The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-02-07

and he lost every dollar he'd put into
| it, which was all he had, including
what he had in his pockets.
They seized my trunks" he ex-
planned, "and | sold my fur-lined over
coat for eight dollars, which took one
OF the girls back home. It's hard for
the women. A fellow can always get
some sort of a job was coming up
here to see IL they needed an extra
clerk or a waiter, or chauffeur, or any
thing that meant a roof and something
to eat-but | suppose they don't need
tack-of-alltrades."
NO" / answered. but I'll tell you
what | think they're going to need.
And that's an owner!"
|
I'm not making excuses. ! did 1t for
the best. If Mr.. Thoburn had not been
there. sitting by to see the old sana-
torium die so it could sprout wings
and fly as a summer hotel, I'd never
have thought OF it. But | was in de-
spair.
| got up and opened the door, but
the snow came in in cloud, and the
path was half foot deep again.
But the angel of providence ap-
peared in the shape of Mike, the bath
man, coming down through the snow
in tearing rage. The instant | saw
Mike knew it was settled.
Am | or am / not to give Mr..
Moody a needle shower" he shouted.
almost beside himself. And l saw he
had his overcoat over his bath cos
tune, which is Turkish towel.
"A needle shower followed by a salt
rub" said |. Hes been having them
for eleven years. What's the NATTER"
That fool of a young doctor"
shouted Mike, "he told him before he
left that IL he'd been taking them for
eleven years and wasn't any better it
was time to stop. Amt business bad
enough-only four people in the house
takin' baths regular-without his but
tin in"
Where's Mr.. Moody?"
"In the bath. I've locked up his
clothes"
|
a salt rub" | ordered, land il he
makes a fuss just send for me. And.
Mike" said, as he started out, TASK
Mr.. Van Alstyne to come out here i'm
mediately."
Mr.. Van Alstyne came out on the
run. and when he saw Mr.. Pierce by
the fire-that was his name, Alan
Pierce-he stopped and stared. Then
he said:
You Internal young scamp" And
with that Mr.. Pierce jumped up, sur
prised and pretty mad. and Mr.. Van
Alstyne saw his mistake.
I'm sure l beg your pardon!" he
said. THE fact is, | was expecting
somebody else. and in the freight"
You surprised me, that's ALL" said
Mr.. Pierce. Under the circumstances
I'm glad I'm not the other chap"
You may be-" assured Mr.. Sam
grimly. You're not unlike him, by
the way. A little taller and heavier,
but"
Now it's all very well for Mr.. Sam
to say / originated the idea and all
that, but as truly as l am writing this
as ] watched his face / saw the same
thought come into it. He looked Mr.
Pierce up and down, and then he
stared into the fire and puckered his
mouth to whistle, but he didn't And
finally he glanced at me, but / was
looking at the fire, too.
: Mr.. Sam got up and began to walk
the floor, his hands in his pockets
He tried to get my eye, but still
looked in the fire.
"All traffic's held up, Minnie" he
said. THE eight o'clock train is
stalled beyond the junction, in a drift
I've wired the conductor. and Garter
isn't on It,"
"Well?" said l.
IF we could only get past to-day,
Mr.. Sam went on; "if Thoburn would
only choke to death, or-if there was
somebody around who looked like
Dick. | dare say, by tomorrow" He
looked at Mr.. Pierce, who smiled and
looked at him.
And | resemble Dick" said Mr.
Pierce. We'll, IL he's a moral and
upright young man"
He isn't!" Mr.. Sam broke in saw
agely. And then and there he sal
down and told Mr.. Pierce the trouble
we were In, and what sort of cheerful
idiot Dicky Carter was. And then Mr.
Pierce told about the play and the
mumps, and how he was stranded
When Mr.. Sam asked him outright II
he'd take Mr.. Dicks place overnight
he agreed at once.
Just as they'd got 1t arranged that
Mr.. Pierce was to put on Mr.. Sans
overcoat and walk down to the village
so that he could come up in a sleigh
as If he had driven over from York
ton-he was only to walk across the
hall in front of the Office, with his col
lar up, just enough to show himself
and then go to his room with a chill
just as it was all arranged, Mr.. San
thought of something.
The house people are waiting fol-
Dick" he said to me, "and about forty
women are crocheting in the lobby
so they'll be sure to see him. Wonr
some of them know it isn't Dick?"
| thought pretty fast.
He hasn't been around much late
ly," | said. Nobody would know ex
cept Mrs. Virgins. She'll never for
get him; the last time he was here he