Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1909-04-28
!. Ia 4&ural Gas
E Z ALEG4 Rs MARY
/: miranda. Al'l'f
Copyrighted, 1909. by Associated
Literary Press.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,

Mr.. Samuel Perkins, assisted by two
Italians. all with their coats and vests
off and perspiring profusely, was Dor
ing an artesian well on his farm.
Suddenly the drill was forced out of
the ground There followed a great
puff of vapor that had the odor Of bad
eggs and sulphur mixed together. Mr.
Perkins had struck a natural gas we'll
y month later Mrs. Perkins was say
ing to him.
Samuel remember that we spell
our name p-a-r-k-i-n-s; also that
month hence we sail for Europe.
We've got money. and we've got a
daughter Miranda. We are going to
give her a chance"
~ chance for what?" asked the hus-
band. who was trying to get used tC
wearing a collar and a coat around the
house.
ITO get polished up and to marry
some one worthy of her. You needn't
sit there thinking that a few weeks
ago Miranda was hanging out the
clothes. We've struck natural gas,
and that makes a difference. We sail
in four weeks"
Il did kinder think we might go to
Niagara Falls for week or So be-
gan Samuel as he rubbed his chin.
What's Niagara Falls to people with
money? What are they to Miranda?
Samuel Parkins. can't you realize that
you struck gas?"
Il know did"
I'VE are climbing for the top Of the
ladder. We can't be kept down.
Haven't you got it through your head
yet? It's Europe and polish. It's Eu-
rope and Il husband for Miranda. If
them Chicago butchers can take their
daughters to Europe and marry them
off to lords and dukes, why can't we?
Isn't natural gas just as high toned
as pork chops? You keep a coat on
and your shoes black and get used to
looking like somebody and leave the
rest to me-"
Mr.. Parkins would rather have sat
on the steps of the village and related
for the five hundredth time what his
emotions were when he struck gas,
but he was dragged off to Europe.
Miranda betrayed a surprising lack
| of interest, but Mrs. Parkins did the
thing with all her might She had ma
! tive wit and observation. Ry sitting
in corner most of the time and hav-
ing as little as possible to say the hus-
bard and father made out after fash
| ion
iii due time he even became inter
ested in things He became so inter
ested that one evening after they had
! been in London for Il fortnight he ask
ed his wife:
MARY. are we hitting the pike all
rightT
Hitting the pike" she repeated in
ScCrnful tones Samuel, cut the pike
ard ether things cut. Miranda and me
are watching ourselves every minute,
and you want to do the same Don't
you leave the spoon in the cuD wheE
you drink your coffee. and don't tuck
your table napkin clear up under your
ears. If you spoil A1iranda's chances
I'll never forgive YOU
but what | want to know is has
any felier come around yet?" persist
ed the husband.
''No net exactly. Put I've noticed
diTerc"t ere. locking at her and sorter
gin" Hrcu"d You leave that part oi
it to u. aud you t"nd to yours. When
ever YOU can. you just drop in a wore
about natural gas and millions"
"Ci. | won't spoil nObodys chances
| dIn't want to come at first. but
now tlI"t I've got over here | raytheI
ike it. Makes a Teller feel as if he
was somebody to have a boy ready al
every turn to brush of his coat
Il gue;S I'd lie proud to have a lore
or Il duke FIR Scn-in-law. That's Mi
ranGa's l3Wast fgger. hain't it? She
bAint coming over here and then take
" with 10 h"yseed:"
II was Paris after four weeks il
Lo"Gcn. and thnrc was a continual i'm
prOvement in the family. Miranda
and her mother picked up as much a,
one Frenh wcrd day. and the hus
band and father left his fears behind
him and assumed Il little swagger ant
pa.roHi:,irg air that sat we'll on him
lie had stru natural gas at HON
sim!ly " accident IIe reasoned tina
ne mi ut strike a husband for NIirand
abroad in the same WY. Therefor
whenever he came acroes any one VIII
would listen to him and who coul
speak English he introduced gas well
into the conversation.
1t was always in the plural. 1t wa
never one gas well, but half a dozeI
!, He also tried his best to sake tn
a head waiter understand the gas que,
ton, and If he did not succeed entirel
: he at least ELECTED the exclamation:
"Gas from the ground, mon dier
: And each well $1,OOOOOOl How 20
must suffer with so much money"
ayes, a heap of suffering, but l or
my teeth and stand it."
When Mrs. Parkins announced thS
they were to leave Paris for a resol
In the Alps, Mr.. Parkins had his Of
pOrtunity to ask: