Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-05-15

- "'"o vi bne aW1ullysfnarked
loai spread through R, and the peo-
pie came to inbbard's all the week to
look at it. IL was deaths head and
cross-bones certainly every one saw
that at a glance, but as TO its meaning
people differed. Some believed that r
was warning Of approaching death !;
some thought that the spirits wanted to
frighten the Hubbards away, and get
possession Of the house again, all TO them.
selves. This latter supposition inspired
Mrs, Hubbard with courage /; finally be-
ing brave woman, she adopted the be-
llet, and when another baking day arriv-
ed, put her loaves into the oven once
more, prepared for cross-bones, and not
to be frightened by them. The loayes
baked as before. They came ont brown
and crusty as Mrs. Hubbard turned each
in her hands There was no cross-bones
visible, but on the last were sundry char
acters or letters. What, no one could
tell, until there dropped in for a chat,
certain printer of the neighborhood, ac-
customcd to reading things backward.
by George" said he, Shat is curious
That IS curious-rc-s-il-r-g-am resurgam;
that is what is on the loaf-resurgam.
vt is what they put on tombs, isn't
it ? asked poor Mrs. Hubbard family.
"Well, yes" said Mr.. Hubbard. being
obliged to admit it. "But it is not so
bad as cross-bones and skulls"
"Mrs. Hubbard shook her head.
"lts even solemner," said the little
woman, who was not as good linguist
as bread-maker. 81 feel confident, Will
liam, that shall soon be resurgamed.
and what will these dear children do
then 2"
And now that the second leaf was be-
fore her eyes, marked even more awfullv
than the first, Mrs. Hubbard grew really
pale and thin, and lost her cheerfulness.
81 have preseLtinent," she said over
and over again, "that third baking will
decide who the warning belongs to, be-
lieve it is meant for me, and time will
show. Don't you see how thin l am
growing p
And though Mr.. Hubbard laughed, he
also began TO he troubled. The third
baking day was one of gloom. Solemn
ly, as at funeral, the family assembled
to assist in the drawing.
Five loaves came out markless but
one remained.
Mrs. Hubbard's hand trembled but
she drew it forth she laid it on the tray;
she turned it softly about. At last she
exposed the lower surface On it were
letters printed backward plain enough
TO read this time, and arranged thus:
"Died April 2nd,
her large family.
eGTt .. ,,,< s.,;.l A..
am to go tomorrow. This is the first.
| do feel faint. Yes, do. 1t is awful.
and so sudden"
And Mrs. Hubbard tainted away in the
arms of the most terrified of men and
husbands.
The children screamed, the cat new
ed, the dog barked. The oldest boy ran
for the doctor. People flocked 10 the
Hubbards. The loaf was examined
Yes, there was Mrs. Hubbard's warning
her call to quit this world.
She lay in bed, bidding good bye to
TO her family and friends, her strength
going fast. She read her Bible, and tried
not to grieve too much. The clergymen
prayed with her. Nobody doubted her
end was at hand, for people were very
SupcFStlIlOuS III InOSe ulyS.
They had been mp all night with good
Mrs. Hubbard, and dawn was breaking,
and with it she must go; when, clatter-
ing over the road and up to the door
came horse, and on the horse came a
man who alighted. He ratified the
knocker and rushed in. Up the stairs
he went to Mrs Hubbard's room, and
bolted into it.
Every one stared at him as he took
off his hat.
''Parding," said he, breathlessly, 81
heard Mrs. Hubbard was dying-and
she'd warnings on her bakings. l came
over to explain. You see l was sexton
of the church here few years ago, and
| know all about it. You need't die for
fear just yet. Mrs. Hubbard, for it is
neither spirits nor devils about; nor yet
warnins What marks the loaves is old
Mis-. Finkle's tombstone. took it for
an oven bottom, seeing there were no
survivors, and bricks were dear. The
last folks before you didn't get them
printed off on their loaves, because they
used tins and we got used to the marks
ourselves. Cross-bOnes and skulls we
put up with, and never thought of car
ing for the resurgum. So you see how
it is, and am sorry you've been scared"
Nobody said word. The minister
shut his book. The doctor walked up TO
the window. There was a deadly ST.
lence. Mrs Hubbard sat up in bed
"William," said she, to her husband,
''the first thing you do, get new bot
tom to that oven"
And the tone assured the assemblage of
anxious friends that Mrs Hubbard was
not going to die Just yet.
Indeed, she came down the very next
day. And when the oven had oecn re-
constructed, the first thing she did was
TO give invitations for a large tea-drink-
ing, on which occasion the loaves came
out right.