The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-11-02
OLD BECKETT.
He Concluded to Change His Mind
About the Parson.

One morning the customers who came
to Beckett's mill with their turns
were little surprised to find the mill
door closed and written notice posted
thereon. which read:
mill closed on ercount Of wife dyin'. Have tc
go to buryn over to Coon Run meetin' house
Will be back in two hours.
"SAM BECKETT"
Two or three customers who had come
from the extreme end of 'Possum ridge,
concluded to wait for Beckett's return
rather than to make the trip again
and so, tying their horses, they sat down
on log and fell into u friendly chat.
I'm tell you what, fellers." Rial
Harder said, after the weather and
crops had been discussed, 1.-The takin
off of old Sans woman is purity dog
goned suddint, amt it??"
Yes, it air, Rial, fur fack," Dan
Hawkins replied, Reckon there warn't
nobody spectin' of it.
mo, and guess Sam hadn't fggered
on it any hisself."
"Wonderif it'll git Sam down much?"
"Reckon not bad. You see, when a
feller's buried four wives he materially
gifts sort O. used to it, and the takin'
off of the fifth hain't likely to go so
hard with him as it would if she was
the first It's all bein' used to things"
Eyes, that's so, Rial. And if Teller
80, To l,,i,
Sam ought to be. There amt many
men as kin boast O. buryin five of 'em
handrunnin'.
mo. there hain't many, Dan, that s
SO. Wonder who Sam'll marry next
time?'
'Lor' l hain't no idea. Nobody ever
thought of him marryin' any of them
women he has married. Seems like
he has mighty takin' way with the
women folks, somehow, and it does
pear like women do most unaccounta-
BILE things. Now there wasn't anybody
as ever thought of lilly Smith a-mar-
ryin' old Sam, was there?"
Il guess not.
but she married him, though"
Eyes, that's so. she did"
"Well, and that's the way it'll be
ag'in. Old Sans doggoned lucky when
it comes to marryin', and | guess he
ought to be, after all the experience
he's had"
''Yes, and the first thing you know
he'll have another wife. And she won't
be an old bag, either, but the purtiest
gal on 'Possum ridge"
''Azactly- azactly. He has always
married young gals, and low he'll do
it this time
Il wouldn't be a blamed bit sur
prised, Dan, if he did spruce around
Bet Higgins. Bets the best looking
woman on the ridge, and most any
body'd be glad enough to git her."
But that wouldn't do him any good,
Rial. Reckon that preacher has got
her fast enough"
HE may have, and he mayn't have.
We kin tell better week from now. "
The two hours had run out and
DcChStG feJlfueu.
Sorry had to keep you waitin'
men," said he, as he came up; "but it
couldn't be helped. Folks will die,
and they can't be blamed for it; and
they re just as liable to go at one time
as another. 'Tain't in the nature of
things for people to choose their own
time for dyin'; and when they die they
have to be buried, you know"
"Shore, Sam; that's all natural
enough. Reckon you find it a power
full hard blow, comm so unexpected? ?"
Yes, l do. Rial. It's awful I'M
handy. lilly was smart woman, and
hated to give her up; and besides,
there is always more or less time lost
in buryin' Of the dead one and lookin'
round for somebody to take her place. "
Reckon you'll marry ag'in?"
why, yes, OF course, but haint
settled on any body yet. 1t takes time
for these things, you know, and man
has to look around little"
Old Sam Beckett WAS well-to-do, and
on 'Possum ridge he was looked upon
as the money king of the world.
He owned good farm, besides the
old mill and lived in a two-story frame
house-a luxury that was rare at that
time, and which doomed up immensely
among its numerous log-cabin neigh
bors.
Some time previous to the death oil
Rsckett's fifth witc old Jerry Higgins