destal Scotch custom puts him upon and remain "the Stewart."
Indeed, I don't think you are too inquisitive, and I am glad to tell
you how I happened to meet the "gude mon."

It all happened because I had a stitch in my side. When I was
housekeeper at the Nursery, I also had to attend to the furnace, and,
strange but true, the furnace was built across the large basement from
where the coal was thrown in, so I had to tote the coal over, and my
_modus operandi_ was to fill a tub with coal and then drag it across to
the hungry furnace. Well, one day I felt the catch and got no better
fast. After Dr. F---- punched and prodded, she said, "Why, you have the
grippe." Rev. Father Corrigan had been preparing me to take the
Civil-Service examination, and that afternoon a lesson was due, so I
went over to let him see how little I knew. I was in pain and was so
blue that I could hardly speak without weeping, so I told the Reverend
Father how tired I was of the rattle and bang, of the glare and the
soot, the smells and the hurry. I told him what I longed for was the
sweet, free open, and that I would like to homestead. That was Saturday
evening. He advised me to go straight uptown and put an "ad" in the
paper, so as to get it into the Sunday paper. I did so, and because I
wanted as much rest and quiet as possible I took Jerrine and went
uptown and got a nice quiet room.

On the following Wednesday I received a letter from Clyde, who was in
Boulder visiting his mother. He was leaving for Wyoming the following
Saturday and wanted an interview, if his proposition suited me. I was
so glad of his offer, but at the same time I couldn't know what kind of
person he was; so, to lessen any risk, I asked him to come to the
Sunshine Mission, where Miss Ryan was going to help me "size him up."
He didn't know that part of it, of course, but he stood inspection
admirably. I was under the impression he had a son, but he hadn't, and
he and his mother were the very last of their race. I am as proud and
happy to-day as I was the day I became his wife. I wish you knew him,
but I suspect I had better not brag too much, lest you think me not
quite sincere. He expected to visit you while he was in Boulder. He
went to the Stock Show, but was with a party, so he planned to go
again. But before he could, the man he left here, and whom I dismissed
for drunkenness, went to Boulder and told him I was alone, so the
foolish thing hurried home to keep me from too