The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-11-22
CoUDERsPoRT COUNTY

stood face to face lis rheumatism and
asthma had been very bad fora long while;
and living in his niggard and neglected
way had not given him the best chance
of recovery. He knew he was dying, but
he could not die III peace without looking
once more on those two faces he loved so
much-the only two he ever loved
through the whole of his long life. They
could not come to him, for they did not
know his address, or even his surname.
He was only "Joe" in the beautiful
house in Regents Park, and the servants
thought he was Misses queer old uncle
perhaps from Ingeny or furrin parts I"
Bat if they could not come to him he
would so to them-and must-whatever
risk. He could net die appily-he be-
lieved he could not pass away at all
without seeing them once more.
Though the sea! of death was rigidly
set on his face, the old man resolved to
make this long and perilous journey. He
knew he should hasten the supreme mo-
ment, but it would be better even if he
did, he said, sadly. He had done all he
could do now lie had established the
dear ones, and his death would not de-
prive them now of farthing, or a single
comfort He had saved enough Let him
die IL sent for reighbor to dress hiM
for the last time, in his decent clothes /;
and when this was done-bctween faint,
lug aud long its of paln--he told her to
90 for a cab. and bargain with the man
for his fare Up t. Regents Park. Because
he was old and weak, he wouldn't be dol g
even by the biggest rulGan among them,
he growled out. When the woman left
the room, old Joe dragged himself as best
he could to a small lrou safe he had let
into the wall with his own hand. No
one know it was there-not even the land
lord, nor the prying eyes of little Teddy.
He unlocked it, and took out roll OF
bank notes, railway scrip, and mortgage
bonds, and tied them all in a cotton hand
kerch;ef, together with a parchment tied
with red tape, sealed with a big seal, and
endorsed L" joe Mappin's will, " III his own
handwriting, He hid the bundle under
his greasy Old cloak and then the wo-
man came back, and found him painting
and pale, and she screamed out that he
was dying. But he swore at her between
each gasp, aud told her to hold her noise
and to help him down stairs And then
half stumbling aud half carried, the old
man got down the stairs at last, and so
was put in the cab.
lie gave the man his directions in an
jealously guarding the name
from the crowd standing curiously aboat
and then drove out Of Hoborn forever.
As he left his old ncighborhood, with all
its associations Of the pitilessness and sor-
row of which lie had been the instrument
and the heart!ess cause, a change seemed
to come over him The mastiff face grad
ually grew more softened and humanized
He was passing from the world of men and
into that Of love and death, and
the evil influences OF this material life
faded before the publication Of this great
baptism.
The journey-it was long one for a
dying m9n-tircd him sadly. He did
not care though for the pain it caused
him; his only fear was that he should
die ere he reached his home-the home
Of his spirit, Of his better and purer life,
but he survived tin sad state Of suf-
fering and prostration; and only just sur
Vived it; for when carried By the cabman
Ia his arms as if he had been a child, he
vas brought 10 the presence of those low
I'd ones, all that his failing life left him
power to do, was to place the package in
.he window and murmur family, " is is
III yo1rs," and to die with her tears fall :
ng softly on his face.