The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-02-07
HER ONLY GRAVE.
4 Poor, Detected Widows Plea and What
Came 0f IL.


Came Of It.
She came into my Office in q South
ern Kansas town one day in the middle
OF summer. She was thin faced,
faded woman of fifty, 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 clerlsp" she asked
in a pitiful tone that showed her un-
familiarity with city ways. She was
timid, hesitating and frightened.
"No, madam, am not" I replied.
"Where is hep"
"Really do not know. In his office,
I presume"
where is his Officer I'm so puzzled
with things here that I 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. I returned to my visitor.
II am sorry, madam, but he has
gone out and the Office is closed"
"Oh, dear, I wish I could find him."
Couldn't you leave word with mep"
II don't know-you might help me
some. You see, walked in from my
house six miles out in the country, and
I didn't want to come in for nothin'."
''Of course not. shall be only too
glad to help you"
"You see it's about my lot in the
buryin' ground. Belts is buried there.
My name is Belts. I'm his widder."
There was little choking sob in her
voice that made me turn my head and
look out of the window, though with
out seeing any thing. In moment
she went on:
''Betts died last spring and left me
alone. We put him up there, though
] wanted to take him back East where
the children is, an where we grew up,
but l couldn't. 1t cost too much"
"Are none of the children herep"
asked, to divert her thoughts.
'Not one. l can go back to them,
and suppose will have to, but I
want to stay near Belts as long as can.
So live alone out on the prairie and
sew. But, as was sayin', l amt got
much money, and was told that If l
didn't pay for Belts lot the men would
take him up and put him in the poor
house corner An they shan't do that.
They mustn't stir him."
"But haven't you paid for the lot
yetp" asked.
mot quite, but pretty near. You
see John Chats our Oldest boy) is
goin' to send it to me, but times is
hard an he don't earn much, so it
comes slow. But we'll pay it, and
Belts won't be moved to the potter's
field, will hep"
mo. madam, Of course not {: But
who told you he would be, anyhow"
"The undertaken"
The villain, i,esesas- trying TO ruin his
rivals reputation.
'You see," she continuedin the same
piping voice, lit was awful hard for
AAO w AOoO OOOVos ulu NO oUTuSklO W
pay the doctors bills. The lot I
couldn't pay for just now, but when
my son sends the money will. Belts
was the first one to go. and we all feel
so bad yet. wort have him put in
the potter's field, not If it kills me-"
assured her that would see the
city clerk and be certain that the form
OF her husband was not disturbed, and
she went slowly and mournfully out
into the street and started on the long
walk homeward.
Her sole companion seemed that
lonely grave in an unpaid-for lot in
the bleak prairie cemetery. For that
she lived and for that she would sacri-
fee any thing. 1t gave me pleasure q
few weeks later to know that John"
had forwarded the money for the lot,
and "Betts" would be allowed to sleep
unmolested in his original last resting
Mace -DetrOit Free Press