356 



THE IRRIGA TION A GM. 



touching phase of poverty. The 

 interview revealed the true Lupe 

 at once, and I watched with deep 

 admiration the caressing tender- 

 ness, the deferential submission, 

 and eger solicitude with which the 

 girl tended her aged relative. I 

 had not been mistaken in my esti- 

 mate of the girl's character, and 

 my grateful surprise was quickened 

 when, upon my departure a little 

 later, my young friend followed me 

 to the gate of the corral and in 

 parting took my hand and simply 

 laid it against her soft cheek in 

 token of unaffected regard. And 

 so ended my first acquaintance 

 with Lupe. 



WHEN THE DOCTOR COMES. 



< n VKI<I:S i. CENTER, M it. 



Gran'pap's sick, an' all on us are feelin' 



purty blue, 

 Fer he's a gettin' purty old, an' weak an' 



feeble too. 

 We're all a'mighty fond on him; th' day 



w'en we can't see 

 Th' ol' man sittin' by the fire th' Bible 



on his knee, 

 Is goin' to make us orfle sad. Pap sets 



an' twirls 'is thum's, 

 Awatin' fer th' gate tu click w'en the 



Doctor comes. 



Bill sees 'ini diawin' up the lane, so Pap 



he ups an' goes 

 Tu tie th' horse, an' blanket him; th' 



Doctor '11 be mos' froze. 

 Th' Doctor's voice is jest ez strong 'n 



cheerful ez can be, 

 He sez ez how he thinks th snow '11 last 



all thro' Feb'ary. 



But Pap's voice 's harsh, an' sorter gruff, 



an' he acks so kinder glum. 

 But he's cheerfuller 'n he was before, fer 



th' Doctor's come. 



'En w'en he comes inter th' houe Mam 



takes his coat an' hat. 

 An' puts a cheer up by th' fire th' same 



place where he sat 

 Th' las' time he was here. An' w'en he's 



warm he walks 

 Right inter th' spare bed room, an' he an' 



Granpap talks. 

 An' he feels 'is pulse, an' th' rest ov us 



are keepin' purty mum. 

 But we're jest doggon orfle glad that th' 



Doctor's come. 



But he stays in thur so tur'ble long th' 



figgits gits hold on Mam; 

 An' mebby me too, fer she boxes me an' 



tells me not tu slam 

 Th' door. But Gram'mam she jest sits, 



an' a tear runs down 'er face, 

 An' she sez, kinder soft an' slow, "0 



Lord, show us thy grace." 

 An' that makes a nut come in my throat 



an' [ feel orfle bum! 

 But things is goin' tu go all right fer th' 



Doctor's come. 



'En he comes out, an' looks around, an : 



Mam she kinder braces. 

 An' asks how Gran'pap '11 git along. An' 



then th' Doctor's is 

 Jest th' ban'somest ye ever seen! An' he 



sez, ''There, there, don't fret. 

 I shouldn't wonder but Gran'pap '11 bury 



us all yet.'' 

 An' theu another tear rolls down an' drops 



on Gran'mam's thum'. 

 But she looks orfle happy now th' 



Doctor's come. 



