The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1916-01-14
An Organized
Epidemic
Ii Caused SomeC Chronic
Cases.
B. MARTHA MuuuocH.wu1 ,Aue

Mlnerva>s name was one of fate's
subtlest ironies, the girl was so far
so very far-from wise. Indeed.
she knew no more than to be sweet
and biddable to grabbed task mis-
tresses. They were the Grimley sis
ters who had taken her, as they said
daily, out Of charity and to whom
she served for hands, feet and eyes.
The sisters were not consciously
unklnd. 1t was just that they had
fallen into the way of fretting at
everything: Life had defrauded
them Of the natural outlets-hus-
bands and children. Therefore thew
made the most of such small wor-
raes as remained to maiden gentle
women. ".
Minerva came to them when she
was ten. For the next eight years
her appetite and her trick Of break
ing things, especially those she was
handling with utmost care, had
served as vital grievances. But
since she was full grown she ate
much less and hardly ever let fall
anything, no matter how fragile or
precious; hence the Miss Grimlcys
had had to invent a new sin for her.
They had chosen to find it in her
possible future husband. Accord
ing to their notion, she was always
intent upon matrimony and schem-
ing to ensnare whatever masculine
person chance threw in her way.
DR.. Bell, the one person who dar-
ed speak up to the sisters, rated
them soundly for such suspicious.
No wonder, he said, poor Minerva,
as shy and modest as any white
rose, was awkward, almost rude, in
deed, to all the young fellows she
encountered and therefore likely to
die an old maid.
Miss Jane and Miss Abby nodded
approval there. Minerva was to
have everything when they were
gone. It would be quite enough to
keep her like a lady,, Husbands
were but worries most Of the time.
DR.. Bell, who had a tongue as
rough and a heart as warm as his
g%reatcoat, growled at them. After
awhile, being a strategist, he did
something else-something which at
first blush made him laugh a great
shouting laugh. When his wife ask
ed the meaning of it he said eng
matically:
ooh, I'm going to cure some
chronic cases by provoking an cpl
demicl"
And that was all she could get
out Of him, no matter how hard she
tried. She could not try very hard,
since, like the rest Of the neighbor-
hood, she was giving all her mind
to the coming session of the synod.
It was to be a great occasion.
Ministers, their wives, sons and
daughters were coming by the score.
Their number would not be too
great, however, for the countryside's
hospitality.
With no provocation' whatever
from the church Dr.. Bell fixed it so
the Grimleys would have rather
more than q double share Of the.
clerical influx namely, Deacon
Brown and his wife, d.. Henshaw,
q pulpit Samson, just beginning to
look about him over, the edges Of
weeds not yet rusty; Professor
Balderson, famed for persuading
money into college channels, and
young Lee, not yet come to full or
dination.
Miss Jane was a famous cook,
Miss Abby was past mistress at pre-.
serving, Minerva made cake that
was simply heavenly, and black Su-
san l was a miracle of efficient
strength in the kitchen. So the Wis
itors reioiced that their lines had
fallen as they had. Indeed, al
through synod week. they could not
say enough in-praise and gratitude
to their hostesses. As a conse-
! .quence Miss Jane and Miss Abby
forgot either to scold or to suspect.
Carried away by the tide Of hos
.pitable impulse, they showed TOR
/ what they were-excellent gentle
women Of the first rank. :
AZ for, Minerva, she fairly bios
e6med. u ven the most callous on