Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-01-14

bills. Then, even in that worried mo-
ment the doctor smiled. He had re-
membered Joe Riley's $500.
AS the months had piled themselves
up into years after Joe's operation,
this promised bonanza had been the
pet dream-castle built by the doctor
and his mother in their twilight talks;
the family joke of the saner breakfast
hour. And yet only last week when
the doctor had preached the subject
to Joe anew there had seemed a
definite purpose in the latter's y as
he begged Norton to wait until the
first of the coming month. The first
of September-why, that was to-day!
OF course nothing would come of it,
but his despair clutched at even a
straw of hope, and Ticking Molly B.
with his whip he FASTENED toward the
toll-gate, passing under its lifted
white arm into Ce~nteryille, one of the
little squat, one-story towns dotting
Cloverdale county, over which the
doctors practice sprawled.
Old farmer White, his legs in faded
blue overalls twisted about a key of
nails, was ornamenting the platform
in front of Watson's as the doctors
buggy drew up.
Hello, Pete!"
Hello yourself, Doc!"
The doctor leaned out of the buggy,
peeping in through the open door to
a laughing group of men lolling over
a counter.
Say, Pete" he called, TASK Joe
Riley to come out here a moment, will
you? want to speak to him"
"Sure!' was the ready answer, but
instead Of entering the store he sham
bled down the steps and approached
the buggy, giving a low chuckle with
the same shutting quality as his walk,
Heard the news about him. Door
Pete pulled the question out slowly
with rising rings of smoke from the
pipe.
Norton shook his head.
Had a windfall. Brother dead in
Californy. Left Joe $4,000. Ainr
that what you call luck?" The
chuckle shuf1ied through his speech
punctuating it with dashes. I'll
weren't paid in till to-day, but Joe
knew it vas a-coming a week or more
ago. He's celebrating now by treat
ing the boys to drinks. T." He
stopped, suddenly conscious of the
Doctors absent-minded gaze.
The doctor sat silent, a shining
light in his eyes. He was not a pray
ing man, but there had been crises In
his professional life when his hear
uplifted to the Supreme Mystery II
words Of praise unspoken by his sh,
lips. And now he felt that a power
outside himself, above, beyond him
self, had laid a divine gift In the out
stretched hand Of his necessity.
Riley had known Of his legacy a
their last meeting-that had been the
meaning then Of the definite purpose
in his eye when he had asked the doc
tor to wait
The laughter trailed from the shol
to the sidewalk, and Joe Riley stalket
pompously toward the buggy, TIL,
boys in his triumphant wake.
well. Doc.' said Riley with bolster
Gus joyiality, what is 1t to.day-tea
oats, or a clothes-wringer?"
The doctor laughed. Il guess It'll
congratulations first, isn't Il, Joe?"
"Pete's been ~leaking?" Riley play
fully slapped the mans shoulder.
There followed a general exchange
Of ~bantering pleasantries, then in |
little drift Of silence the doctor sale
genially: so this legacy was in you
mind a week ago, Joe, when vol
asked me to wait to settle that littlt
business affair Of onrs9"
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