The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-07-22


crunched away with cheerful resigna-
ton on these.
JIMMY" muttered Sam. hastily put
ting the uneaten cakes ON the nearby
stand. u feel as II I'd been eating
soap and meal; favored with beer!
What In time made ma bake cookies
Ike those? Ah-h-! I'm feeling awful
quoor-eort Of sick and pulled up and
funny all over! Jimmy! I'd give dol
lar II I dared sneak down TO mas
room and ask her for something to
take That gtrl sleeps right across
the ball from ma. though She'd see
me sure as fate Ah-h! I'm sicker-er
every minute,-
BY this time Sam was rolling about
IN hts bed. groaning with pain and
nausea His bead was bot and his
feet and hands were cold. He could
not get up for the swimming sensa-
ton In his head. and all he could DO
to help himself was to groan and toss
from one side to the other.
In the intervals Of his groaning
spells he thought he heard some one
moving quickly about In his parents
room Just beneath his. He wondered
IL his mother had heard him and was
coming to his relief In anguish Of
body and mind he strained his ears to
catch the sound Of approaching steps.
Come tn" be called, weakly, when
the longed-for knock sour ded on the
door. DO hurry. for mercy g sake!-
The door swung slowly open, as II
the knocker was strangely reluctant
to enter. A figure, rather hastily ar
rayed In blue kimono sprigged with
roses, her hair hanging In two thick
yellow braids down her back and her
feet encased In small blue velvet slip
pers. stood on the threshold. q candle
In one white hand and bottle and
spoon In the other.
oh" she exclaimed, the color rush.
ing over her small. hower-like face
as she met Sans Mortified stare
Your mother was called TO sit up
with O sick neighbor an hour ago, and
your father called me a minute ago
to see what was the trouble with you.
He said be had heard you groaning
and tumbling around for some time,
and he feared you were III. Y.you
know your father Is confined to his
bed. SO he could not come up here
himself, Oh, you are Iii. I'm sure!- -
she cried, q quick change coming over
her az she noticed for the first time
since her arrival the glassiness of
hfs eyes and tho scarlet flush In his
faca Let me feel your pulse!"
In few swift steps she reached the
bed and placed her cool fingers for a
brief space on his brawny wrist. Next
she felt the cleanliness OF his hands
and the heat Of his head, her manner
growing more and -1ore concerned.
What have you been eating?" she
presently asked. taking up the paper
sack and examining the contents.
Mercy on us!" she gasped. looking
wonderingly toward the patient.
Surely you knew better than to eat
yeast cakes!-
Yeast cakes!" thickly muttered
Sam. In astonishment II thought they
were funny. Sure to nse. I guess," he
added, with foriorn attempt at a
joke
The girl said no more Her energies
were occupied In dosing the patient
with mustard and warm water, ap-
plying hot water bottles to his feet
and IN Ice water bag TO his head.
At the end Of q strenuous hour Sam
was resting much better and his nurse
felt safe In leaving him for the re-
mainder VI the night
What Sans experience taught him.
during the time be lay there, tor.
mented with pain. watching the sym
pathetic face OF the Jealous little
nurse as she few In and out OF the
room with hot water. mustard, and
one thing and another for his better.
ment, was evinced by his conduct to-
ward the young visitor during the re-
mained OF her stay.
Looks mighty like Sam was spruc-
ing up like other fellows. ma" re-
marked Sans father. after his son
had spent Is minutes before the hall
mirror In a vain endeavor 70 get his
tie TO suit him. II don't know but
what he'll be plenty able to do his
own courtlng by the time Virginia
comes again"
And Sam. with tngling ears. stoutly
intmated his opinion that be would.