The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-03-05
s,Unele,.Heh.2.

From the Detroit Free Press
His full name Was Hebdon Wright. Tur-
ner, but rybody called him s.Heb. .
He 1nnst have passed his: sixtieth birth.
day, but no one cared to look = second
time to see If he was growing old and
wearing out. He chored around livery
stables and saloons, always hungry. and
always ragged, aud while no one was his
friend, he had NO enemies.
- The other day he fell down in faint in
saloon on the river road, and when he
was restored to consciousness be startled
the three Or four men who placed him
on the bed by exclaiming: .s' nu*:1
*: "Boys, '"I'll be darned if haint going
to de- p: -. 49,, :: -: '.,.'. fyes'
IN" one had ever stopped to think
whether Uncle Heb was ever going to die
1t was the general impression among his
acquaintances that he would live along
for three or four hundred years. :..y
''How do you feel g they asked.
"Kinder .trembly and weak he re-
piled. "l'll bet fifty cents kick the
bucket afore noon. -
They offered to bring doctor, but he
said: -,-:-
mo, don't take any trouble tend
right to business as usual. and when l
kick the beam, plant me quietly and with
out any style"
The men imagined that it was mere
weakness, which would soon pass off, and
one of them sat down near him while the
others retired to 60 about their business
"1t's tough weather for q funeral - re-
marked Uncle Heb, as the fierce wind
howled around the house. ut don't
make any difference how I'm carried up
wouldn't know it if there were sixteen
hacks snd brass band I'd just as lie1
60 up alone with the driver
After a pause he smiled blandly and
inquired:
''rhey'n speak Of me as the late de-
ceased won't they? Yes, of course. ]
should like to read the papers tomorrow
and see what they say Of me; but won
be here. you know"
sHave you any property to dispose
off," asked the watcher.
Lemme see - unused Uncle Heb
Eyes, thar2s an extra pair Of butes and ,
hat and about II cents in money. sup
pose the right way would be to have exc
cutors' pinted, but, as said before,
don't want any fooIing around. You cal
divide up the estate between you
The old man was very pale, and hi
seemed to be suffering, and the watche,
was anxious to do something.
II tell you. replied Uncle Heb, "I't
like some brandy. If it wasn't just as il
is wouldn't put you to any trouble, bu
being I'm going away to stay, Id like .
few swallows Of real peach brandy-somt
Of that in the fancy decanter."
Some was brought him, land he smacket
his lips. smiled and remarked:
IF / wasn't going to die, I'd try ane
lay in quart or two of that brandt
After five or ten minutes more tn,
nurse asked him if he didn't feel better
"Feel better!'' echoed the old man
show can dying man feel better? Dc
you suppose Id be fooling around here il
l wasn't going to expire -
The man sat down and Uncle Heb con
tinucd:
Gas soon as I go up the spout one Of
you go to the poormaster and say: MIR.
Willard is dead send Teller down and
plant him. That will be as good as q
speech two hours long. I'm sorry was
took sick here, but it wasn't my fault.
You may 60 now
The man went out, thinking Uncle
Heb out of his mind, and sat down and
played dominoes for an hour. Hearing
no movement in the back room he opened
the door.
The old man was dead