Lower coast gazette., 1913-09-27
The MerritheW
Blood.
BY Sheldon c. stoddard.

BY Sheldon c. stoddard.
They we're a pleasant surprise. the
well-painted, modern buildings on the
old Merrithew farm, for you came up
them suddenly, lying in a sheltered
valley, after a long drive through an
farming region that bore
many marks of neglect.
The wide, s~now-coyered meadows
and the well-fenced pastures of the
farm sloped gently to the common
center, where the farm-buildings were
placed. But for all their look of snug
ness and comfort, something was
plainly amiss. From the cattle barn
came an uneasy rafting of many stan
chions and much p%laintive believing
that told Of extreme discomfort. In the
horse barn the sleek, black horses
were paving the floor of their warm
stalls and whinnying now and then
peremptorily.
Although it was now nearly the mid
die of the morning, the light snow that
had fallen during the night lay I'M
disturbed round the stable doors.
Breakfast-the hungry creatures knew
it well-should have been forthcom-
ing hours before.
A thin trail Of smoke rose uncertain
ly from the tall chimney of the farm
house, and once in a while an elderly,
anxious-faced woman came to the
wide porch and looked intently and
searchingly up and down the road.
Inside the house, the warm, we'll
lighted liying-room seemed a pleas
ant place in contrast with the wintry
SURROUNDINGS Gil a cot-bed in the o
ner of the room a mar tossed restless
ly. "1sn't any n coming yet, Mandy?
Must be-"
1T is hardly time yet, Henry. Don't
fret; it won't do any good. Doctor
Hart said he'd be sure to send some
body somehow, and you know he new
er fails. We must give him a little
time. You know there's hardly any
one to get-what will scarlet fever on
| Green Street, and the measles owe at
the cove, and dear knows what all ev-
erywhere else"
"But those cows, Mandy; those
thoroughbreds! And the little colt
that's coming to Black Bess almost
any time now, and the Sheppard the
fowls! No breakfast yet, and nearly
noon! And the spring-water liable to
fail--my soul"
With a great surge of the bed
clothes, the man sat suddenly upright
in bed.
Amanda M%erritheW turned quickly
from the window. "Henry MerritheW
you lie down in that bed! You know
what the doctor said. You know"
The man obeyed meekly, but hi
eyes burned feverishly.
Now you keep quiet" his siste
went on, in a soothing tone. "You,
cattle won't die of neglect. There'l
be some one
The telephone rang sharply. There,
she said, that's the doctor, now!"
She hastily took down the receiver
Eyes, this is Miss Merrithew. Yes
Yes! Yes! All right. Thank you yer
much, doctor!"
She turned quickly to her brothe
Hes found a hand. | thought b
would" she said, eagerly.
: "Who is he, Mandy"
s"The doctor didn't know-said b
looked all right, and his name wa
Bill. He's a s%choolboy." Her tone
= were a little less eager.
6 "a strange-schooIDoy, Mandy
What1l he amount to-"
: you'd better be thankful for an
one. Anyhow, he's coming straigl
along"
The sick nan lay quiet a momen'
, then he asked suddenly, where's
from, Mandy?'
His sister hesitated, and then sal
calmly, Doctor Hart said he was fro
the city"
y Once more there was a sudden col
motion on the cot-bed. "a schoolbo.
A green schoolboy-from the city! n
soul" Soon, as his temperature ros
he began to mutter disconnectedly !.
. His sister was at least partly relic
ed when, glancing through the wi
dow, she caught sight of, youth, CT
y rying a suit case with one hand, al
swinging %resolutely along the drift
: road. BILL" she said to herse
. bill! Well, l wonder!!"
XII 1 aIr- elH3E E-rtaE-f ~
:e
When Alice Merritnew left her hol
es to marry the nan Of her choice, S
of knew that she had incurred her fa'