The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-05-17

But when he reached the last egg one
of the tempted children would pluck
up courage to hint for it. Uncle 'Lisha
would look at that child with counte-
nance of meek reproach and say:
Yes, take it, take it, and let your
poor, sick father starve."
There was no chance for Aunt Nancy
to have any pet ailments. If she was
sick and complained, Uncle 'Lisha
would say:
I've felt Just so, mother" and that
settled it. If he was going anywhere
he would put in the saving clause:
eff l live, and Nancy we'll"
Her headaches were mere chimeras
of the imagination.
1--WE suffered worse and never men
toned it-sufered like wintergreen, "
he would add, as if that were the ne
plus ultra of misery.
Every year or two he made a new
will, and every day he advised Aunt
Nancy what to do when he was gone.
In their early married life, when the
children were small, he had dreaded
that she would marry again, but in
later years this fear had no place in his
thoughts. The children themselves
were married and gone, and Aunt
Nancy was an old woman with white,
placid face, and bands of iron-gray
hair-not really old, but worn out-her
life had been such perpetual echo of
Uncle 'Lisha He didn't like company,
so she didn't have any. He never
wanted to go anywhere, so she stayed
at home. If she ever went to church
she had to 90 alone, and that was 50
dreary and she had so many inquiries
to answer about his health that she sell
dom went
you'll miss me when I'm gone" he
would say cheerfully, and so she would.
And she would have missed the old
clock in the corner, too, if it had sud
denly disappeared
''What does the doctor say about
me?' he asked her one day when the
village physician had gone out, first
calling her to one side. Perhaps Aunt
Nancy was little worn out that day,
or believed il heroic treatment, but she
deliberately answered:
HE thinks YOU haven't disease in
the world, Elisha and that if you would
take more exercise it would be better
for you"
He was wounded to the quick, and did
not speak to her for twenty-four hours,
and he discharged the impolitic physi-
clan the next day.
Uncle 'Lisha was fond of lachrymose
hymns, and when not singing
"Hark from the tombs a doleful sound"
He would tip back in his chair-the east
est in the hOuse-close his eyes and chant
by the hour:
I'm going home
No more to roam,
No more to sin and sorrow,
No more to bear
The brow Of care,
I'm going home tomorrow"
But to-moTows came and went and
Uncle Lisha did not 90 home.
There was a shelf in the closet which
was especially devoted to his medicines.
In his early DAYS he had dosed mildly
with rhubarb and sarsaparilla. Then
quinine became the fashion and he dis
sipated on that. Liniments for rheu-
matism, patent nostrums and Alternative
pills, completed the list, except that
there was no end to the domestic RENE
dies, such as mustard and ginger, and
other alleviating agents.
''When l am gone" he would say
mournfully, give my medicines to
some deserving poor person. There II
never be another such sufferer in the
family as have been"
But there came q day when even
Uncle 'Lisha's ailments were of little
account. Aunt Nancy was sick, very
sick. She had been breaking down all
summer. but no one had been con-
cerned, least of all her husband, who
had developed new symptoms. that
were very alarming himself. Finally
she went to her bed and sent for her
children. They at once called in & doc
tor, who on his first visit looked ex-
ceedingly grave. Upon the second he
asked for q private interview with
Uncle Lisha.
"Your wife is y very sick woman"
he said, abruptly.
''She does seem ailing," said Uncle
'Lisha, rubbing his lame knee, and for
getting at the moment which one it
was; ''but, bless you, I've had the same
symptoms so long I'm used to them,
doctor. She's well, compared to me,
actually well. >
The doctorlooked at the old man with
some contempt.
Threatened lives last long" he
said, bluntly. "But have it your own
way: I've tried to prepare you-that's
all"
The doctor took leave, and Uncle
'Lisha went into the sick room. All
was calm and serene Most of all,
that pale, still face on the pillow The
patient eyes held the same kindly light
in them that had been there for thirty
years when they met his. The pinched,
white cheeks were only more sunken
and withered.
Having kind of spell, amt you,
Nancy?" said Uncle 'Lisha. ''Now
don t git discouraged. 'I've felt Jest
SO hundreds of times! It's nothing new
and nothing to worry about"
I'm not worrying" said his wife,
family; 81 am dying, 'Lisha."
Nancy, you oughtn't to talk about
such serious thing as that so lightly
lt-it-makes my rheumatism worse to
hear Won YOu oupht RI have Soma