The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-01-17

kfuEft NHuhiihAt
Smiley was gathered round r table
IN Miss MacDaids office having
tea and biscuits.
Fight Superstition
Mr.. Smiley was small man
who wore very large spectacles
which made him seem even small
er and thinner than he was. He
was only AZ, but he had the air of
tired man ten years older. 1t
was the sun which had done that,
the sun and the heat and occa-
sional bouts with malaria, and his
own devotion to the cause which
the major and Miss MacDaid had
espoused.
He rarely left Ranchipur even
during the rainy season. In the
morning he taught until ! o'clock
at his school for Untouchables and
low-caste boys in the middle of the
town, and in the afternoon he
taught at the girls orphanage
near the mission. But that did not
end his duties. for he had an i'm
mense and complicated amount of
+ bookkeeping to do in order to sat
i isfy the state mission board of
j Iowa: and he knew the families of
all the boys who came to his
school and there was always
something going wrong with them,
deaths or births or illnesses or
trouble with the police. so that he
was always having TO make visits
at all hours of the night: and now
and then he had to help Miss Mac
Daid because some of the I'M
touchables. in their ignorance,
were terrified of the hospital and
would not allow themselves to be
treated until he had treasured
them. And in addition to all this
he had his troubles with the Rev.
Elmer Simon, who was in charge
of the spiritual side of the mission
and complained that Mr.. Smiley
did not strive hard enough to con-
vert his pupils.
An Inner Strength
And now Mr.. Smiley was here
in the hospital with his basket of
fruit and couple of Jars of cold
Jelly on account of the Untouch-
able woman.
Watching Mr., Smiley drink his
tea, Miss MacDaid thought, He
is like a mouse. | don't see where
he gets the vitality" never think
ing that, like herself. he had an
inner strength.
Then Miss MacDaid went for a
fresh pot OF tea, thinking that thus
she might hold the ma or a little
longer
When she returned he looked at
his watch. and Miss MacDaid' S
heart sank.
II have TO be back" he said.
Her highness will be in a bad
humor if I stay longer than she
thinks necessary to deliver a child.
She is probably watching the clock
now. and pulling the generals
game leg" He turned TO the mis-
sionarv. What about you.
Smiley? You're not planning to
lcycle back in this flood >"
I'D swim home willingly. said
Mr.. Smiley. If only the flood
would keep up. don't want to
see another lean year like we had
eleven years ago
I'm drive you and your bike
home, Smiley" he said and then
60 back TO the palace" Smiley
protested politely. but the major
said, Its only three or four miles
out of the way. I wouldn't ask a
pie dog TO go out on a night like
this"
Despite anything Miss MacDald
might do. they were off,
They were friends. these three,
Miss MacDaid. the Scotwomsn
born in Soursbsys: Mr.. Smiley,
the son OF clergyman in q small
Iowa town. and MAJOR Ssfii. who
came OF the proudest Of all
Brahmins.
When they had gone Miss Mac
Daid went and looked a, herself IN
the mirror OF the wsshroom. but
the image. even with the rouge
which she thought no one would
notice and the wash that killed the
gray in her hair. gave her no en-
enlargement. She said. half aloud.
I'm a fool I'm q niddle-aged
woman who should know better.
But cant help il"
Heat in a Private Car
The FIRST storm 10 break the
drought IN Rsnchipur did not
reach IS far east az Delhi and