The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1894-01-18
CHAPTER VI.
WALTER .JEPsoN.

j
While we were still standing in the
street in front of the undertaker's mop
ping our eyes preparatory to returning to
our hotel, a very seedy and dilapidated
old man came siding up to us. Address.
ing my father, the seedy individual said:
.s.My dear sir, one whose heart is sof-
tened by grief should be capable Of feel
ing some slight degree Of pity for q man
who has great cause for grief, but whose
woes and misfortunes have long since
dried up his fountain Of tears. One feels
that one may make bold to appeal to q
fellow sufferer in this cold and cruel
world for a trifle in relief Of pressing
necessities when he sees that the person
he addresses is still capable Of shedding
tears. Sir, ! pray God that your grief
be not Of nature 80 profound that no
room is to be found in your heart for
the sorrows and Affections of others.
Sir, you see before you an unhappy fell
low creature who is actually starving
for want of foodw
All this was uttered SO rapidly that
my father could only stand open mouthed
and listen to the end. .5.
Il Finding that my father did not at once
reply, the shabby individual went on an
other tack. s.Sir," cried he, Il honor
your grief, which is doubtless deep, as
you come from the receptacle Of the
dead, and ] would not thus intrude upon
it were it not that my necessities compel
what my reason deplo
.Ah, you may well say, sir, chat my
grief is deep, and that have cause for
the tears which you perceive me She'd"
said my father, gazing lugubriously upon
the seedy party 'sYou may well make
that remark, sir, for have but now
come from the solemn contempl OF
the coffined remains Of dearly beloved
ancestors. My great-grandfather and
great-grandmo ther, sir, lie prone in their
mortal dust in the rooms before which
we stand, and the old gentleman APP
piled his handkerchief to his eyes and
shook convulsively.
For some moments the shabby man
was so taken aback that he was unable
to utter single word, but at last he
gasped, ''Do I understand you to say,
sir, that the deceased parties, whose loss
You mourn are your great-grandfath
and great-grandmothery .zs
Given so, sir" said my father. My
respected progenitors. 5s
".Is it. long since they ceased to exist?
ventured the shabby man.
'.That, my dear sir, depends upon the
manner in which we view such events"
said my father. Viewed as an incident
in the life of the universe and the'great
scheme Of the Creator, the breath has
but now left their bodies, but consid-
cred as we mortals estimate time they
have been dead about 100 years"
The old mendicant stood gazing at my
father in speechless establishment. Evil
IDENTIFY he believed himself in the pres
ence Of an insane person. The old fellow
was regularly beaten 90 dumfounded.
| But he very quickly regained his look Of
alertness when my father thrust his hand
into his trousers pocket and said, II be-
lieve you remarked awhile ago, sir, that
| YOU stood in need of some sort Of refresh
mentY
81 did, my dear and sadly afflicted
friend, 2 eagerly cried the old man, ..and
indeed lam really much in need Of food. !"
laid mp hand upon my fathers arm
as hint to him to keep his money in
his. pocket. / had recognized the old
man the moment he appeared, though
he had no reason to remember having
ever before seen me. had often seen
the man both in California and Nevada.
His name was Walter Jepson. He had
landed in California in the early days as
q regularly ordained Episcopalian min
lister, but in the exciting times he went
into the mines to dig gold, and in a little
while became 'sblack sheep"