Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-03-04
"The Late Deceased.

His full name was Hebdon Wright
Turner, but everybody called him
"Heb" He must have passed his six
tieth birthday, but no one cared to lock
second time to see If he was growing
old and wearing out. He chored around
livery stables and saloons, always hungry
and always ragged, and 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 he
startled the three or four men who had
placed him on the bed by exclaiming:
"Boys, I'll be blamed if hain't going
to dief'
No one had ever stopped to think
whether Uncle Heb was ever going to
die. 1t was the general impression
among his acquaintance that he would
live along for 300 or 400 years.
How do you feel?" they asked.
Kinder trembly and weak he re-
piled. ON bet fifty cents I'll kick the
bucket afore noonl"
They offered to bring a doctor, but he
said:
"No, don't take any trouble; tend
right to business as usual, and when L
out any stylep
The men imagined that it was mere
weakness which would soon pass Oft,
and one OF them sat down near him while
the others retired to go about their bust
ness.
"It's tough weather for funeral" re-
marked Uncle Heb as the fierce wind
howled around the house. ut don't
make any difference how Pm carried up;
wouldn't know it If there were sixteen
hacks and brass hand just as lief go
up alone with the driverW
After pause he smiled blandly and
inquired:
ceased won't theyY Yes, of course. l
should like to read the papers tomorrow
and see what they say of me, but lwont
be here, you knew"
Have you any property to dispose
Off" asked the watcher.
Lemme seer unused Uncle Heb.
Yes, thar's an extra pair Of butes, and
hat, and about seventeen cents in mon
ey. suppose the right way would be
to have executors 'pinted, but, as said
before, don't want any fooling around.
You can divide up the estate between
YOU"
The old man was very pale, and he
seemed to be suffering, and the watcher
was anxious to do something.
81 tell YOU" replied Uncle Heb, sd
like some brandy. If 1t wasn't just as
II is | wouldn't put you to any trouble,
but being Pm going away to stay I'd
like a few swallers of real peach
brandy-some of that in the fancy de-
canter."
Some was brought him, and he smacked
his lips, smiled and remarked:
"If ! wasn't going to die I'd try and
lay in a quart or two of that brand"
After five or ten minutes more the
nurse asked him if he didn't feel better,
Feel better" echoed the old man.
It" how can dying man feel better? DO
you suppose I'd be fooling around here if
/ want going to expires"
tinued:
"As soon as I go up the spout one of
you go to the Poormaster and say: Mr..
Willard, old Heb is dead; send u Teller
down and plant him. That will be as
good as a speech two hours long Pm
sorry was took sick here, but II wasn't
my fault. You may go 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 Darkroom he opened
the door.
The old man was dead
He had died without cry or strug-
gle, and there was smile on his face, as
II his dying moments had been spent in
wondering how he would look as "a late
deceased "--Detr0tt Free Press.
~
AT meeting Of Spiritualists, held
in village not great way from Scran-
ton, aud not long since, one Of the men,
bers of "the circle" received a message
from friend In the unseen world to the
effect that he would certainly die upon a
certain day and hour, mentioning the
time with positiveness that to the cir.
Gle and the gentleman referred to left no
room for doubt. The message also con-
vcyed an admonition to the effect that he
should, in anticipation of the event, inn
mediately procure life-insurance policy
for $1O,O00'for the benefit of his family
In obedience to the suggestion the policy
was secured, and upon the appointed day
and hour the man died. The wife, upon
applying to the company for the amour,
named In the policy, was informed thai
the policy was voided by reason of hel
! husbands having committed mora
suicide"-that il, died because he though
he must do so in accordance with The
supposed message. The wife has now
brought suit against the company for thu
. mount of the policy .-Scranton pa.
Tmes.
4 About Chapultapec, Mexico, is Z
grove of gigantic Expresses, said to b.
from 1900 to 2, 600 years old, with trunk.
SCARED and torn by shot and shell free
in the many battles that have taker
place in the immediate neighborhood
| On the top Of the rock is the old Span
ish castle, built of porphyry, marble and
sandstone. II contains fine scientific
library and conservatory. The Who'll.
rock beneath it is honey-combed with
passages, stables, cellars, dungeons
! storerooms and powder magazines, some
], of which were excavated BY the Mon
! tezumas.