Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-21

CHAPTER XV-Continued.

through the main street: going it lick
etty-cut and scandalizng the neighbors.
and soaring old women into conniption
fits. Deacon Patterson had a new horse.
and the deacon happened to be setting
in his buggy in front of the Boston Dry
Goods and Variety Store when the racers
went by. The racket scared the critter
and he bolted. and there was the deacon
going down the road in the middle of
the race. hol!ering Whoa! to beat the
cars. with his hat off and his hair a
flying. Lots of the sewing-circle women
saw him. and twas town talk for weeks.
The deacon was going to have the Twins
took up and sent to Jail. but he didn't
He prayed for EN- in meeting instead.
Van Bruht got another letter. from
Agnes pretty quick after the race: Shed
heard about 1t and she give him fits.
Why was It necessary for him-she didn't
mention Martin-to shock the community
and public opinion? She wanted to know
that and other things similar. He read
little of the letter to Hartley. and that's
how I heard it.. I'd have heard more.
probably. only Hartley got up and walked
off. And he was blue as milestone for
the rest Of the day.
I guess the Talford girl want quite so
shocked. Anyhow me and Van met her
up in the village one afternoon and she
wanted to know all about the race.
II should like to have seen that old Mr..
Patterson" says she. He is always so
very solemn and pompous. 1t must have
been killingly funny"
Van told her the yarn, trimming it up
fine, as usual and they laughed and had
lots of fun over 1t. He went around with
her shopping all the afternoon and l was
forgot altogether. I didn't mind. 1 don't
banker for famousi. oss. and the way the
small boys followed Van Brunt around
and pointed at him aid snickered was too
popular altogether. l cal-late he'd been
preached up to them young ones as a
horrible example till they envfed him
most as much as if he was a pirate.
Ozone Island was chock-full of secrets
and whisperings by this time. Van kept
up his little side t. ks and backyard
confabs with Scudier and Hartley
seemed to have caught the disease. l see
him and Nate looking mysterious at each
other and meeting together In out-of-the-
way places time and time again. And
the mail was getting heavier. and there
was half-burned telegram envelopes In
the stove ashes more once. But NOBODY
ever mentioned getting a telegram.
There was so much reading matter
round the place now that Eureka was
in her glory. She read when she got
breakfast. with book propped up on the
kitchen table. She read when she busted.
holding the dust cloth in one hand and
magazine in t'other. She read when she
ate. She went upstairs at night reading.
and l wouldn't wonder if she read in her
sleep.
Washy had been pretty decent. for
in his new quarters. But his decency
didn't last long. He begun to fuss and
find fault and grOan and howl Miss
Page sent him nice things to eat-and he
always ate EN- every speck himself-and
medicine. which he took about spoonful
OF and then said 'twan't helping him
none and give it up. He yelled for Eu-
reka every few minutes, and she'd have
to drop her work and run and wait on
him. He was pesky outrage and every
body hated him. including Van, who said
that he was common nuisance. 'and If
'twa'nt for his promise to Agnes he'd
abate him with a shotgun.
One day Eureka comes out on the
and says she: -
"Mr. Van Brunt. would you and Mr..
Hartley be willing for me to cure pap
Cure him." asks Van. surprised. Cure
him? Yes. indeed. Or kill him either"
he adds. under his breath
Hartley didn't say nothing. He never
spoke to old man Sparrow now nor Of
him. fars that went.
IAN right" Eureka says. THANK YOU"
Whats the cook got up her sleeve
concerning the afflicted parent?" asks
Van of me.
IT don't know" says I. And 1 didn't.
That afternoon Eureka got me to help
her lug the haircloth lounge from the
pdTlOT OUT W lIe spar Silcu Tie
one we didn't use. Twas a little ten by
six building that Marcellus- had for
tool house. and the shingles was falling
of and the roof and sides full of cracks
and knotholes. We set the lounge down
in there.
I'm going to tell YOU" says she. Mr..
Hartley said could have the lounge
Then she told me what her plan was.
Twas a mighty good one. and l prom
tee To hall >o1o
supper time.
That evening we was all In the dining
room. The weather had changed lately.
and the nights was chilly and windy.
'Twa'n't' pleasant enough for the Twins
to be on the porch. and Washy had come
down from his room and was all punched
up in front of the stove In the kitchen
Eureka was just finishing the dishes. All
of a sudden heard her say:
PA. don't s'pose you feel we'll enough
to go to work."
1 could hear her dads feet come down
off the stove hearth with a thump. He
started to speak, and then. remembering
himself. he coughed, as hollow. as an
II asked" Eureka goes on. because l
saw Mr.. Brown yesterday. and he said
you could have that job at the hotel any
time you wanted It,.
Hotel job!' hollers Washy How long
do you cal'late I'd last Juggling bricks
and digging? Amt you satisfied to see
me slipping into the grave day by day.
without wanting to shove me under all
at -once?'
mo, knew you want fit to work. But
pa. I've been hoping to find a way to cure
you some day. and now I've learned the
way. And I'm going to try it,
Washy coughed again. l was listening
with all my ears, and l see the Twins
doing the same.
Cure? Humph!" shifts the old man.
I'm past curing. darter. Don't you
worry about me. Let me die, that's ALL
let me die. Only I hope 'twont be too
slow. Cure! The doctors give me up
long spell ago.
doctors give you up! What doctors?
Nobody but Penrose. and you've said
more'n a thousand times that he want
no doctor. I've been reading up lately
and / know how real doctors cure folk
1T amt no use begins her dad
She cut him short.
your case is kind of mixed up. pa
says She I'm free to say. owing to your
consumption being complicated with ner-
vous dyspepsy. But I've made up my
mind to start in on your lungs and kind
of work round to your stomach. You
listen to this.
She come in the dining room and took
a magazine out Of the chest of drawers
Then she opened to a place where the leaf
was turned down, and went back to the
kitchen.
Consumption, pa she says. "ain't
cured by medicine no more. Not by the
real DOCTORS it amt. You say yourself
that all Miss Pages medicine amt done
you no good. Fresh air night and day is