Newspaper Page Text
Jf ■3> )
me RESULT of A
■ < NEW YEAR’S VISIT
\
7\y ALICE LOUISE LEE
ft Copyright, 1905, by Alice Louisa Lee s
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V T HE cat, indeed Aunt Mary,
you have told me a dozen
times that you detest that
cat!”
Mrs. Spud leaned over her traveling
bag and tightened a strap, saying oner
getically, "Niece Mary, a cat's a cat,
whether 1 detest it or not, and I can’t
see it starve.
. • But, Aunt Mary,” protested her
niece helplessly, "I’ve been years get¬
ting you here, and the next day yon
hurry home to feed an old, whiskerless
cat.”
Mrs. Spud's eyes smiled, but her lips
were firmly set. She tied her bonnet
ribbons carefully beneath her chin.
"I've noticed,” she said, "that a cat’s
appetite and its whiskers have no con
nection.”
"But there is Uncle Jack,” expostu¬
lated her niece, holding up a long fur
lined cloak.
Mrs. Spud drew it over her shoulders.
A softened expression came into her
eyes at the name, but her tone was
still grim. "Why, child, his patient
keeps Jack that busy he will never
think of the cat. No; it's my duty to
go home. Give my love to John and
haipl me my umbrella, please.”
Later Mrs. Spud’s niece explained
lier aunt's departure to John. "Isn't, it
horrid?” she cried with tears in her
eyes. "Think of that dd cat's cutting
her first visit down to a day and a
night!”
John laughed and laid down the carv¬
ing knife. "It isn't the cat, Mary, lte-
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11E LED HER TO THE SAFE.
member this is the first time she and
Uncle have been separated twenty-four
hours in their married life.”
The reason contained iu John's re
mark was the truth, but Mrs. Spud,
fairly pushing the train along, did not
like to admit it because it seemed so
childish. Therefore she repeated per¬
sistently to herself that if she kept I
eats she owed it to them not to let :
them starve.
As the train drew into Shemung sta¬
tion Mrs. Spud’s eyes lighted. She
sent out a silent welcome to the old
station, to the village planted against
the snowy hillside, to the return train
waiting ou Tin- other side of the plat
form, the train which had carried her
to her niece’s the previous evening.
As the brakeman eased her descent
she curbed her joy and pushed the cut
to the foreground of her thoughts. "Tt j
shall have on extra saucer of milk,” l
she remarked firmly to herself.
Just then a familiar voice behind her j
exclaimed in surprise, "My dear, is this
possible?”
Mrs. Spud turned as rapidly :i« her
rotundity permitted, and there before
her stood Dr. Spud. He was dres-cd
nr if for a journey, but this his wife
did not notice. His white head was
crowned by a tali silk hat. He wore
1:is heavy overcoat and carried in one
neatly gloved hand a small grip ami
umbrella. The other hand he held out
in formal greeting, although his face
beamed as he looked down at his wife.
Her face beamed also, but she shook
l ands with no show of eagerness and
immediately took her husband’s prof- !
fared arm.
Together they trudged up the >;now
covered path, one tall, sfr 'ht aud I
white headed, the other short, plumi 1,
with glistening silvery hair.
Mrs. Spud, climbing with two steps
to the doctor’s one, was smidt-niy
thrown into confusion by the '
question, ;
“Mary Anne, why didn’t you nish 1
your visit?”
She took a fresh hold on lie lius
band's arm. "Why. I forgot teli
you. Jack, what to fee*’ the cat.”
The doctor smiled a little in the dark¬
ness. He made eor: nt until he
had opened the front door of their
home and stood as UP for his v v fe to
enter, Then he d best "You
.
tiavy forgotten, mi lift rat
filed in a fit la St V»’»
pts R|>ud made ligf i mat .. I
sound. Site felt foolish, but hid it
under a deal of unimportant hustle
.
through the house. She sought to ban¬
ish the memory of cats in fits by view¬
ing every corner with the sharp eyes
of a good housekeeper. Nothing escap¬
ed her the bread jar left uncovered,
the dislipan hung on Ihe wrong nail,
the tabie spread creased iuto awkward
folds.
