The Democratic advocate., 1909-03-12


"Uh, well. | won't say nornlng more.
You'n Miranda go right ahead, and I'll
back you with natural gas enough to
run all France. guess It hairct for
me to mix In"
Just how Mrs. Parhins 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 a man. He introduced himself to
the victim and talked of America and
gas wells and dollars. There was en-
thuslasm 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.
strolled up a mountain path by him
self. A little later Mrs. Parklns 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 a bland
smile on his face. and he wns rubbing
his hands.
"Mr. Parlins, what have you done7"
asked the wife as she sat up In bed.
Have you been saying anything to his
lordshipT
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 hlmT'
"For sure. Yes. sir--had quite talk
with him"
Samuel Parkins. what did you
sayT asked the wife as she sat up
Btraighter and look Of fear came into
her eyes.
"What should ] say under the cir.
cumstancesf l 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, SamuelT'
'What else, par
Il offered him sos In cold cash"
Two shrieks shrieked out In chorus,
and two females went into mild bys-
terics only Miranda's was suspiciously
like laughter. while her mothers was
the real thing II was a long minute
that Mr. Perkins stood there, hands In
pockets and wondering what had hap.
pened. Then his wife forced back her
emotions and family asked.
"And-and- whatr'
And he took II and said, Thank
YET"
Two days later as they sat in the
train bound for home Mr. ParkIns no.
ticed tear stealing down Mrs. Par.
kiBs' cheek. He turned 10 her and
asked.
Amt you feeling clipper todayT'
"Chipper. Chipperl How could /
feel chipperT exclaimed Mrs. Parkins
IN fierce tones.
Dunno. but you mustn't blame me.
didn't know that he was n lord that
went about saving human lives for
cash on the nalll And, anyway, M
randa kin marry Joshua IiawIins 10
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."