The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-04
TIE REVEREND EZEKIEL CRUMP.
nv FRANK II. STOCKTON.


~, vIth Mrs Nicely Lent on the other side
~ =, IN. table. The day was warm for the sea-
W, and Mr.. Rinkle. having been very busy
So. sarly morning. had a good appetite. But
.. mad barely made one deep cut In the leg OF
.-,,,ou before him. whom tho door opened and
nov came In with an old straw hat In his
~ He hesitated for moment as ~ he
.Soncht he should make some apology for
atir, IN uron tho sanctity OF the dinner
hour. and then he said;
So. ms, como TO tell you that think the
n.rrsn1 Ezekiel Crump is dyin. Hos all
uU"rr,cions!" exclaimed Mr.. Rlnkle. sudden
j.. rushirs back his chair " must go out
u,s minute It's the hcat l didn't count on
shan 80 extra warm to-day And with
Al. Az hs clappnd on his hat and left the house.
:" Nh lenr" exclaimed Mrs. Lent as she
,.d At the table which she had arranged
18th so much care. suppose l might as
wslI nut these things by tho fire to Keep 'em
~ There's no KNOWN when he'll be
W. wish that boy Joe had kept away
".,n dinner WIS over. Eut l suppose 1t
son,ant DO helped. 1t would nevor do to lot
W. p.vsrsnA Iz-kiel Crump die"
w.,han Ripkle was n florist and the Rcvcr
.ary.vsl Crump was a new and fine relar-
.t,m which had been originated by Mr..
n,"tis himself and which he had named for
'...v.r.nd @ ergyman who had married his
,.,,,- and m ,thcr and baptized him. Mr.. Kim
~. had often said that this GOOD mans name
I'D he given to the lncst new flower he
.hould ever grow. aud as he did not believe
h.. should produces anything better than this
noarsoniuw. tho nanc was given t. 1t.
y,.han was tail. slim. muscular bachelor
,,,f,u. ior,y. industrious and devoted to his
nrotession, ard a respected member OF society
n N, country region IN which lie lived. Mrs
Ian, a wcll.nurturcd lady. whose age lowered
around thirty five, was the widow OF Mr.. Rim
lle's former partner. The house belonged TO
Mr. Kinkle. ard no. with Joshua Lent and his
wife, had lived in 1t very pleasantly and profit
ably five or six years. When Joshua died.
three years az, this autumn. Nathan WAS not
the man TO turn his widow out OF doors: so
Mrs Lent, who now owned II certain share in
the bus ness. remained as housckceper and
general domestic manager. And. thus far the
arrangement, had been found pleasant and
profitable to all parties concerned.
|, was half an houl before Mr.. Ripkls re-
turned from the greenhouses. and ns Mrs.
Lent had seen him coming. the dinner was
again Oh tho table when he entered.
1T wasn't as bad as Joe thought 1t was" he
snii as ne took his seat at the table. but il
was bad enough. l think l have been toe
careful with that plant. little too careful
I've been .parinG with the wator on 1t.
didn't wan, It to bloom too fast. | wanted the
three surays left on ii to b, absolutely rer
feet for the flower show tomorrow. and wa:
SO busy this morning Gettin' the other things
ready didn't look at the Ecv'reud Ezekiel
and as he was in n pretty hot place for such 1
day. and too dry about the roots. he began t.
wilt But | think he is all right now, w
given him good soakn' and put him In TIL
shade and he began to brighten Up before
LEI, him. tell you. Mrs. Lent. that gave m
As well it might" said the sympatheti
Nicely. ,
mat afternoon Mrs. Lent went out to tn
prargonum. She found the reverend gentle
man fully restored to health strength. an
beauty. and she iclt quite convinced that norc
had the eye OF man rested upon 80 grand an
glorious a pelarGonium. And. furth"rnnr'
there could he no imREinahlr rens%n to dout
When Mr. ninke with his lantern: came
Mrs. Lent that he should go out several time
during the night to SEQ II everything was a
right: and that he should leave very early il
away. where the flower show was to be held
sim going to send Joe Off with one wagon !.
sSa follow oil 'v with the other wagon Which Won
knore than half full: 50 I'm gon' to stop a
Ii. widow Sharps and take along the plant
snes got to show; for she hasn't any way
30 YOU mean asked Nicely somewhn
.n1ously. that you are going before break
oh yes" said Nathan: and as Eye got t
stop at the. Widow sharp's amy way. I'll break
And suppose. of course. that you'll tax
the Rev rond Ezekiel Crump with Eon p
"oh yes indeed" a., answered Nathan. &c, TO-
plant. That pc nrgonium is going to make
connection ut the show. can tell you. "
St Of young bo OF b put real Th
one "a little spindlln'; it is true. but he ha
got three sprays OF flowers which are fine
than nyDoiy has ever yet seen on u pelargo
mum plant"
am SO glad. said Mrs Lent. that 20
are able to exhibit it co much sooner thai
you expected to. That ought to DO goo
I've no doubt it will be-" said Nathan. tax
Ing UP his candle I'm leave Gottlieu stc
N charge OF the greenhouses Tomorrow. an
III tell him to come up to the house now an
then to 500 il you want anything, lie, II COM
to work at ! clock. ana III see him before
60 Good night
the early dawn Of the next morning tn
mare and a wcl-load"d wagon. and at NJ
than Einkle began to bo inpatient for tn
coming OF his chief assistant. .iuttli-b Stcu
who lived about mile away. He wanted Iii
to pu, the brown horse to tho covered warol
IN n back corner of which the Reverend Ezoki
trump Wh- 20 travel carclnly projected trDl
ths cool morning ar: ana h" had many dire,
tons 10 give his assistant tor ths conduct o, h
establishment durn- rhe Jay. II was sslio
that fottIi"h WAS late IL coming TO his wor
and Nathan was much ann y.t that he shOIl
harprn 20 be SO or .h,s mos IMPORTANT Dec!
sion.
After fuming and trcttlng !pr Mt least
lUhttrr oil an hour as lie walked UP and dow
IN" brlnciral greenhouse. gathering tornt h,
th- plants he intended to taE" t. the 40,
VI" though. struck him that possibly ,iottL,
might have forgotten what WAS TO be III. gre.
business OF the Gu@, nv! had gone to work
som. OF the "ther houses. SO lie hastily r;
out to look for him. hathan o;,en.d The doc
OF two othsrgre"nhOus-- locke in and ga .
but tho man was not in either oi tnon III
no ran over to the violet auGs- which "
nower than the other builDlluG1 ura Il, So,
distance from thea. Mr.. linkle di not II
there the man he wanted to SEQ. but lie Ion.
something no did not want 70 see. and a
was that a nun her of the yio!e; beds were We
much in need Of water
Cpnfound IT. he calculated. Here i
piece OF forGetiulnes+. And while Tn n wa
n. for that fellow might ns we'll be fresh
Ing NJ these beds." And tukin; up u wateri
pot he proceeded to the cistarn.
This, reservoir. supplied with rain wa
central part of the house about nine +,
deep, II had been dug in q bed of clay. n
The inside Of II had not yet bcon walled up
eeMeLtcd. for as Mr.. Kinke had found ii
VS. clay sides and bottom We're imEervip