Sharp County record., 1878-06-07

SOrJ OF y Sal; anu d ms
she'll like It, and like as all the better.
Oh yes!" he continued with sardonic
shriilness, "it's easy enough to do all
that. of course. Wade in! Yes! Wade
in-drop right out of the ford into deep
water over yer head the first thing"
The men looked aghast at each other,
and there was another ominouS silence;
Couldn't ye let it on easy" suggested
the Colonel, deSpairingly, ''sorter begin
to-day with the mother, and next month
when she's feelin' better and more able
to bear it, kinder light gently down on
her with the decease of her father, and
so on ontil, in the course OF q year OF so'
she'll take the charity business quite
PEACEFUL" =,
But Joe Fleet dismissed the idea
fiercely. "Ef she's got any pluck she II
take it in a lump. You 60 to work
driftin' into her feelin's like that instead
o. sinking your shaft straight down, and
you'll heV her crazy here on your hands
in week."
The latter idea was so awful as to
compel another gloomy silence for its
stern contemplation. Couldn't ye
drop it on her all in lump-money,
deceased parents, ct cettery, " suggested
Capt Rats, with vague and imbecile
GOOD humor, "kinder brisk and busi-
ness-like.n
ats q gal," said the Colonel, shak-
ing his head, cover a."
''Hold on and give Cap'n Rats a
show" interrupted Fleet. "Et there's
a man ez can do it it's him. Didn't he
edit the Record up at Murphy'sP Wade
in and give us a specimen.
The suggestion met with unanimous
favor. Capt. Rats, not entirely dis
pleased with this confidence in his
rhetorical skill, slid angularly into a
chair with an almost audible creaking
of his joints, dipped pen in the ink
and then put it in his mouth Then
softly withdrawing it and waving it be-
fore him, as if tracing an imaginary
epistle in space, he began:
"In the midst of life we are in death,
and not KNOWN what day may bring
forth, we beg to inform you-No," re-
hected the Captain slowly, feeling some
criticism in the air; 'N0,
that won't do. Let's see All! The
death of your mother, followed by the
illness of your father, resulting in his
decease, and the entire loss"
"Ain't them bricks follerin' each
other rather close?" suggested the Col
onel, family. The Captain stopped,
rubbed his long chin thoughtfully, and
looked at the others. 1t was evident
that this was the prevailing impression.
"Well, yes; was rather thinkin' so
myself" he assented, vaguely.
"And its bein' a gal, don't you want
to heave in here and thar a little senti-
ment," said Horton, "and sorter touch
her up gently? They say when you
make 'em cry easy, they kinder like it,
and get over it quicker.
HJess So, returned Capt. Rats, cheer
fully, ~ was thinkin' that very thing,
only list now / was Sorter samplin' it;
showin' ye what could be done. A good
way," he added, now completely lostin
the destinations of condoling compost
5ion-"a very good, takin' sort Of way,
is to tell it, and yet seem not to tell 1t;
TO kinder ring in a cold deck of informa-
lion, and never let her see ye shuttle the
keerds. Suthin' like this, ye know:
Honored Miss: Enclosed please find
draft for $1,000; same would have been
sent before but for Wells-FargO's Office
being closed the day of your fathers tu-
neral. The weather here is fine, but
we suppose is fur different with you in
5he East, as your deceased mother often
to the writer. Business is
iull, and ores are running light, most
D the claims on the North Fork sharing
]he fate of your late fathers property. J
Ye see,n continued Capt. Rats, with the
glow of successful authorship mantling
bis cheek, "that kind of letter mout be
written SO that by the time she got
through with it, it would seem as if she'd
knew it all before, and she couldn't get
1dIy SOul w oJ III updOulAO WIN hOh'
help her take on.n The feeling of the
majority was so strongly in favor of the
asst composition that they all turned i'm
patiently to the only dissenter-Joe
,leet. But at this moment a knock on
he door checked further discussion.
1t was Jack Foster, cXpressman-
,lert, vigilant, familiar, and fatetul-
holding letter.
" For John Meritoe," said the Sier-
Mercury, crisply. Gas we don't
ave no offs nor agent at his present
rldress, we deliver at his last residence" :"
He tossed the letter on the table, wink
ed, and was gone.
1t was for the dead mantle great
first cause of their perplexity. For a
few moments it lay there undisturbed,
while the men looked at each other in
silence. Then Capt. Rats, with a de-
cision and independence new to him,
lool- - $50 S.Tbor1c po ono hOys hpZ