The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1892-06-17
NJ E SOON OR LATE.

o1lALAIS, Sbl W SIlo.lS IitCl1CI tliitll W
walk down the gravel street to the
@ OF palms. There, picking cut
a seat or which the sun shone. the
Living Skeleton would sit down and
seemed to wait patiently for some one
who never came. He didn't seem to
have energy enough even to read. and
so it was that Robbins sat down one
day on the bench beside him and said
sympathetically, II hope you are feel
ing better to-day"
The Skeleton turned toward him
and laughed a low, n~oiseless and
mirthless laugh for q moment, and
then said. in a hollow. far-away voice
that had no lungs behind it: Il an
through with feeling either better OF
worse"
'Oh, l hope it is not as bad as that. y
said Robbins; the climate is doing
you good down here. is it not?"
Il have no more interest in eli
mate" said the Skeleton. Il merely
seem to live because / have been il
the habit of living for some years;
presume that is it. because my lungs
are entirely gone. Why.I can talk O.
why | can breathe is a mystery to me,
You = perfectly certain you car
hear me?"
'Oh. hear you quite distinctly, :"
sad Robbins.
80 tell the truth, l am dead.
practically. You know the old Amer
lean story about a man who walked
around to save funeral expenses; we'll,
it isn't quite that way with me, but
can appreciate how the nan felt. Still,
l take a keen interest in life. although
you might not think so. You see. /
haven't much time left; l am going to
die at 5 o'clock on April 3O-S o'clock
at night not in the morning, just
after table d. hote is done with"
you are going to what?" cried
Robbins. in establishment
Il m going to die that day. You
sec, have got things to such a point
that | can die any time l want to. l
could die right here now if I wished.
If you have any mortal interest in the
matter I'll do it. and show you that
what l say is true. 1 don't mind
much, you know. although I have
fixed on April 80 as the limit. 1t
wouldn't matter a bit for me to go off
10Y If it would be OF any interest to
you"
II beg you," said Robbins, very
much alarmed. mot to try any ex.
pcrimcnts on my account. l am
quite willing to believe anything you
say about the matter-of course YOU
ought to know"
Yes, l do know" answered the
Living Skeleton, sadly. "Of course,
have had my struggle with hope ani
fear, but that is all past now. as 70,
may we'll understand. The reasol
that | have fixed the date for 30th Q
April is this: You see l have only
certain amount OF money! do nc
know why 1 should mako any secre
OF i'll have exactly 24o francs tt
day, over and above the 100 franc
which l have set aside for anothe
purpose. l am paying 3 francs a da
at the Golden Dragon; that you Sc
will keep me just thirty days, an
then intend to die"
The Skeleton laughed again. will
out sound, and Robbins moved III
easily on the seat.
II don't see," he SAID finall.
what there is to laugh about in tn;
condition Of affairs"
Don't your said the Skeleton
well, l don't suppose there is Yer
much; but there is something else tn;
l consider very laughable. and that
will tell you if you will keep 1t
/ secret. You see. the old Goldc
Dragon HIMSELF always call 0,
inn.keeper the Golden Dragon. ju
as you call me the Living Skeleton.
!, "Oh, l beg your pardon. said 10
=. bins, stammering. d"
"Oh, it doesn't matter at all. &C
are perfectly right and l think it
very apt term. Well, the Goldt
Dragon makes q great deal of h
money by robbrng the dead. "
didn't know that did you? Nc
, thought it was the living wi
supported him, and goodness know
he robs them when he has a chanc
, When a mar dies in the Gold,
, Dragon he. or his friends rattle
i have to pay very sweetly for it. II
r Dragon charges them for refurnishil
tho room. Every stick Of furniture
charged for, all the wall paper. al
so on. Isuppose it is right to char
something, but the Dragon is n
content with what is right He kno'
. he has lost a customer, and SO
e. makes all he can out of him. j
n furniture so paid for is not replac
and the walls are not papered agai
but he Dragon doesn't abate a pen,
OF his bill on that account.
Now, l have inquired Of the fl
+ y nishlng mar on the street back of t
hotel, and he has written on his ca
just the cost of mattresses, sheets, !;
lows and all that sort of thing. I.
the amount comes up to about
francs. I have put in ar envelop.
50-franc note, and with it the car
0 the furniture man ! hayo WI I,
also in the letter, telling the old lr
on just what the things will cost q
he needs, and have referred him
the card of the furniture man who !
given me the figures. This envel
1 have addressed to the Dragon. !;
n he will find it when I am dead. :
is the joke that old man Death !;
myself have put up on the Drago
and my only regret is that I shall n
= be able to enjoy a look at the Ora
on's co%untenance as he reads my IL
letter to him.
. '.Another sum OF money l have r
away in good hands where he wo
have a chance to get it. for my funel
Expenses, and then you see I
through with the world. I have I
body TO leave that / need worry abe
or who would either take care of
or feel sorry for me If I needed CO
or sympathy, which I do not.
that is why I laugh and that ID VIII
come down and sit on this bench
the sunshine and enjoy the postl
d mous Joke.
"a sort of friendship sprang up
Jtween Robbins and the Living Ske
ton--at least, as much of a friendsl
as can. exist between the living {
the dead. for Robbins was a muscu
young fellow who did not need to l
at the Riviera on account of