The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1883-10-24
A TELEGRAM.
A TELLING INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF JOHN
NACKLEFRESU.

A TELLING NtlDEN IN LIE LirH VI ooii-'
MACKLEFREsH.
"I-didn't-say-ag great many words
said John MacklcfrcSh, in a slow, grind
ing sort of way, but l guess itll-cut.
II wish yc hadn't writ so hard, john
said his wife, ~pitcously. TWAS all the
worse for bcin' Sc short. Your brothers
and | don't never mean to believe that
Samuel meant to cheat We Out o that
5000"
"What did he mean, then 2" snapped
her husband, tiercely, his square, doggcd
chin in the air as he combed his whiskcrs
upward. q f~avoritc action of his when he
felt particularly pugnacious.
Mrs. Macklcfrcsh turned one of tho
long stockings she was darning from hccI
to toe and back again before she an
swercd:
Didn't mean nothin', husband" she
answered, softly. "We'rea all fcllcr-mot'
ties. Some of us is human, sometimes.
Thought he'd pay We, l expect when he
borryed it. Then he couldn't, that's ALL.
al dunno anything about '%couldn'ts;
know about didn't" said John Macklc.
fresh, doggcdly. still combing that per-
verse chin into the air. This l know,
he's got the two hundred, and l hain't,
and Ill never"
Don't. John, DEAR" %interposed his
meek little wife.
well. bcin' a deacon and a"
"Christian," suggested his wife, seeing
he skinned that hard word,
81 s'posc l can't say l won't forgive
him. But they amt no commands be-
tween the lcds of that air Book about
"~Twcnty-fvc cents to pay" said {
small. busincss-likc voice at the door
Mrs. Macklcfrcsh turned the rough.
~bfowT envelope over fcarfully in hel
hands, trembling, as people do, at telc
grams. | wonder if the telegraph boy:
ever get used to it.
Don't be bothcring. Alice" said hel
husband. pushing her aside, not ungent
", though his words were rough a:
usual.
This is what he read when he had tori
a thin outlet at the end Of the envelope
Your brother Samuel died this morn
ing. Come at once
o. The Western Union telegraph com
PAW has a good deal to answer for-bu
then so have Il great many other people
John Macklcfrc>h did not swoon ava.
on the doorstep, or throw up his hand'
with Il piercing cry, or any of thos'
things. He mechanically took out
quarter from his loose change pocket
careful even in this moment to count TIT
pennies given in change, shut the door
handed the dispatch to his wife, an'
walked away to the window. 1t Wal
only his heart tainted. This, then, ha'
come to the man he had said. but Il mo
mcnt ago. he would ncver-no, no, no
that: he didn't say that-Alice stopped
him. YOU know. Beside, ne was Il dea
con and a-Christian: Alice had said so
But then he couldn't forget. Tha
was what he was going to say when tn
door opened. The Bible don't ask that
Or. does it. when it speaks about Goo
easting our sins into the depths of tn
sea-bchind his back-rcmembcrins
thcm no more against us. Forget
What was there to forget ! He had len
his own brother 5000. Might hav'
civcn it 70 him and never missed it
Under his rcmorscful eye his great field
stretched away, white now with snow
white as the soul God had forgiven, bu
yellow enough he knew as summer came
IN. yellow as the gold they would bring
to his pocket. Those few poor, pitifu
hillsides of Samucl's. Why hadn't hi
given it to him right out and saved hare
feelings: There was Johnny manned fol
HIM wanting to 90 to college ever since
he was out Of pctticoats. Suppose he
had given it to him.
Miscrv-miscry of remembering I'm
kindness when it is too late. And thel
that cutting letter. Had it reached hin
Before he died, or was it only his poo
stricken brothers family that would reat
the brief harsh words
He turned to his wife, who sat holding
the dreadful envelope, sad, but doubling
if she would be wise to speak yet tt
him.
Get your things on, will yc,' hi
said. in a voice that sounded dry an(
harsh even to himself. I'll be rount
with old Billy to the front door. Wral
up warm and take a soapstonc. II
have the buffaloes. It's mortal cold"