The Meeker herald., 1910-04-16
How Helmet His Fate

copyright, 1905. BY American Press Asso-
ctation.
Three friends dining At cafe were
chatting on the subject why certain
people fail to fulfill law Of nature In
mating One Of them, married MAJ.
after listening to all the others had to
say. spoke up:
Marriage II 4 matter which strikes
people the same ~ lightning docs.
Some are thrown together. some arc
kept apart. some 60 into It thoughtful
ly, some toboggan into It"
How did you happen to embark In
matrimony7' asked one Of the party.
"You speak as II you had had one Of
these experiences yourself"
"My own case IL peculiar. like other
young men. II they will admit It, ex-
perienced a longing for soma woman
who would be all In NIL to me. But, In
the first place. didn't think could
AFFORD wife, and. in the second, moth.
Ing occurred to attach me to any wo-
man. The day when I would get my
affairs In shape and make marriage .
ahead Of me.
II had reached the age Of thirty-nvs
without getting any nearer to settling
down In a home when one night. while
on a journey. found myself In bed
In hotel. One can't conceive Of any
probability Of more uniting place
for that memorable fate we have been
speaking of to start one Of its uatrt-
monial ventures. I was alone. lying
awake. did not know a person In the
city where I was. and It was mid
night.
II had been counting the strokes Of a
city clock when heard the door open
and the rustic of dress approaching
my bed. There were several matters
which would naturally have occurred
to me II there had been time. In the
first place. had forgotten to lock my
door: In the second, whoever had en-.
tered was not likely to he robl,er.
nor even a thief. for there was moth.
Ing stealthy in the entrance nor. the
approach. It was pitch dark. and I
could see nothing. could only hear.
A womnn's voice-it was sweet and
sounded sweeter in the loneliness Of
midnight said:
"'Sorry I've been so long. could
not help It. had to wake them up to
get into the Kitchen
81 naturally waited for develop
ments. A hand was slipped under the
bedclothes and something warm placed
on my stomach. Then the hand was
withdrn wn. and the voice said:
"T'll light the gas
Now, there wns something pleasant
In all this that I knew must cease I'M
der the light It was plain that had
been mistaken for sick man. and !
was in no hurry to disabuse the owner
Of the voice who had made the mis-
take.
"Don't.s said in q sort Of invalid
moan. Come and hold my handr
II heard her feeling for q chair.
which she drew to my bedside and,
sitting down. took my hand with one
Of hers while she passed the other
over my forehead. Not only were the
hands soft. but was quite aware
that SO long as It was dark I had q
soft thing I wanted to say some
thing. but feared my voice would give
me away. So I contented myself with
an occasional moan just to let her
know that l was not In q talking
mood. She encouraged me to believe
that would soon be better. and By
several things she said inferred that
she was nursing some one.
~ was thus luxuriating blissfully
when the thing she had put on my
stomach began to burn. presume II
my face could at that moment have
been seen 1t would have been vividly
expressive. Once the thing began to
burn 1t grew apace. and 1t was not
long before 1t felt as II a redhot iron
was being pushed about among my
entrnils.
"Did you ever hear Of the boy who
with one hand shoveled Ice cream into
mis- mouth and with the other held the
space between his eyes that the cold
made painful, crying all the whilef
Well, l was like that boy. l had never
before held q woman's soft hand at
night anywhere, certainly not In .
lonely hotel. and couldn't make up
my mind to let go. l knew ! had
some sort Of a plaster on and might
take 1t of with my loose hand, but she
would hear me and the situation would
be closed. The thing kept burning and
burning until could stand II no
longer.
"'Great scottv cried at last. start-
ing up. This is the fire Of purgatory.
II heard the scratch Of match. and
in an instant a gas Jet illumined the
room.
There stood girl In dishabilis-a
wrapper and pigtail. She looked at
me with holy horror. then exclaimed:
"'Good graciousr
".You must have got into the wrong
ROOM remarked.
..I should think TO-