"That uiau. that man!” she softly ex¬
claimed. "If 1 hadn’t come tonight,
where would lie have had tilings by to¬
morrow? And if here isn't the study
door open, letting in all that cold.”
She hurried across the flodr to close
the offending door and glanced within.
Ii was Dr. Spuu's old time private of¬
fice and study. It was almost aban¬
doned, its safe rusty, its books unused,
for in place of the dozen of patients
once crowding it there remained only
one who seemed to have absorbed the
complaints of the previous dozens.
Mrs. Spud, with her hand on the door¬
knob, glanced at the large, old fash¬
ioned fireplace. She had left it empty
and clean. There were now some ashes
and charcoal in the grate.
"How came you to build a fire in
here?" she asked wonderingly.
“1 had a little work to do in there,
my dear.” was all the reply he made.
"When?” asked Mrs. Spud, closing
the door.
"Both yesterday and today,” he an¬
swered and. to Mrs. Spud's wonder,
added no explanation.
Suddenly an idea occurred to her.
She leaned forward. "Jack.” she said
quickly, "how did you happen t i meet
that train tonight?"
lie played with the poker a moment.
"Why. Mary Anne. 1 found something
y,, n had forgotten o take with you. 1
was afraid you'd need it. and 1 Inteud
cl to take that up train to vour niece's,
but"
He ended lamely and searched his
pockets. Presently he produced a long
article wrapped in tissue paper. His
wife took it in surprise, removed the
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paper and held up- her best black
B *r utuc fan! She fell back in her chair.
“A gauze fan on the 2d of January.”
was all she said, but she felt bettor
about the cat.
Several times the following morning
Mrs. Sjuni’s thoughts recurred to the
unusual circumstance of the study fire
end the wo”k which had necessitated
!t. She wondered, but asked u o qiiea
tious. That was her way. By dinner
time sho had forgotten the matter,
A-Im tea aha was flag ova ) 1 hAF
m Alt vvhetj Pi, j ilt'H III rr A tfm
£pVi£pip$, aA ,
tbe wood shod, his arms full of kin¬
dlings.
He paused on the living room thresh¬
old and said simply, “I think I'll work
awhile in the study this evening, my
dear."
She did not allow herself to speak,
but nodded at him brightly. Later her
lips set themselves firmly as she heard
the study floor close. She felt hurt at
the apparent lack of confidence ou her
husband's part even iu a slight matter.
A tear rolled over her still rounded j
r : heek. Then she took herself to task
she rattled tbe dishes and said aloud
to divert her thoughts, “I hope Niece
Mary will never learn about that cat.
•'My dear,” came a voice from the
study, “are you speaking?”
She appeared, her hands full of dish
e--, and smiled loyally at the doctor in
the study door opposite. "Yes, .lack, i
was speaking to myself about—well,
about Niece Mary. • ■
Dr. Spud smiled and. closing tlie
door, quietly turned the key. This was
the straw that broke the camel's back.
Mrs. Spud stood bewildered. She had
never heard that key turned against
her before. She went hack lo the
kitchen and remained there a long i |
time. She no longer conversed with
herself about the cat.
But an hour later, when Dr. Spud un¬
locked the study door and hacked up
to the living room stove in his favorite
attitude, his nearsighted eyes saw an
apparently placid Mrs. Spud comfort¬
ably seated in her big rocker, and
while he stood, his hands clasped be¬
hind him, she read the "locals” aloud, I
as usual.
The next morning she awoke early
and began wondering with an uncom¬
fortable heaviness of heart whether the
study fire would lie built that day. It
was Directly after tea Dr. Jack again
appeared with his arms full of wood
pad said In his mild, affectionate voice,
My dear, i think I shall occupy the |
study awhile tonight,” and bis wife
whispered to herself over the dishpau,
"Why did I go to Niece Mary's on
New Year's day?” and her lip quivered
pitifully with the whisper.
