Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-05-31
STORY OF A KEROSENE LAMP.
J. o T.
UnDeR. this. stone,
Lyes- BvRyD. one,
Wot. CUM. too. this. DAMP,
DARK. GRAVE. By. a LAMP.
q NoVEM, 1865.

q NovEM. 1865.
On the borders of country town there
is a graveyard and whoever visited it at a
certain hour on certain May afternoon
might have seen a lank man examining its
tombstones through huge pair of specta-
cles, and lingering at last wnh fascinated
gaze beside a rough slab which tuppled
over its mound in drunken woe, and which
bore the inscription above recorded.
Now, truly, this is strangen' ex-
claimed the explorer. 81. 0. F.-1S65.
Come to this damp, dark grave by a
lamp Well, we'll! This must be in
quired intor'
The lauk man made a note, and solemn
ly-as befitted the place-resolved to dive
to the bottom of the mystery in case such
diving did not necessitate an underground
exploration. Where should he look for
facts? Upward? No! For though he
lifted eyes through futtering foliage to
calm sky the mystery was a mystery still.
Nor did his eyes find its solution as they
roamed amidst mounds and the fresh
green of springtime. Presently he espied
a stout fellow clipping the arbor vitae
hedge, and a hopeful sigh arose.
Good day." said the lank explorer.
The stout man graciOusly responded.
kl4oAAA LIIehL w llC W tLS y ". It
(Stout man, pondering): "J.-O.-F!
JOY! Wot! him o. the lamp?''
Yes"
g Oh, yes; that's koorius, weryr'
WHAT'S curious %
=" That about j O. F., what comes to
this damp, dark grave by lamp. Ha,
ha, ha-a-a-ah!'' ending with ecstatic
rumbling) He, he, he-e-e! Wants
lamp down there, like enough!"
(Lank mani: & But, my good friend,
who aoGs j o. F. 81
(Stout man, incredulously): "Likely,
now, you've card tn ole thing!"
No, haven'theard any of it. What's
it all ahout?"
Well, YOU see. There, | can't tell
you as we'll as th'oman over yon in
th'ouse with green blines. She'll tell
you. She knows"
What's her name? How long has
she lived here?'
Names Grundell. Amt lived here
never
There's ten cents. Are you mar
ried many'
Thanks, sir. No, lives by myself -
"Oh, you dol Then, there's twenty
five. Good day"
WhereupOn lank man scrambled down
hillside roughnesS, crossed road and a
meadow, and appeared at the door OF a
small, weather-stained house, set up be-
side sluggish stream in a very lonely
place. A woman sat at an open window
White hair and wrinkles denoted many
years of human life, but bright eyes and
straight back revealed indomitable youth.
fulness of spirit. He asked for a drink
OF water She brought it, sparkling,
clear and cool from, bp iv,4 IL,
kitchen =.
Deliciousm judged the lank pYan.
. | shall want some more pretty soon.
May | sit down on the doorstep?''
9 Yes sir; of counsel Seems to me
sec YOU in church a Sabbyday?"
Think likely. | was there"
In James pew? Mebbe you're the
Mister Jones who's goin' to marry
Susanny?''
The very same JONES'"
= Do tell! Well Pm glad to know
you. Susanny's a good girl I'm glad
she's goin to have good man.
Thank your said and bowed the
lank man; and added, "I've lust been
exploring among the tombstones. A man
over there said you could tell me about
}. 0. f. and the lamp. Pm curious to
know"
Now, at this abrupt allusion the old
lady seemed a little startled, and then
thoughtful, atterward replying that she
hadn't told that story for five or six years,
she reckoned.
You come in and take that rockin'
chair, and be kind o comf'table. Amt
that better, now, Mister Jones, than that
wooden board Pr
Jones having complied, and Mrs.
tHrnnHpll havinC Mo
served rusSets on the table before him.
she began to recall the details of the story.
Well, Mister Jones, me and nv man
have lived here nigh onto forty wear. We
had six children. Two died of scarlet
fever when they was little, and lie over
there. And the rest married, one after
another; and like all the Peases and Grun-
dells-my father was Pease-when they
got married they set up housekeepin' bv
themselves. So that left Grundell and
me all alone, especially nights; for the
neighbors and such of the children as
hain't moved out of town would drop in
often in the daytime. And so we cot
along first rate. OF course, it was lone
some sometimes without the children :;
but ma and pa has to make ND their
minds to 1t sooner or later. Young folks
ought to marry and be happy; hadn't
liCyY Muster Jones. mats what God
wants 'em to do.'
just my opinion" replied the Lark
Jones.
But, though the children was gone,
wekep' cheerful and happy. We've got a
very good little farm Of tifty.seyen acre
1t used to be q hundred and fnrty.four,
hut Grundell was getting too old to see to
SC much work, so he sold part. and got a
falr prlce-Yes, a fair price for il; and
crops was good, and What with the money
-bon's, don't they call 'em for the land
we sold, and what with pay for the crops
what we'd sold of 'em-Grundell had
over six thousan' dollars that fall-eigbt-
cen sixty-ive, wasn't it? He KEEP it in
the bank, didn't hep No, he didn't
KEEP telling him to get it locked up: but
No. he says; it's safe here Nobody
knows but what it's in bank, ana I'm
kinder feared o. them bank men, anyhow.
They'd cheat poor orphan chipmunk of
hlck'ry nut But | says to him that the
house might set afire or somethin.' But
he SAYS, Then III save the money first.
Wen put 1t in this shot pouch'-it was
an ola leather one, quite large and we'll
hang IT up with The powder horn and the
other traps and the rifle, over the kitchen
1flre, and nobody would ever think of that.
| didn't like that at all Seemed to me il
was temptin' OF Providence; but my man
would have it so. We whispered, and did