Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1890-07-05
= aaasa 70 y. pepslAflty aad ii. il.

come.
Then Jim had little. cracked yolcA
with Just little sweetps14 ID Il and Id
sang two or tpres soDss IA ! manner
that the people cf the Patch considered
- being extrefnely aftltlfa 3im's
rsPettoire was Not extensive. He sang
Only , Picture" aud warbled about
the Scotch lad Geordie, who left HE
Jean to fight with tne Scotch brigade
and never came back, and be sang
about . letter that some one had re.
viewed from Irelapd. In addition be
somehow learned 10 play several airs
on an old accordion that belonged TO
tho Murphy family
All last sumner Jim used his &C.
ccmplishmcnt IN various directions and
picked up good many dollars Most
Of these went into the Murphy treasury,
but one day In r'immaging about bis
bed Mrs. Murphy found an old haad.
kerchief, and llSd up In h were seysral
dollats 10 sRall silver.
lord lore the boz, rs savin' up for
somethin' he H." said ccod-paiured
Mrs Murphy. And she tied up The
money and placed II where she had
found Il She said nothing to Jim
shout II. but aftsrward came to the con-
clusion that bit BY BIT Jim was adding
to his hoard,
One dry Jim. who seemed to have
something on his uirid. surprised the
good woman by abruptly asking.
Where do the people 10 the Patch
be buried when they dicfa
'.Arrsh, Jim, what's the mattcrf
What questions are you askln's" said
the astoiished woman.
Il asked you where people that dies
around here are buried" said Jim
sturdily.
Where, sure. but In the cimitery,"
responded Mrs. Murphy.
"And II I died where would I b
burieds" said the persistent Jim.
The Lord forbid We should die, Jim;
but II ye did the ould man an mesilf
has wan lot In the ciinitery where our
weeny vans Is buried. and ye should
lay theru. jim"
Jim looked both relieved and
thoughtful. and left the house without
asking any more quest ms Mrs.
Murphy, In her perplexity. told her
husband Of her conversation.
Il duane. Mary said the long.
shorcman thoughtfully, .they cay
children can look ahead. an the byc Is
too KNOWN to live. That cough av
his, too b bad. But don't berry
trouble
1t was certain when the winter
opened that Jim was getting thinner.
s2d that he had painful cough, which
was growing worse. The people Of
the Patch had enough to do to live,
and yet there was not house in It
where Jim was not welcome to wbat-
ever there was. His conversation with
Mrs. Murphy about burial had been
quietly circulated. and among these
simple superstitious people 1t Invested
him with new interest. Another thing
about Jim that caused much comment
was the manner In which Jim hung
constantly about the shop Of the good
naiured frishman who buried most of
the persons who died In the Patch.
One day tho latter was astonished on
entering the shop to find Jim following
al his heels and making mysterious
signs to him. Drawing him TO one end
of the counter Jim produced small
bundle from his coat. Untying 1t. he
dumped out pile of silver.
How much Is Q funeral?s he de-
manded sententiously.
why, Jim. what do you meanPn
asked the astonished undertaken.
How much is a funeral?" Jim again
demanded.
"Well. that depends on who II Is for, ~
said the undertaken, hoping to draw
the boy out.
Well responded Jim. lit may be
for me an it may be for some one else.
There Is $16. When / have more I'll
give it to you. When want this
funeral I'll want 1t bad. l want il to
be the real thing. Black horses an
them things on top of the hearse an
all that You'll tend to all that, will
YEP"
Yes. Jim; of course" said the still
bewildered undertaken.
.'All right, then.n said Jim march
ing out, leaving the money on the
counter.
WELL IL that don't bate all. NUT
tered the undertaken to himself when
the boy had gone out That gosoon
bargainin' for his own funeral. II bates
the fairies"
The queer bargain that Jim made |
was soon talked about, and he became
. greater object OF interest. It was
plain now to all who knew Jim that his |
days were numbered. It seemed
strange that the forlorn, neglected
child should have his heart set upon
having . splendid funeral. but he had. |
and the undertaken with whom he had |
made his agreement had let it be
known that the boy should have a
equal to any that ever left the
Patch.
A couple OF weeks ago 1t was plain
that the end was near. Jim was forced |
to lie 10 bed very quiet; and thin and |
pale he was. too. Up to this time ho
bad said nothing further about burial
10 Mrs. Murphy. Finally he called her
10 him.
tits all right. wot you said about the
grave. ant it?" he asked.
Yes. JIM" was the fearful answer;
but ye may get well yet"
Il won" said Jim with a touch of
his old o5stinacy, IAN when I'm dead
want everybody to come In an see
me-" Here Jim delved under his pill.
ow very painfully and brought out two
y three silver pieces. Here. nam.
You kin get some pipes and tobakker
m SNUFF. They always has them,
ton't they. at real funeralspr be asked
'omewhat anxiously. aud seemed re-