Whatever the work was, it proved to
be a daily task. Until a warm June
sun heated the study Dr. Spud carried
his arm full of kindling from the
wood shed directly after tea. if lie no
ticed that bis wife gradually busied
herself in other parts of the house at
that time lie made no comment, and
the subject, after a few weeks, was
never mentioned by either.
As the year wore itself out the peo
pie of Shemung began to remark to
each other that at last Mrs. Spud was
beginning to sbnw- her age. If 1 ii is |
were true, it was due to the daily
turning of the*key in tiie study door.
That represented the only sore spot her
heart hold.
To Dr. Jack she was the same loyal,
loving wife that he had always known.
Not a shadow from the study door did
sire allow to fall aero: hop manner
with him. Otherwise she would have
scorned her* elf.
But to herself she acknowledge ! that
it was the longest year she had ever
spent. This thought was uppermost In
Ler mind as she sat. on New Year’s eve
beside ihe stove in the living room
reading the daily paper, She was alone
and had been for a longer time than
usual, for the si inly door w as dosed.
Suddenly the outside doorbell rung.
Mrs. Spud laid aside tbe paper aud
arose to respond. Before she had
reached the door, however, it opened,
and a young man came tramping in.
"Where’s the doctor?" was his un¬
ceremonious greeting. "Mr. Brown is
dying.”
Mr. Brown was Dr. Spud's last pa¬
tient.
"Dying!” cried Mrs. Spud, aghast.
She started toward the study door.
Her hand was on the knob before she
recalled herself. She stopped. She
had not once during the year approach¬
ed that locked door.
“The doctor is in his office,” she said
In a low tone. "Will you step in and
tell him?”
The young man gave tier a surprised
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glance but obediently rapped on tbe
door, while Mrs. Spud retreated into
the kitchen. There she remained only
until the sounds indicated that the doc¬
tor had reached the front hall, Then
she followed him and put him into his
greatcoat, tucking him in and patting
t]je corners as s i ]e use d to do when he
faced the storms of a winter night,
WHh his taI1 hat iu hj s band, Dr.
g , stooped suddenly and kissed hi s
wife . s forehead Although affection
fQr faer ghowed in every word and ac
tlon such demonstrations on his part
were rarej and that kiss se emed to
n ^ sore eDOt in Mrs . Spud’s
heart.
She returned to the living room with
quivering lips and sat down in her
chair. Then she noticed that the study
door was opeu and the lamp placed on
die writing desk was flaring in the
dra ft. For a long time she sat and
watched that lamp. It was her duty
to remove it, yet her feet almost re¬
fused to carry her into that room.
Finally she forced herself to the
door. There she stopped. A chill air
struck her. The fire had died down.
“Jack ought not to work here in the
cold » ghe so ftly, looking about
her.
Iler eyes traveled slowly around the
room, coining to a surprised halt at
the safe. It was open. Evidently
Dr. Spud had been interrupted in the
midst of some unusual task. In the
safe and heaped before it on the floor
lay a pile of clean white envelopes.
From where she stood Mrs. Spud saw'
they wore sealed, She did not go near¬
er because her sense of honor forbade.
She did not retreat because surprise
weighted her feet. The flaring lamp
and the chili air were forgotten.
She was finally aroused by her hus¬
band’s voice. He stood beside her.
“My dear, you have discovered a little
secret of mine.”
His wife started guiltily and looked
up into the strong old face which shone
down on her tenderly. She could not
speak.
I)r. Spud raised her plump left hand
aud held it in his. "I had not intended
you should know until —
He paused abruptly and led her to
the safe. An envelope lay face up on
the pile. In a large, irregular, scarcely
familiar hand was w'ritten, "For my
Wife.” and follow ing was the date of
tiie previous New Year’s day.
i> Jack!” said Mrs. Spud tremulously.
Her husband patted her hand loving¬
ly. the hand that had worn the old
fashioned wedding ring so long.
