The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-07-27

chi. "He's been settin' out there
long enough said he; she's dread
fuhtfial, but we mustn't let him get
the rheumatiz.n
But when they went together to
thesunny,, ,stone-payed yard, the old
man sat there, quite dead, with his
glazed eyes staring straight before
him and his Jaw dropped on his
breast. e'
aDead, eh?" the neighbors COM
mented in chorus. "Well, ! s'pose
you'll come into the property now,
Mrs, Crofton?"
II suppose we should,p said Mrs.
|crofton, feebly;; only nobody knows
where it is" ...'8.i!., ~ .siss,
= 1t was true. The grinkled, little,
cd human nagpie had ksnta = Ees
cret to the last, and his niece and
her daughter were as poor as ever.
"Neyer mind, MOTHER said Nettie
bravely. "We've done our duty, and
that's all that can be expected Of any
of u.s."
In uncle Malachi's old leather
strapped memorandum-book there
was only yellow bit of paper, on.
which was marked the figure 49,"
couldn't we make some sort of a
clue out of that2' said young Doctor
Drew, the village physician, who
was to marry the pretty Nettie, when
they had scraped together money en-
ough to keep them out Of the poor
house. g.i
"No," said Mrs. Crofton, shaking
her head. "Three was always Uncle
Malichi's favorite number. He put
of all business until the third day of
the month if he wanted especial
good luck; he was born on the Sd of
January, and
"And he died on the Sd Of May"
said Doctor Drew. "Well, it is rath-
er curious coincidence. However,
you had better keep this old memo.
randum, Mrs. Crofton; it can do no
harm; and now we'll go to business" :"
1t was the day after Uncle Mala-
chia's funeral, and DR.. Drew had
come to prescribe for Mrs. Crofton's
periodical attack of ague.
cts very strange" said the young
medical man. "There must be bad
drainage somewhere. We can't at
tribute it all to the old swamp in
the meadow"
"There's no fault about the drain
age that I know Of" said Mrs. Croft
on, in the drawling, listless tone that
had become habitual TO her Of late.
"Mother," said Nettie, perhaps it
is the sunken we'll" e.
Doctor Drew pricked up his ears.
"What sunken well?n said he
"There was an old well close to the
house," said Mrs. Crofton. ."It never
was much used, and it was dry most
of the year. So when they built on
the south wing, they just paved it
over and dug new one by the gard
en- wall. That's the very stone
pavement where Uncle Malachi
used to take so much comfort in the
sunshine, poor mani"
"Ah!" said the doctor. "It's very
possible, then, that We may be able
to account for this malarial affection.
Have you crowbar about the premi-
ses?"
"You amt going to uncover the
old well?" said Zebedee Crofton, who,
wrapped in blankets, was enduring
his regular chill.
eyes, am" said the doctor.
Out they all three went-Doctor
Drew, Mrs. Crofton and Nettie.-
Neighbor Larkins was summoned to
assist with the crowbar.
"I declared" said Mrs. Crofton; it
does most seem as if Uncle Malachi
would rise up out Of his. grave to pre-
vent us. He was dreadful partial to
this spot"
"Well, it can't be Of any more use
to him now," said Nettie.
"Hello!" said Doctor Drew; "there
are nine paving stones, aren't thereT'
Three each way" said neighbor
Larkens; and the old well was direct.
ly underneath the center stun
Land O Goshen! I recolleck coverin'
IT, nm as we'll az IL were yesterdo vl'l