The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1874-10-22

gun loaded. and also kept hrrc,
dog.
At the first sound of the rappins
Tige rushed ont. and seizing Mr.
Chesford by the leg. upset him int,
barrel Of partly frozen rain wate
just below the doors ep, and befor,
he had finished swearing and crawl
ing out Of his impromptu bath Ton
up with the window and let fly tn,
contents OF the gun. Fortunately Mr.
Chesford was down 81 low that the
charge passed harmles>ly over him
and he had time to discharge round
volley of imprecations ut Tom before
he could load again.
Thieves. robbers. murder. arson y
screamed Mrs. jenkins.
"Do stop your noise,' shouted
David,more empha:ically than polite
ly,-"l'm not a robber. nor an arson
Nary one. ! came after you, Aun,
Jenkins"
"Oh, wall, you jest hold on till
get my pettlcoat and frunt on, and
III unbar the door"
So Mr.. Chesford waited, and pres
emily Aunt .Ienklng appeared. David
explained that his wife thought she
was dying, and that she wanted to
see Aunt Jenking.
'Oh, is that all p said Aunt Jen-
kins placidly--"I didn't know but
your old COW had got choked, or the
pig was took with the blind staggers.
You come in aud warm yourself, and
have drink of cider. Mariah'll do
well enough"
Mr. Chesiord was probably of her
opinion. for he went in, and Mr.. Jen-
kins got up and the two sat over the
fire and talked about the election and
the 'starnal cod wea her" unit day
dawned Then Aunt jenkins con
cIuded she would goover and "ch'rk
Marian up little AID when they
arrived at the house of death, they
found Mariah up and dressed and get :
ting breakfast.
But, such 'blessing" as she gave
them both! 1t was enough TO CON
vince anyone that her lungs were
sound
In March, Fanny Barton, Mr.. Ches-
ford's cousin, a wide awake, rosy
checked, little old maid, came to
make them visit. OF canrse MIS-.
Cheslord was very poorly she al
WAYS WIS when there was any one to
listen to her complaints.
1t did not take Fanny long to un-
dcrstand the position OF affairs in the
family. Mrs. Chesford had a series
OF i'll turns, and IN the course of The
week she went through with yellow
fever, mcascls, scroiula, small pox,
cholera morbas, neuralgia. and con
gostion Of the brain, TO sly nothing
Of the Slight attacks Of heart com
plaint, pneunonia and bilious jann-
dice.
One day Fanny took Mr.. ChesfcId
to one side and had nalf hours Sc
rious conversat on with him. At the
close of the conversat on he look
ed almost cheerful and Fanny was
jubilant.
That evening when Mrs. Chesford
set up her customary cry that she
was going to die. Fanny joined with
her cordially, and entered Into the
making of her will with evident rel
ish. She ais suggested th,t the
sick woman should have her hair
crlmped when she WAS laid ou., and
that she should be bu led in a metal
ic coffin.
Mrs. Cesford looked very much
Disconnected bu did not explode, as
Fanny expected she would. She
kept her temper.
The next dav she made another at
tempt at dying. Fanny stood by
the bedside and asked Mr. Chesford
a very audible question about a
board to lay her out on; and Mr..
Chesford replied quite as audibly
that he had always calculated to use
the wood-shed door. He had had it
off from the hinges two mouths, for
tits very purpose.
The dying woman looked daggers
at him, and uttered groan which
might have been heard quarter of a
mile off.
Mr.. Chesford put his arm around
Fanny's waist and kissed her.
"Never mind, DEAR" he said, "she's
too far gone to notice anything. Her
eyes are set now.'
Mrs. Chesford sprang up in bed
and shook her fist at him.
''Set. indeed" said she .sSet, I'll
learn you what set is if you don't
"Dont exert YOURSELF said Fanny,
don't ! We promised David that Ill
be "a mother to them when you are
gone.
''Of course | am sorry to lose YOU,
Marah,' said Mr.. Chcsford. ''but
you're such great sufferer, it is
wicked to want you to live. And
you're getting old. too
"Eh?" said Mrs. Chesford, sharply;
"old Ell? You want young wife, do
you. She's every d,y as old as !
am"
"She wanders," said Fanny, piting-
", Poor soul. she's almost gone.
Hadn't you better step out, David
and ask Mrs. Hanscom to come over
and help dress the body:
sob, Fanny. nv dearest girl. to
think shall soon be free" cried
Che>ford, rapturously, "and then
thou wilt be mine"
Mrs. Chesford bounded to the
floor, and snatching her gown from
the Iootboard put herself into it in
twnkling. Seizing bottle of smell
Ing salts, which happened to be the
only weapon at hand, Mrs. Chesford
hurled it at the head of her husband,
and so accurate was her aim that the
locking glass on the opposite side of
the room was put out utter y.
"Plague take the looking glass"
cried the lady, ''but who keers for
looking glass? I'll larn you how to
plot what you're a,going to do after
I'm dead. I'll larn you. you-yCu-
you" and unable to express your
selves in words Mrs Chesford had
had recourse to the bottles again, and
,,., ,b,, E,,;,,a,+s raaJx, raliaf na,p