The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-10-05

OCTOBER 5, 1905.
to some nervy rascal who would never
return it and thereby often leaving
himself in pinch.
"John," said Mrs. Blinkers, one day,
driven almost to desperation, "you
simply must stop loaning things to
these people. They take advantage of
your kindness. Where is that new
garden rake and hoe you bought the
day before yesterday"
"Why-I-I let Lunt Howe have them,"
stammered the unfortunate Blinkers.
81 expected as much, and you know
as we'll as do that Howe makes it
point to keep everything he borrows.
Now John," pleadingly, snake up
your mind that you aoiU refuse after
this. We are almost left destitute by
the work of your generosity, and your
kindness is not appreciated. If this
thing does not stop, John, we'll be
pauperized."
gall right, dear; I'll not lend single
thing any more," replied the devoted
husband, emphatically.
Yet when Byron, the village loafer
and tipler sideds up to him a few
moments later, and in his blandest
tones said: "Let's have five for spell,
will you Mr.. Blinkers ?" his hand flew
straight into his pocket; and fnding
that he had only four-eighty with him,
he even went into the butcher shop
and himself borrowed the lacking
twenty cents. When the crafty Bryson
had pocketed the money and disap-
peared, he vaguely remembered his
promise; but then it was too late. "It's
true," he muttered, 81 am slave of
my own confounded generosity"
And thus things went on. John
mended not a whit. His personal
assets disappeared peacemeal. His
wife scolded, wept and pleaded to no
avail.
1t was about this time that Mrs.
Blinkers' plastic brain began to formu-
late a deep, dark brown design where
by some of the property lent out by the
over-generous hubby might be re-
covered. She opened communications
with her relatives in the East. The
lines of care on her forehead began to
disappear, and her eyes take on their
wonted luster. But whatever her
scheme was, she was careful not to
utter syllable of 1t to her errine
spouse.
One evening as Mr.. Blinkers re-
turned from his work his wife met him.
all out of breath and with a telegram
in her hand. He tore the paper from
her hand, and read:
"John Blinkers, Juneville:-Come
at once! Accident at home and
fatality feared! Brother Ned"
"Great Scottp he cried. "Can it be
father, wonder?"
"Oh, l don't know, John. You had
better 60 ut once"
eyes, but there's no train tonight p
"Not on this road; but there is on
the other. You can walk over tC
Barden, it's only five miles, and take
the 1890 train from there. And dc
hurry. You haven't minute to lose.'
So she hustled him off in the dark
ness on his long journey to his ole
home in the East.
The next morning old Bryson, who
was "layin' for" Mr.. Blinkers tt
"touch him up for few" wondered
muchly why the last named gentle
man failed to appear at his Gus
tomary hour. He wondered som,
more when he saw Doc. Whelan, in
strument case in hand, hurry towar(
the Blinkers residence. Blinker's sick
He must be, else why the doctor? Ii
exactly one quarter of an hour al
, Juneville knew that Mr.. John Blinker
was seriously ill, although not a wore
I had been given out from the supposed,
J stricken home. "Taken suddint like,
! they said. "Too bad; such a goo,
: hearted Teller, too. What's the trouble
: do you knowY "Shivers and spasms
a they say" and many other unwarrsnt
8 ed remarks. The doctor was only hel,
D up for particulars. The medical mai
J. looked very grave. He shook his hea'
: hopelessly. "Csn't just diagnose th
0 case. Very little hope. Wife on tn
q verge Of collapse" were the doctor
Q curt replies.
I'll But when toward evening they SAY
. the reyerened Justin Smykes enter tn
X. ~