Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-09-04

hadn't felt a strong warm hand laid on
mine AS it rested on my lap and DR.
Johns kind voice leased into my ears.
STEADY, Mrs Peaches. there's the low
Ing cup to come yet" he whispered.
| hated him, but held On to his thumb
tight for half "A minute He didn't
know what the matter really was. but
he understood what | needed He al
ways does
And after that everybody had Il good
time, the ginger barber and Judy rs
much rs anybody. ana could see Aunt
Bette and Mrs johnson pcepjnG in the
pantry door, having the time of their
lives too
That dinner was going like an air
ship on a high wind. when ~nmethiuG
happened Ia tanGie its tail feathers ami
/ can hardly write it for tyemhliug
yet 1t was Il simple little blue tele
gram. but ii might have been nitro
Slyceriu ON Il tear for the WAY il acted
1t was for me, hut the ginger barber
handed il to Tom. and be opened it
and, looking nj me over his full-aftcr
many times empticd glass. he solemn
ly read it out loud Il said
Landed this noon. Rave your permits
sion 10 come 10 l.l'Shoro immediately
Answer ALFRED
1t WAS drcadtui Nobody said Il word
and Tom laid thr telegram right down
in his plate. where it immediately he
gan to soak up TIE dyr~~l02 Of his sal
al He WIS 50 Whltr and ~hatN that
Pet looked ut him in Amusement. ana
then am sure SHE had the GOOD sense
to find his hand UUdrr the cloth and
hold il. for his Shuujdrr lowered against
hers and the coIor ramr back to his
face as he smiled down NJ her
| don't believe I'll ever really get the
courage to look AT Tom again until he
marrieS Pet. which he'll do now. feel
sure
And as for the judge and Ruth
Chester, | was glad they were sitting
beside each other. for could avoid
that side of the table with my eyes
until | had steadied myself a few sec.
onds ut least. The surprise made the
others had been dining seem statues
from the stone age, and only Mr..
Graves fork failed to hang fire. His
appetite is rs strong as his nerves, and
Della Halves looked at his composure
with the relief plain in her eyes.
Henrietta'S smile in the judges di-
rection was doubtful But they Were
not all my lovers and why that awful
silence?
| couldn't say Il word. and | am sure
| don't know what | would have done
if it hadn't been for the doctor. He
leaned forward and his deep eyes
came out in their wonderful way and
seemed to collect every pair of eyes at
the table, even the most astounded, rs
he raised his glass
We all held our breathS and waited
for him to speak.
mo wonder we are all stricken
dumb ut Mrs. Carriers telegram" he
said in his deep voice that commands
everybody and everything, even the
terrors of birth and death Tho
whole town will be paraly2ed ut the
news that it's most distinguished citi
zen is only going to give them two
days to get ready to receive him. |
can see the panic the brass band will
have now getting the brass shined
up, and ! want to be the one to tell
Mayor Pollard myself, so as to sug
gcst to him to have at least a two
hour speech of welcome to hand out ut
the train Wen make it one hot time
for him when he lands in the old town,
and here's to him. God bless him.
Every glass high" They all drank,
and | suppose it helped them ] wish
could have drained n quart, but |
couldn't swallow sip. though did
good stunt of pretending,
The rest of this evening has paid
me off for every sin | have ever com
mitted or am ever going to commit,
Tom took Pet home early. and hope
they walked in the moonlight for
hours Tom is the kind of man that
any pretty girl who is loving enough
in the moonlight could comfort for
anything. I'm not ut all worried
about him, but
The hour | sat on my front steps ana
talked to Judge Wade must have
brought gray hairs to my head If il
was daylight and could see them.
Ruth Chester bad said goodby with
fbn lnr,Iinrt ba,,ntn1 l,Dl. -, No., ,rro,