"Tins may have been a foolish idea,
my dear. It came to me last New'
Year's day after you had gone to your
niece’s, You had gone on such a little
journey, such a short time, yet I was
lonely.”
He paused a moment. His wife gave
a half sob, "Jack!” and the name came
straight from a heart which w T as whole
and sweet again.
“That day 1 was so strongly impress¬
ed that it will doubtless be my turn
first to take the long journey”—he rais¬
ed li is seventy-year-young face rever¬
ently—"and that it will be your turn
to be left alone.”
His voioe broke, and there was ft
brief silence. Mrs. Spud f lipped her
other hand between her husband’s.
The tears were slowly dropping on her
cheeks, but they were not tears of
pnin.
“And so, my dear,” the doctor con
tlnued, "I did this.” He looked down
at their feet, "There will he a little
message for you each day in tlm year
wlieu the journeying time comes to
mo. I had intended to keep it all from
you-as a surprise then—but this is as
well that you should know that they
are hero for von" -
Dr. Spud did not go on. He stood
with moist eyes smiling down at his
wife. nn;l she smiled back with the
tears raining over her cheeks.
it Jack." she began. She had so much
to tell him about that year, yet the
words seemed to bank up against her
lips, and all that reached Dr. Spud’s
ears was that old incongruous, affec¬
tionate name: "Jack! Oh, Jack!”
^ XN HAPPENINGS OVER THE COONTV
*
| Paragraphed for the Enterprise by Its Able
Corps of Correspondents.
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NEWBORN.
Mr. E. N. Freeman was in At¬
lanta several days this week,
Mrs. May Malcolm, of Monroe,
is here with her lather, Mr. John
F. Tolar.
Miss Nelle Morgan, of Greens¬
boro is the guest of Miss Abigail
Stanton
Mrs. E. E. Gay has returned
from a stay of several weeks in
Atlanta.
Mr. Gus Tolar, of Madison, was
here from Sunday till Tuesday
with his biother, Mr. T- F. Tolar
Mrs. C. T. Pitts lias been real
sick with grip for the past ten
days.
Mr. J. F. Tolar who has been
critically ill for the past two weeks
is decidedly better.
Miss Ida Loyd left Saturday for
Monticello. 3he will teach a
school at Talmage, a few miles
out from Monticello.
Miss Cora Anthony and MBs
Lizzie Loyd were the guests Fri¬
day night ot Mr. and Mrs. H. M.
Speer at Shoal Creek.
Miss Laurie Willson who is at¬
tending school m Covington spent
Saturday and Sut day here with
h r parents
Miss Fannie Taylor and Mr.
R Loyd, ot Social Circle, were the
guest Sunday of Miss Minnie
Pitts.
Mrs- Tom Dickson and Miss
Katn Peacock, of Reese, were in
town Sunday, the former the guest
of Mrs. H. C. Pitts and the latter
of Mrs. E. E. Gay.
Mr. H. H. Wilburn spent sever¬
al days last week at his home in
Monticello. Mr. Wilburn’s friends
extend sympathy to him in the
death of his sister, Miss Ruby
Wilburn. She died last week from
a throat trouble, at a sanitorium
in Atlanta.
Safeguard The Children.
Notwithstanding all that is done by
boards of health and charitably inclined
persons, the death rate among small chil¬
dren is very high during the hot weather
of the summer months in the large cities
There is not probably one ease ol bowel
i complain’ in a hundred, however, that
| could not be cured by the timely use of
| Chamberlain’s Colic, 1 holera and Diar
! rboea Remedy Tor sale by all druggists
in Covington aud Bibb MTg. Cm Porter
dale.
WEST NEWTON.
Mrs. Jarman, of Covington, was
the guest of Mrs. J. W. Black last
Saturdav.
Rev. C. C. Elliott, of Oxford,
visited friends aud relatives near
Salem Sunday.
Some of our young’ people at¬
tended the pound party at the home
of Mr. A. L. Veal in Rockdale i
last Friday evening. J
Miss Nellie Black, of Covington,
visited home folks here lust Sat¬
urday and Sunday.
