Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-08-29
A LIVING TOMBSTONE.

You see, people said Jasper Digys wa.
born foolish and that he was not rsspon
sible Tor his actions, His mother died IN
his bahyhood aud he Was left to take cart
OF himself. a. his father was a poor, old
weak iuvSlid.
Pablo philanthropy was almost an un.
known quantity in Pine Hollow, and the
maxim Of every man for himself was
rigiiiy couforVned to by the tavern keeper,
Size proprietor Of the grocery and other
less influential citizens OF the village. Even
the seeiy locking parson wss imbued with
but ficayune spirit Of charity, though he
frequently fownd occasion in the pulpit to
stimulate ard encourage charity In others
He was once compelled to urge upon some
/ Of bis brethren. who had placed brass hut
! tons in the contribution box, the necessity
of desss;ing from hammerinS down the
eyes OF those buttons, for while that PRO
cess did rot increase tnsir vslne as coin. IL
did seriously impair their usefulness as
| huitons
Jasper had grown to he q very stable
youax man Of twenty. With all bis shat
tered mental faculties, affection was q
most pronounced trai; Of his character.
This was manifested in his jealous care OF
bis father, whose emaciatei form had lain
For many weary months upon a couch Of
pain, from which the poor man was never
destined to rise again. Jasper was his
nurse, bis companion. II the old man
sometimes wearied Of the boys vague chat
ter aboat thousand nothings, OF his nery-
Gus fAcial contorlions or his mono,onous
iinpersonatsons. he could. after all, hear
these trifsng snnoyances In return for all
"a ia - IN. l..
ciplens from she same unfortunate son.
What little remained OF the old mans life
ebbed away slowly day by day until at las;
his name was written in the book Of NOR
tality
Well. old Digs is gone was the cur
rent expression OF the older generation
that knew him best. The funeral was
plata. Rot TO say meager, both 10 ceremony
aud attendance Jasper was the chief, and
II appearances were any Indication, the
only monrner- Mr.. Diggs' body WAS cou
veyed TO the cemetery and placed By the
side Of Hannah. whose grave was almost
lost under the thick jungle OF weeds and
wild creepers that covered it.
Affairs In Pine Hollow, Of course. moved
on in their unwonted style Mr.. Digxs'
death WAS sooa forgotten Jasper Digas
remembered il but too well His mourn
full sohs coali be heard at night ia the
cemetery, and to psssers by they were any.
thing bat cheerful sounds
The idea OF providing suitable tomb |
stoue 70 the memory Of his father seemed |
To have taken possession Of Jasper's mind |
q few days after his sire's death Some l
one suggested that the easiest way to yet 4
enough money 10 purchase one would be |
TO go around with subscription list.
Aetsng upon Ibis hint he started out on |
BIS hopeless mission. I say hopeless. be /
cause they looked upon Jasper AS more OF \
a fool than he WAS; hence they treated him |
FAR worse than he deserved. He went from
house 10 house, meeting only rebuffs
sneers and Tidicnle. AT nightfall be re
paired TO The cemetery where he slept. pre-
ferring TO be near his dead father than in
the lonely cottage. lie had tramped ali
over the village, and he found only one
person willing to render him assistance.
and that one had signed for 81. Every.
body else had refused to give anything hut
his moral support. Therefore, like "a Der.
iectly sane young man, he abandoned the
enterprise, though the Unsuitable longing
Tor monument to his fathers memory
possessed him as keenly AS ever.
A week later one of Pine Hollowis
misery citizens, while passing the GENE
cry, made strange and wonderful dis
sovery. He did not 20 into the grocery
'hop that night as early as usual, in order
10 allow sil the freqnenters to assemble so
hat he might have good audience to
listen 70 what he had 10 say. The crowd
sas laying in a stock OF peanuts and plug
.obacco rs he entered, and his nervous mn.
ience was taxed TO its utmost In refrain.
ng from calling the meeting to order AT
,nce.
well, boys" be began, after the eoun.
er and every available box and barrel had
'een exiemporizei for seats, you'd a {
aaghed your gizzards sore to have seen
what | see this mornin. was footin it /
'ver TO Iii Cassawny's TO see bout him
'uildih- me Lew corn crib next week, an
. come to the graveyard | noticed a |
nan standin in there. Coming up closter. I
recognized Jasper Diggs. poor devil
lie was standin perfectly still, an when
.ot right opposite ! hollered out, Hey,
here, Jasp. wha; yer doinr Well. be
oi dang II be stirred eonfounded inch
ben bothered agin, bus he dldu't move
20 TO myself, seq |. like as not the dumb
rit'er's II III or got one Of his blasted
elnshuns. III jes' 90 up an see what "
ils him. When got around not nore,o
rod or 20 Ia front OF him saw a square
iece OF this ere pasteboard hangin on a
trlng around his neck There was lei. l
IRIS on IL, but as don't pnrtend to be !
lueh dedicated couldn't read iem But !
- my opinion he's tryin to run BIZ u
'aYls, tue marble dealer. oppuFsition aud 9
g bis own tombstone" s
A loud ''gufaw" on the part Of the lis. d
.ners followed close upon the conclusion :.
These remarks, ard then continued u
tighter augmented the hlar!ty.
VI course the curious visited the GENE g
Try the next day and found the report u
ne 10 the letter There stood Jasper as
~ the monument he was repre- I"
'nting. bis facial expression DISPLAYING a
sSihlike rigiditF. No amount Of divert. =
x noises or threatening gestures changed
'e liked stare that literally poured out Of
s eyes The piacard printed about his
'ek bore this inscription; hi