Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-02-02
RETURNING THE COMPLIMENT

had landed in Tasmania i'll the SOS to
make his fortune. but his only start
toward that end was a small sum of five
shillings and siXpence reposing in the
pocket of somewhat shabby pair of
trousers. lie had heard of men who had
! landed in the colonies with only four
shillings. and left it immensely wealthy
! lie was a clear eighteen pence ahead of
these, and by his hopeful expression
when he had stepped ashore, one might
have supposed that fortune stared him
in the face.
He started from a small port and
| tramped up country toward the newly
opened gold fields some ninety miles
away. getting a little work at the farms
and orchards as he went. Before he had
gone halfway, however, he was taken i'll,
and though he struggled on bravely, his
! head began to throb and his bones to
ache in a way that told him he had con-
! tracted some fever. With dismay he rec
objected that typhoid was not uncommon
in the marshy husbands during the sum-
mer months. More than once, too, he
had drunk from the clear but stagnant
pools Of rain water lying in the open
spaces-the surest way to catch the dis
ease.
The sun was setting, when, with a
brain yerging on delirium and body
racked with pain, he stumbled on a large
homestead with English fruit trees and
hedges. 1t was set in fertile valley,
and offered pleasing picture of flower
ing mimosa and bluegum. He descended
the hillside and took a path that led
through an orchard to the house His
brain reeled as he went, and he was not
sure whether the figure of a girl gather
ing golden ounces from a tree nearby
was mere than a beautiful image of his
delirium. She turned sweet face with
dark, tender eyes toward him as she was
reaching for the fruit. and he, thinking
that some forms of delrium were very
pleasant, after all, raised his hat and
passed on.
In few moments he reached the door
OF the homestead and said to the white
haired, motherly looking woman who
opened it to him, Il have no money.
have no food. Will you give me some
thing to eat, and let me sleep in your
hayloft?''
She looked at him kindly, and said
You look very i'll. Wait. / win call my
husband"
In answer to her summons her hus-
band appeared gray bearded man
with shrewd eyes. He cast severe
scrutiny upon the man at the door.
Then his face softened, and he said kind
ly: Can we help you in any way? You
certainly require more than meal and
a sleep in the hayloft, if looks are any
thing to 90 by. What ails your"
My head is on fire." said Fenton, now
forced to confess his sufferings. 81 ache
in every limb. will not deceive you.
think | have some fever!"
The settler, who was man of few
words, took him by the wrist and felt
his pulse. Then he laid his hand on
his brow, and finally turned to his help.
meet.
Hes right, wife" he said. Hes cot
it right enough!" Then, speaking to Fen.
ton. he added 1--WE get to know typhoid
at sight when we have seen it carry oil
some of our own
Fenton looked into the old mans soft
ening gray eyes and said: Il am sorry
that | come to remind you of anything
sad!
The settler interrupted him and drew
him inside the house while speaking ia
his wife. Run, dear, and get a bed
ready. Madge can get him a cup of hot
broth, while | send Jim for the doctor!
Where is Madge?"
Il saw her down in the garden gath.
ering ounces said Fenton. half in de.
lirium, as he collapsed in heap on a
low stool against the wall
When he came 10 there was Il smell of
brandy about his moistened lips, and the
first thing he saw was the sweet face
he had seen among the ounces. A wish
OF Madge's ruddy brown hair hall
screened her cheek, but the bright fire
on the open hearth beyond made warn,
picture of her lovely face as she msied
herself making the broth.
The angel of his delirium seemed tbc
bright center of all his wanderipqs from
, that time forward. For since his FIRST
collapse his brain went reeling away
ana for days and weeks he ramblaj on
, about ounce trees and girl named
= Madge, whom he seemed to worship
, Days passed into weeks and the doc.
tor gave little hope of his recovery. The
, ieNg must almost have reached its eli.
/ max octore he arrived at the homestead
ana was put to bed Several veal,.
more, however. showed that, with careful
nursing, ne would live. And when This
bulletin wa, issued to the bousoboId
I Nodg' developed light i'm her eve.
Nhleh was perhaps set there by the con.
N'lonNnesS Of having done GOOD action
hut Vet did Nnt soon, omit,