The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-01-23


When II was all over Mr.. Sam came
out to the spring.house TO say good-by
10 me before he and Mrs. Sam left.
] hated to see him go. after all we
had been through together. and sup
pose he saw II In my face for he
came over close and stood looking
down at me. and smiling you
saved ua, Minnie he said, "and /
needn't tell you we're grateful: but do
you know what | thlnk?" he asked
pointing his long foreAnger at me, u
think you've enjoyed II even when you
were suffering most. Redhaired wom
en- are born to intrigue, as the sparks
fly upward
Enjoyed 1T" snapped. I'm an
old woman before my time, Mr.. sam
What with trailing back and forward
through the snow 10 the shelter.house.
and not getting 10 bed at all some
nights. and my heart going by fits and
starts. as you may say. and half the
time my spinal marrow fairly chilled,
not 70 mention putting on my over
shoes every morning from force OF
habit and having TO take them off
again. I'm about all in"
ITS been the making Of yous Min.
ME. he said cycling me, with his
hands in his pockets Look al your
cheeks! Look at your disposition !
don't believe you'd stab anybody in
the back nowi"
(Which was Joke. OF course;
never stabbed anybody In the back
He opened the door and blast OF
February wind ratified the window.
frames. Mr.. Sam threw out his chest
under HIS sweater and waved me an
other good-by.
We'll, I'm of. Minnie" he said
Take care OF yourself and don't sit
toe tight on the job; learn to rise q
bit In the saddle
''Good-by. Mr.. Saml" | called. put,
ting down Miss Patty's dolly and fol.
lowing him to the door; "good-by; bet,
ter have something before you start q
keep you warm
He turned at the corner OF the path
and grinned back at me.
"All right" he called. "I'll go down
10 the bar and get a lettuce sand
WIGHT"
Then he was gone, and happy as |
was. knew would miss him terribly.
IT began when the old doctor died.
suppose you have heard OF Hope San.
atorium and the mineral spring that
made II famous
have been spring-house girl at
Hope Sanatorium for fourteen years,
46n AVat 4 u. !
crazy. Then found things were com
ing my way, I've got the kind OF mind
that never forgets a name or face and
can combine them properly. which
isn't common. And when folks came
back could call them at once. The
old doctor used to say my memory was
an asset TO the ssnatorium.
He was In the habit OF coming to
the spring.house every day to get his
morning glass OF water and read the
papers. For good many years II had
been his custom to sit there, In the
winter by the wood fire and In summer
Just inside the open door. and to read
off the headings aloud while cleaned
around the spring and polished
glasses,
All that winter. with the papers
full OF rumors that Miss Patty Jen.
nings was going to marry a prince,
we'd followed II by the spring-house
fire, the old doctor and l. getting an
cry at the Austrian emperor for oppos.
ing Il when we knew how much too
good Miss Patty was for any foreign.
er, and then getting nervous and
fused when we read that the princes
mother was In favor OF the match and
Il might go through. Miss Patty and
Ter father came every winter to Hope
Springs and couldn't have been more
anxious about 1t II she had been my
own sister.
Well. as say, 1t all began the very
day the old doctor died. He stamped
out 10 the spring-house with the morn.
Ing paper about nine o'clock. and the
wedding seemed to be all on. The
paper said the emperor had definitely
refused his consent and had sent the
prince. who was his cousin, for a Jap
anese cruise. while the jennings fam.
fly was going to Mexico In their pri
waite car The old doctor was indig
nant. and remember how he tramped
up and down the spring-house, NUT
tering 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 ne was reading that the pa.
pers were predicting an early spring.
and he said we'd better begin to in.
crease our sulphur percentage in the
water.
BY the way" he remarked, "Mr.
Richard will be along in a day or so.
Minnie. You'd better break 1t TO Mrs.
Virgins"
Since the summer before we'd had
TO break Mr.. Dicks coming to Mrs.
Virgins. the housekeeper, owing to
hts finding her false front where Il
had blown out OF the window, having
been hung up to dry, and his wearing
It TO luncheon as whiskers. Mr.. Dick
WAS the old doeforss vrandaon