The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-23

let up on either interest or rent. pay nv
debts, do, and other folks has got to paw
theirs. Well, here's home at last, and I
suppose Pn have to kindle fire again,
though it does seem a shame to waste so
much wood. Here-hullo-here-
He slipped on the icy step as he mounted
to the door, threw out his hands in vain
effort to save himself, and tumbled heavily
to the ground to lay stunned for three or
four minutes. When he came to he at
tempted to get up, but his head swan and
there was terrible pain in his side. His
heart chilled at the thought of being so
badly injured that he might have to call
doctor, and he crept into the house, saying
to himself:
It's nothing but fall-a common fall
nothing to hurt me, I'm just a little dizzy,
and this pain is all imaginary"
But he could not long deceive himself.
His head had struck the frozen ground with
great force, and as he fell his side hit the
corner of the step, and the collision broke
two of his ribs. He tried to start FIRE, but
the pain was so great that he staggered to
the bed and threw himself upon it, gasping
out as he did so:
My starsl but really believe I'm hurtI
The pain is almost as bad as when the rail-
road run over my leg and cut it OFF, and l
made ZEN pay ten thousand dollars for it.
If any things broken this time l can't sue
nobody nor nothing, and likes not the doc
tor bill will be two or three dollars. I'll
lie still awhile and mebbe twill go away"
A quarter of an hour later his mouth was
dry; hot and cold flashes ran ever his body,
and old Scarvins began to call for help. He
hoo fheaTr y,rr1n Of eli
the laughter of children, but they could not
have heard his voice thirty feet. He had
lived alone in that gloomy old house for
twenty years, and this was the first time he
had raised his voice in pleading to the out
side world. This, also, was the first time
the coming of night had seemed to increase
his loneliness. He realized that he was
badly injured. and that the setting in of
fever was making him Eighty, and he
screamed out:
''Help! help! helpt III give anybody
shilling who will come and help me ~
''That's me ~ replied hearty voice, and
old Scarvins turned his. eyes to the door to
behold queer little old man brushing off
the fresh snow-flakes and removing his
outer wraps.
Il didn't say shilling, or If I did it was
a mistake groaned Scaryins. Z" l said I'd
give sixpence, but sixpence is an awful
lot of money to poor old man like me-"
"We'u have fire. remarked the stran-
ger, without deigning q reply 30 the old
mans whine.
but don't put in over two sticks, and be
sure one of 'em is a small one,n said Scar
wins. Half the poverty in this country
comes of burning too mach wood"
The little old man cackled and laughed to
himself as he worked, and in a few minutes
he had the stove red-hot and the chill taken
of the room. Then he went to the shelf
and took down and lighted the lamp, and,
as he turned his back to the fire and rubbed
his hands in brisk manner; he. chuckled:
All this is better-muchs better"
Man alive, but whs do you Ucan?"
shouted ScarvinS. " / never had that stove
so lot in my life, and you'll burn ont all
the oil in that lamp afore daylight. They
are charging three cents pint for OIL and
it's hard work to make pint last weekr'
The queer little old man never moved.
He ehuckled and cackled again., and he
looked at Scarvins so queerly that the old
man all at once felt alarmed and asked:
"Who be your
ooh, just dropped in to have a chat
with you"
u ,
before. Did you hear me boiler for help1''
81 hear most every thing" chuckled the
stranger, as he folded his arms behind him.
"Ughl how the wind blows outside! This
is going to be terrible night-terrible on
the poor"
IF you have come to help me-" said the
old man, after long pause, 'hand me a
drink of water / seem to be burning up"
What nonsenSer' exclaimed his visitor
LAST summer, when the widow Sabin's
little boy had fever and was crying for ice,
and the widow asked for piece from your
great store-houses, you refused her with
the statement that nobody had any bust
ness to have a fever. Now, take your own
mediciner'
The little old man dropped another stick
of wood into the stove, rubbed his hands
and chuckled, and old Scarvins tried 10