The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-07-28
POOR JOHN
POUCHER
Certain Signs That Made Him
Feet M.

I
shrewd look at the parlor carpet and,
| dragging himself into the sitting,
room, sank into his easy chair with
| a shock that shook the house
! What's the matter john" cried
! Mrs. Poucher, running in. You
! aren't sick, are your
He turned to her a patient look OF
! suffering and tried to smile.
| Tired" he gasped, at last, Tired!
| Oh, let me alone; let me aione," He
tried to pull his hand away, but he
seemed 10 have no more strength
than baby, and when he found thar
| he couldn't release his hand he
turned his face to the wall like poor
stricken creature that wishes to suf'
fer In secret
You work too hard" cried Mrs.
Poucher. "You1l kill YOURSELF All,
John you shouldn't work SO hard
/ You should let the others al the office
do some Of it. You mustn't do your
own work and theirs, too"
They impose upon You. joint" con
| tinued Mrs. Poucher, still lamenting,
You're too good natused! Let them
work, Let them see how they like it,
! All those men, and you doing all the
work! II isn't fair. Poor john" she
murmured Poor old joint"
And the back of bis head took upon
itself a certain satisfied appearance.
and as his breathing grew less labored
| Mrs. Poucher ran TO put his slippers
| on the stove 10 warm. and when she
rau back Johns face was no longer
turned 10 the wall. but he was staring
/ straight before him with the uuseeinq
| eyes of exhaustion And | wish to say
/ that Mrs Poucher worked over him
ard petted him, and made much OF
! tim. and lamented over him; yes. and
I took his shoes off and ministered unto
him, and coaxed him TO sit at The
/ table. and fed him with tid.bits, and
when at last he began 10 make few
speaking slowly and choos
ing his words with dificulty-the COCO
woman almost wcpt with JOY and be
came quite garrulous In her happi
ness,
~Gh. tchn. she said I've done
such a lot to-day. There's always Sc
much TO do on the first day of sprins
bouse.c1eaning. you know and--what'.
the matter. John? Oh, dear, is It com
Ing on arain?"
1t will pass over, sighed
tohn. Don't worry!"
It's too bad you're so tired sai'
| Afr~. Fv'tt, h--, Aoap In mobilization am
not noticing him for a moment; "
was counting on getting the parlo
carpet up to-night-John'"
She noticed him then, all right ant
when she had got him back in his cas-!
hair II was with difficulty that h,
restrained her from running for thu
dpctor.
No no ". he said
Never mind | se'
hat the people down tn,
street go. had a colored mar
+" (his voice was very weak anC
she had 10 lean over him to catch hi
words4 taking up their car
pets this morning
Il wonder if We could get him" sh'
eagerly cried.
IN see about IT in the mornini
If I'm able he sighed
ard he c!osed his eyes as though tn
fort had been too much for him
John. she said. will you have
H'tle more to eat?"
1T w0nld choke me-" he gasped
oh. dear" she cried. And I mad
such a beautiful lemon pie this after
con- Left al my housecleaning an
eaac it special"
I | feel go hollow" sal
Ichn. in faint voice. Il
-e ever felt ike this before"
win you have another slice q
hcef?" she asked.
John shook his head but kept hi
eyes on her with a durnb plcadin
look that said: "Cptechiee me furthe
along these same lines, I beg"
Another spoonful Of potatoes?'
John shook bis head. but continue
TO look
Another cup of Coffee
NO" breathcd John. "lf you onl
lad something little sou
She hustled into the pantry an
, John treated himself to priyat
smirk and made ready his mousl 70
pic. she hustled back. carefully cal
rying a spoon in her hand.
Now hold your head back and ope
your mouth" she said
What what? - BE-
, gan John, feebly, trying to keep he
! away with his knees
It's a spoonful OF vinegar"
: She beamsd Just the thing Mic
and sour. Come. now
a TITS too sour." shuddered John.
I shall put a little water in it?"
5 1T it isn't filling enough
He fell back. his eyes closed and hi
:. lips moved Hastily drinking the vin'
= gar herself in order not TO spill /
I Mrs. Poucher leaned over him an
. caught these words. uttered almost ul
n consciously. and in that spiritual viii
i rer with which the body sometime
Q tolls the inward needs of the soul
II Lemon pie ., Len
q ~, MIC