The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 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:
mi closed on ercount OF wife dvin Have to
20 20 buryin over to Coon Run meetin house.
"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 friendly chat.
III tell you what, fellers." Rial
Harder said, after the weather and
crops had been discussed, ''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 figgered
on it any hisself' ~
"Wonderifit'l git Sam down muchP"
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 haint likely to go so
hard with him as it would if she was
the first. It's all bein' used to things"
Yes. that's so, Rial. And if feller
ever gifts used to wives a-dyin', guess
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' 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-
bic things. Now there wasn't anybody
as ever thought of lilly Smith amar-
ryin' old Sam, was there?"
Il guess not"
but she married him, though"
-.Yes, that's so, she did"
We'll, and that's the way it'll be
agin. 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 hag, either, but the purtiest
gal on Possum ridge"
"Azactly He has always
married young gals, and L low he'll do
it this time.
II wouldn't be blamed bit sur
priscd, 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
Beckett returned.
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 power
full hard blow, comm so unexpected?"
Yes, l do, Rial. It's awful uu-
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 y
'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 loomed up immensely
among its numerous log-cabin neigh
bors.
Some time previous to the death OF
Beckett's fifth wife old Jerry Higgins
had died, and, having u daughter to
leave 10 the tender mercles OF the
world, bequeathed her to old Sans
fatherly care.
Betty Higgins was just "rising onto"
eighteen, and was as pretty a girl as
ever graced 'Possum ridge society. and
for that matter she would have beou no
mean ornament in more aristocratic
circles.
Fo. years she had constituted Jerry
Higgins family, ana he being man
wcll-to-do financially, ahd justly proud
OF his daughter, had devoted consider
able means to giving her an education.
aud had even gone 30 far-aSainsl the