as possible, and
to no one but Angie would he or could
| he dare confess it. Like the young
Indian he was, however, he always ap-
preached all things by circuitous
routes, and when they were well away
from the village this autumn after
noon, and while poking away the rust
ling leaves in search of nuts, he be-
| gan.
DO you s'pose twas a ghost as
scared old David the night he ruined
away?" he asked.
why, no" answered Angie, curious
at once, and knowing Meier never
asked question without an object,
there are no such things as ghosts"
"Wus it An1zi come back n peekin'
in, do We think?"
mo, that isn't possible" came the
sober answer
"Wus it n Injun, do We s'pose?"
There are no Indians about here, u
responded Angie, with aroused sus-
picions, and looking sharply at Meier
1T might have been a bad boy, !
know, dressed up as an Indian. Who
do you think it WASP"
Meier, kneeling on the ground
looked furtively up at Angie, and ther
suddenly became absorbed In his