The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-09-08
Comfort In Amiction.

large, watery eyes, and an attire Of di.
lapidatei respectabiiity, called A. a
DAnbury house SAYS the .N,scs) last Fri
day morning for ''luuch." He said he
vas travelling from BJston 20 Buffalo.
at which latter place he had great ex-
pectations He sat down ~ the kitchen
table, with his long legs curied up un-
der it. and his long arms spread out
upon il. while his pondcrous nose stood
out like a grease spot on a pair OF white
pants.
The woman of the house brought him
q plate Of bread and meat and bowl
of coffee. While she Was placing the
things he noticed that she wore a black
dress aud look of palior
Had death. madam >" he softly in
CURED, as lac squared himself for the
repast.
Yes. sir"
Lately"
Last Tuesday" she answered, faint
~.
Il was sure of H. Father? mother
sister, brother." he asked, taking UP
piece of meat with one hand and slap
ping it appetizingly upon piece of
bread in the other.
Ny husband, sir. she said, drawing
out handkerchief while her lips quiv.
cred. She looked So white and sad and
dropping "a she sat there. that his heart
was touched
Did he die natural DEATH" he
asked, softly chewing on the food, and
bending the full glance of bis large
eyes upon her.
Yes sir"
&" It.. bad thing in one so young a.
YOU TO lose her protector But he died
a natural death and there is comfort in
that" He slapped another piece of
meat upon another slice of bread, and
quietly put lis teeth through them.
You know he presently added, re-
volving the morsel in his mouth. and
assuming an appearance of delicate
cheerfulness, that he died calmly, with
every want attended 10, and loving
hands To administer 10 him-could |
trouble you for little mustard:" She
wearily arose and got him the article
There's comfort in that. isn't therei"
he continued. referring TO the passing
away Of deceased.
Yes" said she. in d low tone, wip-
ing her eyes.
Now you know" he said. looking
intently at her with his eyes. while his
hands spread the mustard, lit might
| have been much different and far worse.
He might have been run over 10y train
of coal ears and cut into pound lump.
stuck full of gravel!'
Il know" said she with shivcr
Then. again. he might have been
| blown up in defective saw mill, said
the stranger, taking another bite of the
food, and gently closing his eyes as il
the better to picture the irredeemable
horror of this proposition, land only
about two thirds of him, and that badly
damaged ever returned to your agon-
lied sight"
A low sob behind the handkerchief
WAS then the only response. while he
opened his eyes In time TO detect a fly
making extraordinary efforts to shake
his hind legs tree from the mustard
Coming mechanically To the assistance
of the insect. he said;
1T is bad enough to lose him. I'll
admit that, No one would he so cal
oused as To deny that" he said. looking
around inquiringly. rs IL 10 make quite
sure tha, no such party was in sight.
still. il could have been much worse,
you know. He might have been prema-
turely perforated with the ramrod of a
cannon. and had To have had chloroform
| iujected IN him At an expense # So a
! day But ii he had fallen into a vat of
hot oil and had ali his flesh peeled off
you'd never got over it. would your"
mo. sir. ;" said she. burying her fac,
still deeper in her handkerchief.
"Oh, there are . hundred WAYS he
might have died" he went on, taking y
sweep with the knife at fly. in the ex-
uberance of bis delight that things
were rs they were instead of rs they
might have been. &" He might have per-
ished in FIRE and dug out of the ruins
the next day with pickax. He nigh,
! have fallen off two story building and
! struck on his face. aud had to have gone
through the funeral on his stomach,
with weeping friends pressing the las,
| fond kiss on the back of his head"
Here the narrator shuddercd himself
a, the awful prospect of such ostss-
trophe. while the bereaved woman
agonizingly protested agsinst his pro
ceeding.
You'll admit it might have been
worse Z" he asked with undisguised
anxiety.
"Ob, yes. sir. she replied. wiring
her eyes.
I'm glad of that" said he. explor-
ing his under jaw with the fork 'Aiiiic-
,ions will come. bat if we try 10 think
of those which are greater that have
not come Ia us, then we are better able
10 bearthose that do. It's been my object
TO teach you that natural death Is not q
thing 10 di.pise in these times of rush,
crash and spluiter and If you have
learned the lesson. my mission Is ac-
complished and l So on my WAY. l
/ don't want to intrude. of course. on the
the privacy Of deep grief, bat il the
/ deceased MAS about my build, and left
/ behind him = vest. not too gaudy IN
/ pa'tern. | should be pleased To take /,
/ along with me as . souvenir Of depart
ed worth" He paused au instant,
and then added. with touching
solemnity, These were his yie;usls,
and II would seem appropriate. as we'll