Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-10-18
The Case of
 Jacob Rhine.
By NANCY BRENT.
Copyrighted. 1907. by Homer Sprague.

ONNNsNNNNsNsNNNSNeN Miss Mary eyed the best tableclotl closely. She decided it hung an incl longer on the end next the kitchel door. She straightened it conscien tiously, then gave her attention to tht spoons.
 ! Since it was an impossibility to set {
 table for twelve people and put a sil yer spoon at each place, the number of real silver spoons possessed being
 seven, it behooved her to decide upon which guests the honor was to be be- slowed. Mrs. Judge Brown must have one of the real silver ones because-no one
 in Brownsville would have thought of
 offering her anything except their best
 Miss Josephine Dwight must be one of
 the honored ones. It might keep her
 from telling next day that there were
 five pewter ones.
 She finally arranged it to her satis-
 faction, the pewter ones falling to her
 self, to the schooteacher to Uncle
 Lem Whittey and little William Bos- we'll
 When John Tweedy and his wife ar
 rived Miss Mary eyed them interroga-
 lively.
 | Pa Tweedy had rheumatism come
 on him." explained Mrs. John, "and
 couldn't come. I left the baby home
 with him. That's one comfort"
 I'm sorry your pa couldn't come'-
 Miss Mary looked at the vacant seat at the table-''for the turkeys done to a turn, and it seems kinder lonesome for him to have dinner alone on New Years day"
 knock at the door caused her to excuse herself. The maid of all work was at the critical point of coffee mak- ing, and Miss Mary herself went to l the door.
 The old man standing there, a stran- ger, looked at her in dazed manner.
 ''Im mighty cold and mighty hun gry," he said tinidly. 'I wonder if you would give me a little dinner"
 Miss Mary's tender hearted hospital ity was instantly his to command.
 You just come right on in," her cheery tone making him sure of wei come. Il was right proper worried about having that vacant place at the table"
 When, after dinner, the unexpected guest fell ill the company bedroom was at his disposal. In the weeks illness that followed Miss Mary lowered over him with good natured anxiety, and when he unexpectedly died from a heart attack she declared that the poor man should not be buried by the coun- ty-she didn't think she would miss it forever if she paid for a decent flu neral out of her savings.
 Judge Brown came over the day the | old man died and had a long talk with | her.
 "We know you don't charge for talk ing care of him. Mss Mary he ar gued, but the pension certificate ! found in his pocket shows he was an | old soldier, and the government is able to bury its soldiers
 She listened reluctantly. But hate to be so uncharitab ble." she said slowly. '1 wonder if the poor fellow had any folks"
 That's just it!' the judge exclaimed. 'lf you send in a claim for burial eX- penseS the commissioner of pensions will be able to notify his people if they're hunting for him."
 The judge argued successfully A few days later he came with dusty volume of pension laws. accompanied by the ministers, Peters the notary and by Mrs. Judge Brown herself.
 I've want to fix this up in regulation style" he said jOcosely. "and when me and Peters get through drawing up this claim and the minister and Mrs. Brown witness it. it ought to be as legal document as they ever handled in Washington"
 After the document was posted Miss Mary and Brownsville-man woman and child-fOund it a topic for conversa- ton while they awaited the outcome.
 It came sooner than Miss Mary ex- pected. It knocked at Miss Mary's door one night, and when she answer ed. lamp fin hand, she found a man in an Overcoat of unmistakable city cut. who took off his hat in way that filled her with admiration.
 My name is Rhine." he said in ex- planation. Il believe it was in your house my father died"
 She led the way to the sitting room. bits of information and 
 T hope you won't think wanted to be paid for nursing him. bcT cOmely face flushing with sensitiveness, but the judge said ought tO."
 I'm glad you did" he responded heartily. Tt was the way we located Iim. I'm travelling man. and my ia ther lived at the soldiers home When came back from my trip and found that he had wandered from the home In state Of mesnncbslia, you can i'm lSine how l felt" You sit right down and take of yOur OvercOat. While you are warming I'll heat the coffee and fix you little snack. know you are hungry after TOUT drive through the cold l always lid say Brownsville was the meanest ,lace on earth to get to. It's ten milo lrive from any direction you try to each it.''
 Miss Mary. freed from anxiety that h.sv- vr-orrrI ru@ r-n -nrrssH x--aE TavSzh