astly pale, and I came near fainting. To think that
I had traded such a note for an old plug of a horse was sickening,
especially when considering our circumstances.

One day a gentleman stopped at the hotel selling wire stove-pipe
brackets. They were so constructed as to fasten around the pipe of the
cook-stove, and make a very convenient shelf to set the cooking utensils
on.

The Doctor took a particular liking to the man selling them, and lost no
opportunity to speak a good word for the invention. One day he ventured
the assertion that he could sell six dozen a day to the housekeepers of
that town. I suggested that he start out at once.

He was insulted, and said he was in other business. I said a poor
excuse was better than none and offered to wager the price of a new hat
that he couldn't sell one in a week. He then offered to bet the cigars
for the crowd that he could sell one to his washerwoman.

"Yes," I replied, "I suppose she would be glad to take cats and dogs for
what you owe her."

That settled it, and he raked me right and left. He said I needn't judge
him from my shirtless experience at Fort Wayne (which I had related to
him), and that he always paid his wash bill. He then reminded me that
only for him and his money a few weeks before, I would have gone without
laundered shirts many a day.

"Yes," said I, "and only for me where would you be eating now?"

"Great ----!" he ejaculated. "You cussed, impudent Arab! Who got you this
job?"

"You did," I replied; "but only for your beautiful figure and winning
ways catching the eye of the land----"

"Shut up! shut up!" he yelled. "Don't you open your infernal head
again."

Then I apologized, and said:

"Well, Doctor, you have satisfied me that you don't owe your
washerwoman, so I'll take the bet you offered to make. And," I added,
"I'll bet another cigar she won't let you in the house unless you have a
bundle of washing along, and show her that you have a legitimate right
to call on her."

This exasperated him again, and made him more determined than ever to
show us what he could do.

He selected a bracket, and started for the washerwoman, who lived
directly back of the hotel, on another street. It fifteen minutes to
twelve o'clock when he started.

About noon one of the kitchen girls came running to the office, and
called me to come quick to the back door. I hastened, and to my
astonishment found the Doctor, under the greatest excitement. No
s