Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-04-03

horse If Miss Keith minds"
But Miss Keith did not mind; she
was quite willing to hold the horse.
And the horse, sagglng his elderly
head, appeared of no mind to move,
whether held" or no.
"Well?" said Mrs. Conner when
they were out of earshot.
Mother thinks she is threatened
with pleurisy, and she is trying the
starvation cure" answered Emmy
She hasn't eaten a bite since yester-
day Pm ashamed to be so late about
my washing, but I've been cooking
things all day, trying to tempt her
"Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear!"
moaned the figure on the piazza.
Mrs. Conner put her arms akimbo.
She looked steadfastly at the sway
ing and moaning shape. Mrs. Conner
was a woman who had been known to
fry fresh griddle.cakes for tramps She
drew In her breath and exhaled 1t ex-
plosively, as one that has been shock
ed out Of speech.
Wont she drink a little beef tea?"
"Oh-h! Oh-h! U.r-r-r! Ug-h-h-h!"
shuddered the invalid.
Didn't you know she thinks meat
wicked? And milk's robbing the COW.
and eggs robbing the hen, who wants
to have family as much as we do,'
said Emily, rather incorrectly.
"More'n some of us do, ! guess re-
torted Mrs. Conner, "and more'n folks
ought to II they amt prepared to do
their duty by them when they've got
EN-" She launched a fiery glance at
Mrs. Darter, who was now groaning
vehemently Got 1t all turned on
this afternoon, amt she?"
"Dr. Abbie Cruler told her that 1t
wasn't natural to suppress ourselves.
II you feel like groaning you ought to
groan-"
And she eats sech queer stuff she's
hungry most of the time" Mrs. Con
aer interrupted, so I expect she
groans lot. Say, Emmy, have you
ever had anybody come in and give
your ma good hard-blowing up?"
The blood rushed to Emmys face;
her eyes sank. She answered, In a
confused tone: Aunt Ida Glenn was
over yesterday l don't know what
,he said to mother, but mother--moth-
er told me the one thing she wanted
on earth was to have me-send Albert
away and have everything ended be-
tween US, for she never was so In
suited in her life as she had been by
Alberts mother"
"Alberts mother amt Albert:
though don't blame her, Emmy, and
Mrs. Glenn is a awful nice woman.
But 1t amt fair to hold Albert for
her opinions, right or wrong. AS /
said. she amt Albert, nor Albert amt
her"
80 told mother" said Emmy. Il
did hate to be disrespectful to her,
but l told her SO; and she answered
that Mrs Glenn said Albert thought
SO too. Then when tried to question
her she was in so much pain and
groaned 80 hadn't the heart to both
er. She let me put hot cloths on her,
and give her a Turkish bath over the
alcohollamp; and hoped she'd let
me make her some water cruel, but
she wouldn't touch spoonful. Mrs.
Conner, you don't suppose she-she
will keep It up much longer?" EN-
my's eyes dilated with an unspoken
fear as she lifted them to the kind
woman before her. "She said she felt
herself growing weaker this morning.
II told her l wouldn't 60 to the pic
mic with Bert, II she would only eat
something. But she said that she
couldn't eat anything. One time-one
time she went three days. didn't let
the neighbors know; but I was most
crazy, and poor little jimmy cried She
isn't one to cry, either
Mrs. Conner backed off the piazza
she said she guessed she must go
and left Mrs. Darter moaning and
rocking.
"And to tell you the truth, Miss
Keith,"-thus she ended breathless
narration to her new boarder-"I went
quick, for I knew l couldn't hold In
one minnit longer! And how'd 1t help
poor Emmy to have her mother quar-
rel with Ida Glenn and me the same
day? There's Susy Baker making
eyes at Albert Glenn, this minnlt; and
If she amt carrying Mrs. Glenn some
of her mas blueberry cake! Right
by the Darters. too; and Emmy see
ing her!"
What Is the matter with Mrs. Dar-
ter?"
"Well old DR.. Potter says she's
'neurotic.' II you know what that is. l
call 1t Jest notions. What the doc
tors in my time called hypo, that's
what she is! She's always been the
greatest hand to dose. Mr.. Conner
will have 1t she KEEP old Captain OAR
ter poor buying patent medicines. And
she run after every new cure-all go
ing. 1t was electricity one year, and
mother year 1t was blue glass, and one
time I remember she had a woman
come of the sort that used to call
themselves bone-doctors when ! was
a girl and this country wasn't much
settled, but now they're osteologists,
or some sech funny name, and give
out they can rub everything on earth
out of you. Mrs. Darter had her for
a long spell, till she got pneumonia,
and nigh died, and sickened Of the
osteologist; and I give her mustard