The Red Cloud chief., 1883-10-26
now THE OLD LADY BEAT JOHN.

We had been driving out some miles
: In the afternoon, and, coming home IN
the twilight, passed a substantial look
inc. though very old. farmhouse. with
comfortable barns and out-buildings,
indicating a well-to-do householder:
The rich bottom lands which stretched
away a half mile from the river to the
hill slopes covered with abundant
biscA and maple were iuxuriant with
g,ain and orr. -.
That evening, when We were sitting,
IN - library, after dinner. smoking
and "A, iuw. I asked the Judge: I
Who d. - that fsrr,we passed on the
The Lodge b not 81 nsver was on
thsbeneh. Yea lW z . had known
him, ard tiat was . long time. he had
been called .Jud.e'' b al the country
people, because 4 VA ~ established
TACT Of ~ancient late that be decided most
al the disputes and Differences, CONNER
cial and social. which asUee in that part
Of the country. il h frequently the
case, A. here. that one man in a scat
tered community is the recognized adj
wiser 20 whom people can go. My old
tiend had inherited this position from
lis fsther, who had been t. a former
generation what the son now was To his
DeighbOrs. They came 10 him ON all
occasions when they needed cOun-
sci. and he did the work Of a half
dozen lawyers. No one had
died or could die comfortably
and leave property. unless his
will had been drawn by Judge -"
he had the perfect confidence Of all.
Living from youth up among them,
known to be n man of extended educa-
ton. whose life was passed in study,
but who was also II practical farmer of
great skill and success, having large
property, and always giving his advice
n service as a matter of friendship
and neighborly kindness. and not for
or reward, his position was one of
commanding influence. His influence
was commanding too for the reason that
he almost never cxerted it. He took no
prominent part. in politics. but IN the old
times, before the war, there were mt
least two hundred voters in the town,
and many more i'm the country, who
could give no other reason for their
votes than this, that they voted as the
Judge voted.
/ have said that he drew the wills for
people who had property. This was no
small generosity, for it involved much
time and often great inconvenience.
But the Judge was an essential part Of
IA social structure in that town, and
quietly performed what be regarded
rs the duty and pleasure of his posi-
ton.
When l asked him who was the owner
of that farm he laughed outright, and
after a moments pause said: 81 will
tell you a story"
One stormy winter night, after mid
night, | was sitting here reading. the
rest of the family having gone to sleep
long before. when old Dr. Strong thun-
dered at the dOor-knOcker, and made
noise enough to wake the Seven Sleep
ers. II is a way he has; and neither my
wife nor the girls, who were reused out
of slumber, nor i myself, had any
question who was Mt the door. / lethim
in myself, and a tempest of wind and
snow with him. The blast that drove
him into my arms also put out the hall
lights, whirled into the library and
fiared the reading-lamp SO that it broke
the chimney and blazed up to a colored
ti~ssue-paper affair which Susie had put
over the shade, set it on fire, and for a
moment threatened general cOnflagra-
tion OF papers and books on the table.
Shut the door yourself l shouted, and
rushed back here TO put out the fire.
That done, l went back and found the
old doctor out of breath, i'm the dark,
trying to shut the door against the wind.
1t took the strength of both of us TO do
1t. Then l told him TO find his way to
the library, for he knew it, and l went
of in search Of another lamp.
"When l came back he was lust re-
covering his wind, and after a gasp or
two told me his errand. Old Mrs.
Norton is dying. She can't live till
morning. She's alive now only on
stimulan:s. She wants to make a will,
and have come for YOU
"a nice night ] said. for a two
mile drive, to make a will for a woman
who hasn't a cent in the world 10 leave. |
Why didn't you tell her so and have
done with it.
"'Now look here said the doctor, |
this is a case of an old woman and old
neighbor and friend. and she wants you
10 do something for her, and you'll do
Il. if it's only to comfort her last hours. |
Get your things and come with me. We
shall not find her alive if you don't
hurry, and you'll be sorry if that hap
pens.'
The upskot of it was that I went.
We had q fearful drive out TO the farm
house on the fat, which you are asking
Mrs. Norton was the widow of
Norton, who had died forty odd
years before this. John Norton. when
married her, was q widower with
one son John. He was q man Of con-
siderable property. and when he died
lett a widow. that son John by his first
wue, n two SON by his second wife.
Ihe elder son John had never been on
very warm terms with his step-mother,
and ior some years had had no inter-
course with the family.
Il found the old lady lying in the big
room, on a great bedstead on one side
the room, opposite to the broad
chimney IN which vas q roaring fire, |
the only light in the room. After the
doctor had spoken to her and admin
something, a stimulant I sup !
9 whisPsFs Hurry up; shefs very
= hsd hrpegAe papsr a.d pen and
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