The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-07-13
A Powerful
Sti1nulant
By OSCAR COX

MISS Brown, eft 70 don mind I like
10 have 20 come take keer o. de chill
len. Ma wife's powerful weak and
can't do nothin' at all. She's goin' to
de hospittle dis AFTERNOON"
Miss Brown. colored girl twenty
years Of age, said she wouldn't mind
obliging Mr.. Jones. 1t occurred to her
that II Mrs. Jones should die she might
be Mrs. Jones herself. Jones was .
we'll to do darby on the shady side OF
forty and had three pickaninnies. Miss
Brown supported herself by washing
and ironing and thought that IL she
could permanently change her occupa-
ton to taking care of a family it would
be an advantage.
when do yo' want ME to come. MIR.
Jones?" she inquired.
MA wife's gwine to de hospittle
about 4 O'Clock. Reckon 70 mought
come round about half past ~
"All right, Mr.. Jones; I'll be dar."
Mrs. Jones was removed in the hos
pital ambulance on time. and half an
hour later Miss Brown, who was COM
monty called Sue by her employers.
settled herself down fnsher place. The
children were playing in the street,
and Sue did not disturb them. She
was taking an eye inventory of the
premises and making a mental rear
rangement Of the furniture when Mrs.
Jones would be removed from the hos
pftal to the cemetery. Mr.. Jones, whose
name, stripped of euphony, was simply
Nose. returned from conveying his
wife with solemn countenance to
find that Sue had prepared a cup Of
tea for him and had it set out on the
table with q piece Of corn poDe.
Il thought yo'd come home needia'
somepin to brace 30 up. Mr.. JONES'"
said the girl.
Her thoughtfulness braced up Mosl
as much Us the refreshments.
"How did yo' leave yo' po' wife?" she
asked.
"Porely."
us she gwine to pull through"
"Don' know; she's powerful sick"
Mrs. Jones lost instead of gained
She was worried about her children,
and Nose found it necessary to tell her
that ne had secured the services Of
some one to take care Of them. He did
not tell her that he had got young
woman, for be had seen evidences al.
ready that she was expecting to step
into his wife's shoes. and he knew that
this would worry her.
Perhaps it would have gone We'll
with Sue had she curbed her impa-
fence. Though Mrs. Jones was report.
ed getting weaker every day. she hung
on in a very aggravating way. Sue got
tired asking Nose after his visits to
the hospital how he had found his wife,
hearing only the. repetition. "Porely,
very porely; she's gwine down hill pow
erful fast" So it occurred to the girl
to go to the hospital and ask questions
on her own account. She bought a five
cent posy and. appearing ut the hospi-
tai door. was received by an attendant.
Tell Mrs. JONES'" she said. Offering
the posy. dat frien' OBJ de family
brought her de flowers and hopes she's
gettin' BETTER
The attendant took the flowers and
was turning away when Sue asked:
Mrs. Jones mighty sick?"
shes very low"
mot long to lib. reckon?"
Not long,"
bout how long she gwine to last"
The doctor doesn't expect her to live
the week out"
Sue took her departure. greatly com.
forted. The atten liant took the posy 10
Mrs. Jones with the message. Mrs.
Jones was too Ill to appreciate the kind
attention. but the faculty of curiosity
had not yet deserted her. and she asked
II the friend Of the family had left
name. The nurse said she had not,
whereupon Mrs. Jones asked for de-
scription of her and was told that she
was trim cOlOred girl about twenty
years old.
That night hurry call was sent for
Nose to come to the hospital to see his
wife before she died. Nose obeyed the