The Winslow mail., 1914-08-29
HIS GOLDEN eggs

together-well, not a pretty sight,
precisely, in the ordinary accepta-
ton of the phrase, but sight, never
theless, to restore ones faith in hu-
man nature and the endurance of
marital affection. We were rather a
selfish lot, we "lungers" taken up
with our own pulmonary symptoms
and having little sympathetic inter
est for anything else; but we could
not help being touched by the devo-
ton young Mr. Gerrison showed to
Mrs. Gerrison.
1t seemed rather hard on a good
looking young fellow of fine and
sociable disposition to be compelled
to bury himself in this out-of-the-
way corner Of New Mexico with an
invalid wife, but he never com
planned. In fact, we learned that it
was only at his earnest solicita-
ton that Mrs. Gerrison consented
to come to San Mateo.
''Her doctor said that it was plain
suicide for her to stay in New York" :"
explained Mr.. Gerrison to little
circle of the women on the veranda
of the sanitarium. "Here, he said
her life might be prolonged indef-
nitely, and he thought it even pos
sible that she might be cured. ]
really do think she is improving a
great deal. Don't you think that she
is looking better?''
He asked the question eagerly,
with genuine anxiety, and we all said
we thought that Mrs. Gerrison was
looking better = decidedly better.
That is, all of us but Mrs. Rankin.
Mrs. Rankin only shifted.
Mr.. Gerrison seemed relieved.
"I'm glad to hear you say So" he
said, gratefully, and I'm sure in all
sincerity.
It was then that Mrs. Rankin
spoke-a most cantankerous person,
Mrs. Rankin, and cynical to fault.
''You speak of prolonging her life
indefinitely, Mr.. Gerrison," she said
''She is of a rather advanced age
now, is she not ?''
Mr. Gerrison colored little. "She
is sixty-two," he answered, with
simple dignity. Then he rose and
went into the hotel, and about half
an hour later he came out with his
wife on his arm and the two entered
buggy and drove away. They al
ways took an early morning ride to-
gether.
II don't care" said Mrs. Rankin.
when somebody demonstrated with
her. 81 don't approve of marriages
between elderly ladies and youne
gentlemen like our friend. What does
he make eyes at that bold-faced Te-
resita for?"
We all denied that he did. Miss
Montfort said that it was Teresita
who made eyes at Mr.. Gerrison.
"And marriages of that. sort are
often very happy" she added. "There
was the Baroness Burdett- Coutts.
you know, and DR.. Johnson"
eyes, I've heard of 'em," said Mrs.
Rankin. "Do you know any more p
Well, we didn't happen to, so she
seemed to have the best of the ar
gument, on the whole. Still, nobody
who ne ticed how carefully Mr.. Ger
rison drew the fur-lined wrap over
his wife's angular shoulders when
little breeze sprang up in the after
noon, or with what solicitude be
watched her eat at dinner, could
nave doubted the strength OF his at
fecl1on for her.
AS for Teresita, she was simply
coarse, uneducated Mexican girl. ]
suppose some men would have called
her good-looking, and she certainly
had good figure and a rich com,
plexion-a brunette, of course, but
the idea that Mr.. Gerrison would
make eyes at creature Of that sort
was absolutely preposterous. l donbt
if she could so much as write her
own name, Some people are never
happy unless they are indulging in
ill-natured gossip.
Every night, after Mrs. Gerrison
had retired, Mr.. Gerrison sought out
DR.. Mcdonald and remained in con-
sultation with him, sometimes for as
,1,11ob no on bO1r Of a TINA 0no Iar