Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-02-19

anything to do. As Mr.. Sam said, Mr..
Pierce didn't want to stay, anyhow
and as likely as not if we went to him
in body and told him he must come
to the shelter-hoUse for instructions,
and be suave and gentle when he was
called down by the guests about the
steam pipes making racket, he'd
probably prefer to go down to the vii
lage and take Doctor Barnes place
washing dishes at the station.
But he settled it by appearing him
self. He came across the snow from
the direction of Mount Hope, and he
had pair Of skees over his shoulder
Cat that time l didn't even know the
name of the things, but l learned
enough about them Iater.)- I must say
he looked very well beside Mr.. Dick,
who wasn't very large, anyhow, and
who hadn't had time to put on his col
lar, and Mr. Sam. who's always thin
and sallow and never takes a step he
doesn't have to.
let him in, and when he saw US all
there he started and hesitated.
Come in, Pierce" Mr.. Sam said
We've just been talking about you"
He came in, but he didn't look very
comfortable.
What have you decided to do with
me?" he asked. Put me under re-
straint?"
Of course, he had to be set right
about the sanatorium, and Mr. Sam
began it. Mr.. Pierce listened, sitting
on the floor and looking puzzled and
more and more unhappy. Finally he
got up and drew a long breath.
Exactly" he agreed 81 know you
are all right and I'm wrong-according
to your way of thinking. But if these
people want to be we'll, why should 1
encourage them to do the wrong thing?
They don't want to be.weu; they're all
hypocrites."
That's not the point, Pierce Mr..
Dick broke in importantly. You were
to come here for orders and you
haven't done it. You're running this
place for me, not for yourself"
Mr.. Pierce looked at Mr.. Dick and
from there to Mr. Sam and smiled.
q did come" he explained. 81 came
twice, and each time we played rou-
lette. I lost all the money I'd had in
advance. Honestly" he confessed, 81
felt I couldn't afford to come every
day"
Miss Patty got up. I've are talking
around the question:" she said. Mr.
Pierce undertook to manage the sana-
forum, and to try to manage it sue
cessfulIy. He cannot do that without
making some attempt at conciliating
the people. lists absurd to an
tagOnize them"
Exactly" he said coldly. 81 was to
manage it, and to try to do it success
fully I'm sorry my methods don't
meet with the approval of this-er-
executive committee But it might as
well be clear that l intend to use my
own methods-or none"
Well, what could we do? Miss Patty
went out with her head up and the
rest of US stayed and ate humble pie,
and after a while he agreed to stay if
he wasn't interfered with. He said
he and Doctor Barnes had a plan that
he thought was a winner-that it
would either make or break the place
and he thought it would make it. And
by that time we were so meek that
we didn't even ask what it was.
Doctor Barnes and Miss Summers
were the first to come to the mineral
spring that morning.
Curious old world, isn't it? she
said between puffs. Here we are
the three of us-snug and nice, having
seven kinds of heII-f1re water and not
having to pay for it; three meals a
day and afternoon tea ditto, good beds
and steamboat ditto-and four days