Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-12-13
no. ss

no. os
a certain prinssr fthe nsiQhborhood.
accustomed 70 reading things back
ward.
by GsorgsT'' said ha. '.thas = euri-
e-a-u-reg-a-m--FesurEm that
Is what j. on the lOAf-rssnrganl.'
1T : what they put on soeahs. isn't
i 2 asked poor Hrs. Hubbard, faint
".
"Well. YEA" said Mr.. Hubbard. b.
ing Obliged to admit IL "But i IS
not 30 bad as crossbonas and sknlla."
Mrs. Hubbard shook her head.
"Its even s0lemner," said the Tie.
tls womaEl who was not aa Good 1 linz
Rnihk ~ hread-malzar. aI feal ,somfI.
dent. William. that I win sOcn 10
rssurganed and what will thsss dear
children do then"
And now that the second Loaf vas
before her eyes. marked even more
awfully than before, Mrs. Hubbard
grew really pale and thin and Lost her
cheefnlness.
II have q presentimsnt," she said
over and over again. and the third
baking will decide who the warning
belongs to. ] believe it is meant Tor
me, and time will show. Don't you
see how thin I am getting
And though Mr.. Hubbard laugh
ed, he began to be troubled.
The third baking day was one Of
gloom. Solsmnly. e. at . funeral.
the family assembled TO assist in the
drawing.
Five loves came ont markleas bus
one remained.
Mrs. Hubbard's hand trembled, but
she drew il forth. She put it on the
tray. She turned it softly about.
At last she exposed the lower surface.
On it were letters. printed backward,
plainly enough read this time and ar
ranged thus:
Died April Cd,
lamented by
her large family.
"Its mel cried Mrs. Hubbard. sI
am to go to-morrow-this is the lat.
DO feel faint--yes | do. It's awful,
and so sudden r
And Mrs. Hubbard tainted away in
the arms of the most terrified Of men
aud husbands.
The children screamed, the cat
mewed, the dog barked. The oldest
boy ran for the doctor. People flock.
ed 10 the Hubbard's. The loaf was
examined. Yes, there was Mrs. Hub
bard's warning-her call 10 quit this
world.
She lay in bed, bidding goodbye
to her family. her strength geina fast.
She read the Bible, and tried not 10
grieve too much. The doctor shook
his head. The clergyman prayed
with her. Nobody doubted but that
her end was near. for people were 20
very superstitious in those DAYS.
They had been up all night with
good Mrs. Hubbard, and dawn was
breaking. and with it she was sure
that she must 90. when clattAring up
the road and up to the house came =
man, who alighted. He ratified the
knocker and rushed in. There waa
no stopping him. Up the stairs he
went to Mrs. Hnbbard's room and
bolted into it.
Everyone stared at him a. he took
of his hat.
"Parding," said he breathlessly. "I
heard Mrs. Hubbard was dying, and
she'd waning on her baking. fcame
over to explain. You see I was sex
ton of church here q few years AGO.
and knew all about it. You needn't
dis Of fear just yet, MrA Hubbard,
for it's neither spirits and demons
abont, nor yet warnings. What makes
tie loaves is old Mrs. Finkle's tomb.
stone. ] took it for an oven bottom,
seeing there were no survivors, aud
bricks were dear. The last folks be-
fore you didn't get them printed off
on their lOayes because they used tins:
and We got used to the marks our
selves. Crossbones and skulls we put
up with, and never thought Of caring
Tor resusgam. So you see how it Is,
and | am sorry you have been scar
ed
Nobody said word. The minister
shut his book. The doctor waiked 70
the window.
There was q deadly silence; Mrs.
H. sat up in bed.
aWflliam aaid sha "a hnr hnsha.d
"ths first thing you do get a new bot.
tom for that oven.
And thetone assured the assemhlaae
Of anxious frisnds that Mrs.. Hubbard
was not going to die Just yet.
Indeed, she came down the next
day. And when the oven had been
reconstructed, the frst thing she did
was TO give invitations for q large
tea-drinking-on which occasion the
loaves came out all right.
m@ voun0 f,s,~. .fnwRr .,.-.v-s AL