The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-07-05


dingy palm leaves of yellow brown, its
shabby brown center, had been spread
out before him.
1t was his wifes shawl
'tStOp, stop, stop" he cried "Let
me see her-let me see herl"
Do you know her" asked the police
man.
"Let me see her face" said Jonas,
growing 50 faint that kindly man hard
by supported him by the arm.
You'd not know her face; a stone
fell on her; it's crushed" said the police
man. But shawls are alike. Keep up
your courage. don't think this any re-
lation of yours; she's too shabby. Look
at her shoes. See here: this is her bonnet.
You don't know that?'
He held up bonnet.
1t was crushed.
But Jonas knew it.
The streaked purple ribbon, and a
flower amongst the other flowers that had
lost half its petals.
He had fingered it as it lay ON the
table before him.
eyes, / know it" he cried. "It's Sara.
It's my wife.
Then he pulled the shawl from the face
and tainted outright. But as his senses
left him he heard some one say:
GO His wife"
And another answered.
Like enough. They call him
miser. l know him. His name is Jonas
Pray"
They carried the poor woman home to
Jonas Pray's old house, helping him to
follow as he came to himself.
She was laid upon her bed, and there
was a coroner's inquest, and women pre-
pared her body for burial, talking
amongst themselves of the shame it was
that she, a rich mans wife, should be so
clad.
Before the time came he had a cab
called and went out in it.
He was driven to a large establishment,
where he asked to see the manager, and
was shown to his room.
The manager found him there, pale,
miserable object, trembling and faint, as
one in deep illness.
" want to buy shawl, he said.
GA shopman will attend to you, sir, "
said the manger.
No." said Jonas; EI am to i'll, too
broken to talk to the shopman. 1 can
trust you. Iwant the costliest shawl you
have"
"a madman," thought the manager
"Our costliest is five hundred pounds, u
said he repressing smile.
Have it wrapped up for me" said
Jonas.
Certainly mad" said the gentleman
to himself
But Jonas had drawn a cheque out
from his breast pocket, and with trem
bling hand was filling up the blanks.
The manager examined them carefully
Mr.. Jonas Pray" he said, more re
spectfully.
Then it flashed upon him that he hat
read that morning of fatal accident tt
this mans wife.
1t was a strange proceeding altogether
Secretly he called others to look at hi
customer.
One knew him-fnancially it was al
right.
"And the rest is none of our business,
said the manager, as he saw the bundl
of splendor carried downstairs afte
Jonas Pray. "They spoke of him as
miser in the paper. That's pretty pun
chase for miser."
Meanwhile, Jonas drove home.
No sweet face smiled a greeting.
Within, all was silent.
Carrying the shawl under his arm, h
went up stairs to the darkened room
where, under straight folds of whit
drapery, seemed to lay the sorrow of th
, house.
A watcher was there.
He sent her away.
: Then, alone in the room, he kne
down upon the floor.
Sara" he said Sara can you hes
me? l loved you, but was such misc
: such a miser. I've bought you
shawl at last. Oh, Sara, Sara, Pve pal
as much as l could for it, my dea
I, You shall be wrapped in it in your co
r fin. I'll put it about you, myself, Sar
L Sara"
He spread out the costly folds.
+ + He lifted it in his hands.
A moment more he would have folde
it about the dead form, but at that i
: slant voice cried
"Oh, Jonas, Jonas, dear! Oh, my poi
y y Jonas, my poor poor JOnas!
\ 4 And turning he saw his wife, either
the spirit or flesh, standing behind him
His knees trembled under him. b
! the figure came closer
y 1t was no ghost but living woman.
) She took him in her arms.
), ooh, how i'll you lookv" she sal
), "Did you really love me so? And it
all my fault. went to my sister-in-law
{ and there in pet-oh, was so angr
Jonas-I gave away my dress and sha7
Y to beggar woman-and vowed to sit
one of sisters dressing-gowns until W
II | pava mo Haoant nIotbao to oop,a bo,,,a n :
And the poor woman was killed ty
!. hours afterwards, and I never knew tn
VI she had been taken for me until tn
:, morning. o, such creature, my dea
u the papers described her. And for
< little while was glad you had frigf
but l am sorry l was the cause of it."
. For an answer he picked up the cost
le shawl and wrappeditabout her, and to
her, folded in it like a mummy, to
heart again.
"The miser is dead" he said "B
d. Jonas Pray will show his wife how he C
cherish her."
e. He did; and if ever afterward Sa
detected symptoms of a relapse, all S
AZ had to do was to wrap herself in /
X wonderful shawl.
er The sight of it inevitably recalled t
10 moment when he learnt how little af
Y allis the value of money, and realized
I'll agony of soul that his greed had broue
. down upon him the contempt of
&C. fellow men, and for a time wrecked
happiness, and almost his reason.
ny He may indeed love his money y
VI but he knows that he loves Sara more
ne ONE day last week Schenectady n
eI cashed draft for seven hundred doll
hd at bank and received three hund
dollars in small bills, which he put
ay his pocket, thinking by its size that
nnnIrnrro NON tnir,od tho f,,ll n,,,1,,n4