Graham guardian., 1909-09-10


be made up 10. | catch your mean
hg, however. and In order that yoy
may not use any more such expires
lions let me say that I'm not worry
Ing"
You mean
81 mean that we are going to Swift
zerland to stop for month or more al
the same hotel with a lord"
by George, but you don't mean itr
exclaimed the husband. "How In
thunder did you bring 1t about?'
"Samuelr
Eyes, but that's cute trick of yours.
You'll have him penned right up"
samuel Parkinsp' cried the wife as
she flushed up.
"0h, well, l won't say nothing more.
You'n Miranda so right ahead, and I'll
back you with natural gas enough to
run all France. | guess 1t hain't for
me to mix I'M
Just how Mrs. Parkins located the
lord doesn't matter. For FIVE franc
piece Partisan chambermaids have
been known to locate a whole duke.
He wasn't registered as lord, but
that wasn't expected. He would be
incog Mr.. Parkins took 1t that any
of the forty men around the hotel
might be his lordship, but the wife,
with the keener intuition of her SEX
spotted the right man within twenty
four hours.
Then Mr. Parkins came to the front
like man. He introduced himself to
the victim and talked of America and
gas wells and dollars. There was en-
thusiasm in his voice as he talked of
the gas that would continue to pour
out of the earth for centuries to come,
and he worked up considerable pathos
over the admission that he hadn't
enough wells to supply over half the
United States. Mr.. Parkins had done
his full share. The rest devolved upon
other shoulders.
A day or two later his lordship
strolled up mountain path by HIM
self. A little later Mrs. Parzins and
Miranda strolled up the same path.
His lordship was overtaken just In
time to rescue Miranda from walking
out on an overhanging rock that would
have surely given way with her weight
and dropped her into the valley a mile
below.
The half fainting girl and the shat
tered mother were assisted down the
path to the hotel, and Mr.. Parkins
found them In bed to recover from the
shock. He heard the story and then
rushed downstairs. When he appeared
half an hour later there was bland
smile on his face, and he was rubbing
his hands.
"Mr. Parkins, what have you doneF
asked the wife as she sat up In bed.
"Have you been saying anything to his
lordship?"
"Now, don't you folks get into a
sweat about me-" replied Mr.. Parkins.
"Mebbe haven't polished up quite as
fast as you have over here, but know
when to do the right thing for all
that"
"And you've seen the lordT
II have"
"And talked with himT
"For sure. Yes. sir-had quite talk
with him."
Samuel Parkins, what did you
sayf" asked the wife as she sat up
straighter and look of fear came into
her eyes.
"What should say under the cir
cumstances? | thanked him from the
bottom of my heart for saving Miriam
da's life, You don't think spoke
about the weather, do your"
""And what else, Samuel?"
"What else. pa?"
81 offered him S25 in cold cash."
Two shrieks shrieked out In chorus,
and two females went into mild hys-
terics, only Miranda's was suspiciously
like laughter, while her mothers was
the real thing. 1t was long minute
that Mr.. ParSins stood there, hands in
pockets and wondering what had hap
pened. Then his wife forced back her
emotions and family asked:
"And-and-whatf"
"And he took 1t and said, Thank
yer"
Two days later as they sat in the
train bound for home Mr.. Parkins no
ticed tear stealing down Mrs. Par.
kins' cheek. He turned to her and
asked.
"Ain't you feeling clipper todayT
"Chipper! Clipper! How could l
feel chipperT exclaimed Mrs. Parkins
III fierce tones.
Dunno, but you mustn't blame me.
/ didn't know that he was lord that
went about saving human lives for
cash on the nail! And, anyway, Mi
randa kin marry Joshua Rawlins to
home. He writes to me that he's going
to give up farming because he's struck
gas too"
And Miranda squeezed his hand and
whispered, you do everything just
right, pa"