A large crowd attended the en
tertainment at the home of Mr.
D. Davidson last Friday * veniiig.
Dr. Humphries tilled his regula:
apjiointmeut at Bethany Sunday.
Mr- 1*. W. Turner and Prof. J as,
P. Cool y were iu Covington Sat¬
urday.
The heavy raiti6 which fell the
latter part of the week have raised
some of the streams that they can¬
not be crossed.
Prof. Cooley visited friends in
Rockdale.
The Review of Reviews, Cosm n»
politan Magazine, Woman'i H«me
GotjjpjtuJon ami ilia gemiAVeak! *
(ill UUP VViH %
MACEDONIA.
Mr. Henry Carroll, of Mt. Zi 0
visited his daughter, Mrs. Wood r
Boggus Sunday. 3
Messrs. J. B. Ellington J
aud j
E. Smith spent last Sunday aftej J
noon with Mr. Hugh Barnett,
is very sick with pneumonia at U
home near Alcovn.
The singing which was to hat
been „>c-n at the home of Mr.au
Mrs M. II. Smith last Suuda
night was postponed on accounti
the rain until next Sunday nigh
Miss Dorothy Martin spent F,
dav right with Mrs. Robt. Lee.•
Mrs. John Bird and daughw
Miss Blanche, were the guests 1
1 Mrs Maggie Bird last Friday. I
Mrs. Jackie Smith entertained
few of her relatives Sunday at I
bithdav dinner.
Mrs. M. H, Smith and Mi
Annie Mae Smith visited lit]
David Guinn last Tuesday,
Mr, N. H. Stewart, of si
Ground, was the guest of Mr. j
V. Poole’s family Sunday J
Monday.
Dr. Yarbrough, of Oxford, aa
Mr J. E. Smith were out l»i
hunting last Wednesday.
Chamberlain’s Colic, Cholera ti
Diarrhoea Remedy.
This remedy is certain to be needed
almost every home before the summer
over¬ It can always be depended up
even in the most severe and danger
cases. It is especially valuable for sums
disorders in children. It is pleasant to tj
and never fails to give prompt relief Ml
not buy it now. It may save life For it
by all druggists in Covington and Bl
MYg. Co.. Porterdale
FAIR VIEW.
Mr. Editor: Id you will lot 1
have a small space in .your papi
we will send you a few items fro
Fair View’ each week.
Wo have a flourishing school 4
Fair View and the management! j
Miss It.a Hardy, principal, anfl
Miss Johnie Willingham,assists!!
Mrs. E. P Hammoml is speni
ii)R f his week with friends and r|
atives in Atlanta.
Miss Mary Park has return!
home alter a three w' j el< - visit I
her brother, Mr. Will Park,
Crawfordville.
We are sorry to say that Mi
C. B. Hammond is quite sick
this writing. We hope she M
soon be well again.
Mr. and Mrs. Chesley Ray Vis
ted tbe latter’s parents Mr. ai
Mrs. Joe Williams, Saturday aC |
Sunday last.
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Austin visiH
Sunday. Mr. and Mrs J. \\\ 0*Kelley laj
Messrs Marvin Hammond f r
Paul McCa:t visited friends
relatives near McDonough lai
Saturday and Sunday.
Miss Emily Neely spent ia^
Monday night with Misses
Lou and Cora McCart.
Miss been Emma Walker, of 0<»n)' e j |
has visiting her mint Mrs.
\\ . Park the past week.
Messrs Perry and Joe MeCad
Salem were visitors hare last H
dav.
The Original.
Foley l Co., Ciiicagf>. originate! k
ey end Tar ns a throat suui lung rew 1 *
and on account of I lie great merit -■
popularity of Foley’s Honey and *1
many iniitaiions are offered forthafl
li ne. Ask-for f idey’s Honey and
anti infuse miv sulintjtuie oKbred S!i
oijjer jirapara'ion will giv® the &
walisfautinib It \n mildly lasHtht 1
oontftiuM no rpiRtt? »m 4 i«