Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-01-19
HER ONLY GRAVE.
Belts Was Buried in 1t, and She Wa
Resolved BE shonld Rest There.

HER ONLY GRAVE.
Belts Was Buried in 1t, and She Was
Resolved he shonld Rest There.
She came into my Office in Southern
Kansas town one day in the middle of
summer. She was thin-faced, faded
woman of so, with sunken eyes and look
of frightened despair. She had seen sorrow
and suffering. Her dress was tasteless
affair of dirty brown and green, with red
ribbons dragging at the side.
"Are you the city clerk ?" she asked in
pitiful tone, that showed her unfamiliar
ity with city ways. She was timid, hes
itating and frightened.
No, madam, am not, replied.
"Where is hep"
"Really l do not know. In his office, |
presume
"Where is his Office? Pm so puzzled
with things here that | can't find nothin',"
she pleaded.
Something about her made me leave my
desk and go to the door of the city clerk,
whose Office was on the same floor He was
not in; the Office was closed. returned to
my visitor.
81 am sorry, madam but he has gone
out, and the office is closed"
ooh, dear, wish l could find him"
Couldn't you leave word with me-"
81 don't know-you might help me some
You see, | walked in from my house six
miles out in the country, and didn't want
to come in for nothin'."
''Of course not l shall be only toe
glad to help you"
'You see, it's about my lot up in the
buryin' ground. Belts is buried there
Nv name is Belts. I'm his wilder"
There was little choking sob in hel
voice that made me turn my head anC
look out of the window, though without
seeing anything. In moment she wen
on:
"Betts died last spring an left me alone
We put him up there, though wanted t.
take him back East where the children is
an where we grew up, but l couldn't. L
cost too much"
Are none of the children here?D
asked, to divert her thoughts.
Not one. l can go back to them and
l suppose I'll have to, but / want to stay
near Belts as long as l can. So l liv,
alone out on the prairie and sew. But, a.
| | was a sayin', | amt got much money
and l was told that if didn't pay fo
! Belts lot the men would take him UP anC
put him in the poor-house corner An
| they shan't do that They mustn't sti
him."
But haven't you paid for the lot yet p
| / asked.
| Not quite, but pretty near. You Sc,
John that's our eldest boy) is going to sent
| ~ to, lint e h,r - l.
much, so it comes slow. But we'll pay it
and Belts won't be moved to the Potter
Field, will hep
No, madam, of course not But wnt
told you he would be, anyhow"
The undertaken"
The villain, he was trying to ruin hi
rivals reputation.
You see," she continued, in the sam,
piping voice, it was awful hard for m,
to lose Belts, and have struggled to pay
the doctors bill. The lot couldn't pay
for just now, but when my son sends til,
money, | will Belts was the first one t.
go, and we all feel SO bad yet l won
have him put in the Potter's Field, not i
| it kills me-"
| assured her that / would see the CITY
Clerk and be certain that the form of he
husband was not disturbed and she wen
slowly and mournfully out into the stree
and started on the long walk home
ward.
Her sole companion seemed that lonely
grave in an unpaid-for lot in the bleal
prairie cemetery. For that she lived, ant
for that she would sacrifice anything. l
gave me pleasure few weeks later t,
know that "John" had forwarded tn
money for the lot and "Betts" would b,
allowed to sleep unmolested in his origina
last resting place. Detroit Free Press.