The evening world., 1913-11-10

ana can COMBINE them properly, Whicn
Isn't common. And when folks came
back I could call them At once. II
would do your heart good to see some
politician. coming up to rest his stomach
from the free bar In the State House
at the capital. enter the spring-ho uss
whepe everybody IL playing cards and
drinking water and not caring q ZAP
whether he's the man that cleans the
windows or the Secretary OF the Navy.
II he's been there before. in sixty sec-
onds I have his name on my tongue
and glass OF water In his hand. and
have asked him about the rheumatism
In his right knee and how the children
are. And In ten minutes he's sitting in
a bridge game and trotting to the spring
20 have his glass refilled during his
dummy hand, as II he'd grown UP In
tho place. The old doctor used to say
my memory was an asset to the sana-
torium.
lie depended on me a good bit--ths
old doctor did-and that winter he was
pretty feeble. Tile was only seventy,
but he'd got In the habit Of making 1t
eighty to show that the mineral water
Kept him young. Finally he got to
being eighty. from thinking It. and he
died Of senility In the end)
He was in the habit of coming to the
spring house every day to get his morn
Ing glass of water and read the papers.
For a good many years II had been his
custom to sit there. In tho winter by
the wood fire and in the summer Just
inside the open door. and t. read of
the headings alosd while ! cleaned
around the spring and polished glasses.
Il See the President Is going fishing.
Minnie" he'd say, or "Airbrake Is up
to 1888; wish I'd bought 1t that time
i II Az " n1 a
persuaded me not to. Minnie"
And all that winter. with the papers
full Of rumors that Miss Patty Jennings
was going to marry a prince. we'd fol-
lowed It by the sprng-house fire. the
old doctor and !, getting angry at the
Austrian emperor for opposing II when
We knew how much too good Miss Patty
was for any foreigner. and then getting
nervous and fused when we read that
the princes mother was in favo. 4 the
match and II might go through. Miss
Patty and her father came every win
ter to Hope Springs and l couldn't have
been more anxious about It II she had
been my own sister.
Well. as I say. II all began the very
day the old doctor died. He stamped
out TO the spring-house with the morn
ing paper about 9 o'clock, and the we'd
ding seemed TO be all off The paper
said the emperor had definitely refused
his consent and had sent the prince
who was his cousin. for n Japanese
cruise, while the Jennings family were
going to Mexico In their private car
The Old doctor was indignant, and I
remember how he tramped up and down
the spring house. muttering that the girl
had had a lucky escape. and what did
the emperor expect II beauty and youth
and wealth weren't enough But he
Gained down, and soon he was reading
that the papers were predicting an early
spring, and ne said we'd better begin
10 increase our sulphur percentage In
the water.
hadn't noticed anything strange IN
his manner, although we'd all noticed
how feeble he was growing. but when
he got up to go back to the sana-
forum and I reached him his cane II
seemed TO mo he avoided looking at
me. He went to the door and then
turned and spoke to me over his
shoulder.
by the way" he remarked. ''Nfr.
Richard will he along in a day or so.
Minnie. You'd better break It to Mrs.
Virgins"
Since the summer before we'd had
TO break Mr.. Dicks coming TO Mrs.
Virgins, the housekeeper. owing to his
finding her false front where Il had
blown out OF a window, having been
hung up to dry, and his wearing II to
} luncheon as whskers. Mr.. Dick was
the old doctors grandson.
"IIumphv' ! said. and he turned
around and looked square at me.
Hes good boy at heart Minnie"
he said. We've had our troubles with
him, YOU aud !. but everything has
been quiet lately"
When | didn't say anything he
J looked discouraged, but he had nne
way of keeping on until he gained his
% point, had tho old doctor.