The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-03-12

the Patch, and despite his cruteh, could
perform his mission more quickly than
most ether boys, and with more intelli-
gence. He also picked up. somehow, the
art Of writing, in a queer, spidar-hke
fashion, and wrote letters for those deni-
zens of the Patch who could not write
themselves.
There is formula followed in writing
such letters ss these, for the writer al
ways starts cot with The rather superflu-
Gus announcement that he stakes his pen
in hand" apf always ends by wishing
this will find you in good health as ii
leaves me at present" regardless Of his
actual condition Of health. This formula
is as immoyable as were the laws of the
Medes and Persians, and by his fidelity
to il little jim added 20 his popularity
and his income.
Then Jim had little cracked voice
with Just little sweetness in it, and he
sang two or three songs in manner that
the people Of the Patch considered as be-
ing extremely artistic Jim's repertoire
vas not extensive He sang ~Only
Picture" and warbled about the Scotch
lad Geordie, who left his Jean to fight
with the Scotch Brigade and never came
back, and he sang about letter that some
one had rec ived from Ireland. In sddi-
ton be somehow learned To play several
airs on an old accordeon that belonged
TO the Murphy family.
All last summer Jim used his accom-
plishment in various directions and pick
ell up good many dollars. Most of these
went into the Murphy treasury, but one
day in rumtnaging about his bed Mrs.
Murphy found an old handkerchief, and
tied up in il were several dollars in small
silver.
Lord love the boy, it's savin' up for
som,hin' he is,p said good natured Mrs.
Murphy And she tied up the money
and placed it where she had found it.
She said nothing to Jim about it, but af-
I dAlc tdufC ~ tiic tJilttu5ltu AhaA oAe
by bit Jim was adding TO his hoard.
One day Jim, who seemed tn have
something on his mind, surprised the
good woman by abruptly asking
Where do the people in the Patch be
buried when they die ?'
Arrah, Jim, what's the matter? What
questions are We askin' ?" said the aston
ished woman.
Il asked you where people that dies
around here are buried" ?" repeated Jim,
s;uriily.
Where, sure, but in the cimitery ?"
responded Mrs. Murphy
And ifI died, where would be bur
led ?" said the persistent Jim.
The Lord forbid We should die. Jim,
but if ye did, the onld man an mesiIf
has one lot in the cimetery where our
weeny vans is buried, and We should lay
there, jim"
Jim looked both relieved and thought
iul, and left the house without asking
any more questions Mrs. Murphy, in
her perplexity, told her husband of her
conversation.
dunno, Mary said the big long
shoreman, tboughtfully they say chill
deem can look ahead, an the bye is is too
KNOWN to live. That cough av his, too,
is bad. But don't borry trouble"
II was very certain when the winter
opened that Jim was getting thinner,
and that he had painful cough, which
was growing worse. The people of the
Patch have enough 10 do to live, and yet
there was not house in it where Jim
was
His conversation about burial had been
quietly circulated, and among these SIM
pie, superstiiious people, it invested him
Jim that caused much comment was the
manner in which he hung constantly
With new interest. Another thing about
about the shop of the good-natuIed irish
man, who buried most of the people who
died in the Patch.
One day the latter was astonished on
entering his shop TO find Jim following
at his heels, and making mysterious
signs TO him. Drawing him to one end
Of the counter, jun prOdncede small bum
die FROM his coat. Untying it, he dump
II -. a 10 ~ s,Irax
How much is ! funeral p hedemand-
ed, sententiously.
Why, Jim, what do you mane?' ask
ed the astonished undertaken.
How much Is a funeral ," Jim again
demanded.
"Well, that depends on who it is for"
said the undertaken. hoping to draw the
boy out.
Well" responded Jim, il may be for
me, and it may be Tor some one else.
There is sixteen dollars. When / have
more money I'll give it to you. When /
want this funeral, I'll want If bad. /
want it to be the real thing-black hors-
es, an them things on top of the hearse,
and ali that. You'll tend to all that, will
ye?"
Yes, Jim. of course" said the still be-
wildeIed undertaken
"All right, then" said Jim, marching
out, leaving the money on the counter.
Well, if that don't bate all, /" mutter-
ed the undertaken to himself, when the
boy had gone out That gosoon is bar
gainin' for bis own funeral Ii bates the
/ fairies"
The queer bargain that Jim had made
was soon talked about, and he became q
greater object of interest. 1t was plain
now to all who knew Jim that his days
were numbered. 1t seemed strange
that the forlorn, neglected child should
have his heart set upon having a splen-
did funeral, but he had, and the under
taker with whom be had made his
agreement had let it be known that the
boy should have funeral equal to any
( that ever left the Patch.
A couple of weeks ago it was plain that
the end was near Jim was forced to lie
in bed very quiet and thin and pale he
was. too. Up to this time be had said
nothing about burial 70 Mrs. Murphy.
| Etnoilv ha rzlfod har ~ him