Wichita eagle., 1890-02-02
was creased ana tumbsed ana soaled by

was creased ana tuxAD1cO ana SO1le0 o.
long journey.
s@Here's gentleman viii take you t.
Barclays, marm.' said the man. s.Hur
up-he can't wait.
She looked tin1idly In Samuel Dale.
face, but still stood in the doorway.
'There's the box, sir, she said; "woulc
the gentleman kindly take the box"
'Oh, that's all right, said the official
'sTll send it up by the stage. Come
jump aboard"
eff you please, sir, I couldn't leave il
behind. have brought that box a Ions
way; I-I'n wait for the stage"
"Wait, them he said, gruffiy; but
Samuel Dale marked the woman's weary
disappointed face.
Fetch along her traps" said he, 'sand
don't be all day about it, either" but
half repented his kindness, for the box
unwieldy in its proportions and of nc
| light weight, occupied a goodly space liz
the wagon, and the woman BETRAYED SC
much anxious solicitude about its dis
posd as to somewhat impede their jour.
ney.
SIS it quite safe, sir, do you think
she inquired timidly as the wagon jolted
| down the hill
Il should say it was, marin, unless
there's chimney or glass or some such brit
tie thing inside OF 1t.
.sOh, sir, it's q deal more precious than
that. It's stone, sir-a tombstone.
have brought it all the way from Sims
bury to put over my husbands grave"
do tellp' said Samuel Dale.
His sympathizing tone rendered her
communicative.
Yes, sir; he died out here in strange
country, away from all his folks, and
| when I got word of 1t, it went nigh to
| break nv heart to think there wasn't SO
much as board to mark the spot where
he way lying" She stopped to wipe
away q few tears.
'.Oh come, now said the young man.
"don't you feel bad about it. There's
mighty kind hearted folks in these parts,
specially 'mong the women kind. I'll
warrant your man had good care and
didn't want for nothing"
.'But YOU see, sir, he died of linger-
ing disease, the letter said, and the nurs-
ing and the medicine and the doctors
| bills took all his earnings, and the town
had to bury him. And | sold most
everything I had, and Simsbury folks
they helped me. and at last l got
money enough together to buy him a
tombstone, and l have fetched it my
self. There was nothing to hinder, for
put my last little boy in the ground
there's three of 'erl, sir, lying side by
side in Sinsbury grave yard-two weeks
before l got the letter. It's been a
dreadful hard journey, sir, and never
was six miles from home in my life be-
fore; but if / can hear about my poor
mans last sickness, and the messages he
left for me, and see that stone put up
over his grave decent like, Ill go home
Contented.'
''Wen. so you shall" said kind hearted
Samuel Dale.
elf you belong in these parts, sir, per-
haps you know Mr.. Barclay-Mr. Peter
Barclay"
lis it there you want to go?"
''Why, yes, sir; twas he wrote me
the letter. My poor man died at his
house. You didn't happen to hear about
it, sir?'
II reckon you've made mistake in
the NAME" said Samuel Dale.
With trembling, eager haste she drew
letter from her pocket. 1t was soiled
and worn at the edges by many read
ings. Samuel Dale stopped his horse in
the middle of the road, and his eyes
dilated with establishment as he opened
the letter and recognized Farmer Bar
clay's handwriting. 1t read SIS follows:
BARCLAY FARM, August 10.
''To Mrs. NANCY TYLER:
'|RESPECTED MADAA-This is to in
form you that your late husband, Mr.
Thomas Tyler, departed this life at my
house the ninth day of the present
month, Of lingering disease. He bore
his suferings with Christian meekness,
and died at peace with all mankind
When near his last hour he desired me
to write you this letter.
your obedient servant,
PETER BARCLAY.
IN. B. The expenses of his sickness
having used all his earnings, he was
buried from my house at the expense of
the town."
The young man read this document
with puzzled face. He examined the
postmark and the signature. Then, as
he perused it second time, the paper
shook in his hand.
The woman's anxious eyes never left
his face.
II hope it's all right, sir. haven't
made any mistake, have r.
He turned to her il strange, excited
way.
You are Mrs Thomas Tyler" he
said
Eyes, sir. was Billings when l was
girl-Nancy Billings. My mother
was
"Can you prove it, he interrupted.
woman, were you certainly married to
that man.
"Oh, my good gracious.' she said,
"what does he mean? am poor lone
woman, sir. If my husband was alive,
you wouldn't dare to insult me so. Mar
ried, indeed. You ask Sinsbury folks,
where I've lived all my life, and where
my three children was born and lie
buried, sir, and whereI keat my Thomas
like gentleman till the money l earned
in the paper mill was ussi up. You ask
Elder pi-j. l>o ,,,or-io1 nc ~ rao-c aro