Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-01-12

time - TO avoid . delay of his evening
meal and cousequent outbust OF anger
on the pan Of his old housekecper. hs
had taken q resolution
"rhres scors years and ten. says the
bible h~ inutter~i to himself ~ he
walked homeward The scripturai life
time n do Tor me
A week thereafter old Tommy gased
prvudly upon the finished inscription
"Dhci Nov II. is9D was the newest
bit OF biography there engraved
"Dut lie two ycars and more I'LL Nov
n, $500. : said = voice at his side
Tommy merely cast an indifferent look
upon the speaker anil walked od without
q word
The whole village now thought that
Tommy had become monomAnisc upon
the subject OF his tombstone Perhaps
he had
No one has ben able On learn from his
friend. Billy skidmorr what thoughts
he may have communicated 10 the latter
upon the matter
Tommy now lived fof no other ap
parent purp~- than Ia visit his tomb
stone daily lie no longer confined his
walks thither TO the pleasant dAys lie
wen, In weather the most p-rilous TO 80
old and fraii = man
One 20 MS prospective heirs took sum.
cient interest In him to advise more care
% his health.
Il can easily keep alive till the time
comc.. returned III. antique There's
only year left.
Rapidly his hold upon life relAIcsi. A
week before Nov ~ 1850, he went to
bc,i and s,aid there People bryan In
speculate ~ 20 whether his unique pr~-
dictiou-or. ! should gay. his decree-
would be fulhlled 10 the very day.
Upon the hfth day Of his Illness Dcath
threatened TO come before the time that
had been -, Tor rrccivins him
isn't this the io'hy' the old man
mumbled
"So.- said his housekeeI-r. who, with
,ne of his nieces. the doctor. and Billy
skidmor,. attended the III man "lfs
nly the 9th
Then mus, hgh, for two days more
RI tombstone must not lie.
And he rallied - well that u secmed
~ N the tombstone would lie, peyerihe
l.... for old Tommy was s,ill alive al
ii:3O on the night 81 Nov u, More
over. he had been IN hi. sense when last
awake. and there was every likelihood
tha, he would look i the clock when
ever his eye. should nei, op-n
I'll. can't live till morning. tha,s
sure .aid the doctor
"But. good Lorli you don't mean TO
say he'll hold ou, I'LL after 70 o'clock,
said Billy Skidmor-. who-e anxiety only
hal sustained him In his grief a, the ap
preaching dissolution of hi. friend
Quite probably. replied the doctor.
-tioci heavens Tommy won't r-si
easy In his grave " he doesn't die on the
nth The monument would L. wrong.
"oh. ,hA, won't matter aid the
niece
Billy Looked ., her In anafsment
Wa hi. old friend. sacred wish Ia mis-
carry ,hup
YES. twill matter he aid In loud
whisper "And n time won't wait Tor
Tommy Of It's own accord. well make I,
When did be last s.-c th. clocN
Half past o. said the hou--k.~per.
Then well turn ~ back Ia TO-" said
SkidmOre. acting as he spoke
"But he may hear the town clock
strike
Billy aid never word. but plunged
into his oyercoat. threw on his hat and
burned out into the cold night
Ten minutes 10 midnight. be said.
u he looked up nj the town clock upon
the church s,.eple Can akin M them
ladders In time'"
Tommy awoke once before the lasi
slumb-r Billy was 10y his bedside. As
wrrv the doctor. the hous-k--Isr and the
niece The old mans eyes sought the
clock.
Eleven he murmuci Then he
was silent. Tor the town clock had bcgun
10 clans lie counted the strokes
eleven Then be- smiled and ,ricd 10
sprak again
"Almo-t-livr Out--birthdAy---
seventy -tomb-ion--all right
lie closed his EYES. and inasmuch o
the town clock FURNISHES the of'i,tal time
20: k-arwari. the publish~i report of
Tommy MCGuiiyls going records iha, he
pas-ed At tw-nty i've minutes after u .
IN. Nov a. isyo
Very few I-ople knew that time turned
back one hour and a half In order that
the reputation oi Tommy McGufiyis
tombstone for venciiy might b. sEo,Iess
IN the eyes of future g-nerstions
Billy Skidmor-. the -rsion. arranged
10 have Rearwarl iiu- r'aiy Tor the snn
when u rss urou the following morn
ing. r " st~ih-ns Ia Philad.lphis
prcss