The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-01-23

raise. 1t was an awful fire to be in, but
| had to stand it, or rather lay it, 81 l
lay still and let 'rm alone until they
got tired of it, and then they went out,
and | was again left to my own pleas
ant reflect iJns.
Night came, and so did lot of young
fellows with their girls, to sit up with
me and they had a jolly time of it, all
though it was against my principles to
enjoy it ON so sO,emn an occasion.
1t seemed an age until morning, but
it came at last and they went away. l
heard them say that was to be burel
that day at o'clock, and was begin
ing TO feel decidedly shaky, when Jer-
usha aud her mother came into the
room and began arranging for the fu-
neral.
"RuShn," said her mother. there
is thai sunlf coIored suit of poor Ben's;
he will nevet have any more use for
clothes, So just but them away among
your carpet-rags; they'll make splen.
did stripe"
Now that particular suit of clothes
was just the neatest one ever owned,
arm-hCleS, caliars, wristbands, buttons,
all just the thing, and my blOOl boiled
to hear them talk so cOOlly of using
them for stripes in rag carpet. They
kept on talking as they swept, busted
and cleaned up the room.
"DOb says he will take the Martin
farm to work this year." said Jerusha,
cheeruIly, land as soon as we are
married we Shall go to house keeping in
that little cottage close to the road.
Now l must get my carpet done, just as
soon as possible, fuI | want it in that
nice little frOlt room. These dulS of
Ben's will make out enough rags,
guess. His iOlks live so far away they
will never inquire about his Clothes.
Now, if it wasen't for the looks of it,
We could ask old Mother Smith about
colorng yellow: She sure so be here
to-day"
was getting very mad now, indeed.
| felt that the crisis was near, and that
| should either die or explode If they
did not let my snulf cOlored suit alone.
Jerusha picked them up-I knew it,
for | heard the buckles and buttons
jingle and pade for the door. | tried
to shake my i,t and yell at her, but al
In va n. l laid there, outwaidly as
quiet as a lamb, inwardly boiling with
wrath. It was too much, the deepest
trance could not have held out against
the loss of that suit With powerful
effort | sprang up and screamed. Jpr-
usha dropped my clothes, anG h.r mo
ther the duster, and both He'd from the
room and the house never stopping un-
I'll they reached DR.. Browns across the
street. With difficulty managed to
g"t my clothes. la just got them
fairy on, when Mrs. Jones and her
daughter, followed by numerou' 'com-
pany of men, women and children,
came peeping cautiously into the room.
sat on my board and looked at them.
Such scared looking crowd was en-.
oush to amuse an owl, SO | laughed;
knew 1t was uHbecOming, but couldn't
have helped it ii they had chucked me
into my coffin which the undertaken
was just carrying past the window and
buried me the next minute. | laughed
until Jared the chair out from undcr
one end of the board, and down 1 went
with a crash. Then the doctor ventur.
ed into the room, saying rather dubious
ly:
$50 you are not dead yet, Den?"
"Wrll, no, not exactly" Ireplie +;
sorry to disappoint my friends about
The funeral, however"
yes" he said, rather absently, "bad,
rather that is--aheml"
"Fooled out of that snuff-colored
STRIPED" l thought, as looked at Jeru-
sha
go and speak with him." said her
father, in strange whisper. Hes
got the stamps, and you had better mar
ry him after all .
They began to gather around me and |
me ON my escape 1 no |
ticcd that they crird great deal more
now than when | was dead. Jerusha
came and hung around my neck, sniv-
cling desperately. l gave her not
over. gentle push and told her to wait
next time until l was safely buried be.
fore she set her heart on my cd clothes.
80, am so glad!" she said swpety,
without appearing to notice what said
about the cloihes--"that you are not
dead. Benny dear, My heart seemed