The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-12-27
Highest of all in Leavenng Power-Lae U. Govt Report
R@&!alI! q! BskasSl! BakiRS
ABSOLUTELY PURE
ue to me now. My days are numbered
ABSOLUTELY PURE

ue to me now. My days are numbered -
''The doctor says"
81 don't care what the doctor saws" in
terrupted Paul Penflax "He can't see an
inch further than his own drugs. All the
Penflaxes die on New Years eve! It's the
family fate"
ooh, no, Cousin Paul, because
'Your father died on New Years eve
didn't hep
"And Zachariah Penflax, down in Mas
sachusetts Bay, was blown off the deck OF
tke Lively Sally in squall, ten years
ago on New Years eve?"
'They didn't know whether it was the
thirty-first of December or the first of Jan
uary, because"
'But 1 know" solemnly interrupted Mr.
Penflax. "And there was your cousin
Maria"
"She wasn't a Penflaxr'
But she married one. It's all the same
The Penfiaxes all go on New ear's-e "
"All these are only condolences, Cous-
in Paul." pleaded Kitty, as she tenderly
straightened the sheets and smothed the
pillow-cases.
Hump" grunted the sick man. "When
you see me in my coffin you'll say it was
only coincidence l suppose??'
please don't talk So" soothed Kitty
Here is your cruel, nice and hot"
You'll seer' said Paul Penfax
''Shall make you a cup of tea?"
You'll see"' he mournfully reiterated.
"Or would you prefer coffee?"
You'll see!''
'Pm going to stew down chicken for
you tonight" cheerfully went on Kitty.
"And Owen French says there's such a
nice little red calf out in the barn. A
New Years present"
"Calves and chickens don't signify to
me now," groaned Mr.. Penflax. but
want the clock brought in, where can see
it and hear it tick. It's five o'clock is it?
Very we'll Before midnight the Penfax
doom will have descended on me. You've
been very good to me Kitty. wish had
fortune to leave you, but I've only the
farm and-and the big diamond stud that
old Captain Blossom gave me before he
committed suicide i'll the garret ten years
ago. I'm calculating giving that to my
niece, who is so poor, down on Beverick
Beach. Mary's father helped me years
ago, when l needed help badly. It's all
written a paper somewhere. And the
stud is sewed up in bag of chamois
leather in the lining of my pillow-tick.-
Don't let any one get at the diamond
stud, Kitty, until the lawyer comes"
mo, cousin Penflax, won't" protested
Kitty.
"And now bring me the big Bible and
my spectacles," said Paul. "And call
Owen French to move the clock at once!'
won't you eat your Cruel, Cousin
Paul?"
NO." said Pcnflax "What has a dy-
ing man to do with Cruel? Isn't it New
Year's-eve? Isn't the Penflax doom ap-
proaching?"
Kitty crept downstairs, with an odd
prickly sensation in every nerve. She
knew that an old sea-captain had bearded
with Paul Penflax years ago, but she new
er had heard of the suicide in the garrett
the great, dark, echoing garret, with its
angles full of shadowy and the mysterious
creaking, scuffling sounds, which might be
rats, or might be the wind under the loose
shingles, or rustling the lunches of dried
herbs that hung from the beams, or might
be
She was glad when she saw Owen
French's stalwart form by the cooking
stove.
"Tve brought you i'll a fresh supply of
wood and water Kitty" said he. It's
showing so that we shan't know where
the well is tomorrow morning! Now,
Kitty, haven't earned kiss -
Don't Owen!' said the girl-and yet
she smiled little as she added: "Please
go up and move the big hall clock into
Cousin Paul's room. He wants it there. y
Bound to die, is he?' said Owen,
Struggling his shoulders. "Well, l sup
pose we'll have to humor him ~
He went cheerily upstairs, moved in
big cherry wood clock, where the gilt sun
never left off rising behind a grove of
painted poplars above the face, and the
huge brass pendulum swung drowsily to
! and fro.
Now what else can 1 do forryou
squire" said he, with alacrity.
Nothing" said Paul, "Or, stay. My
tonic, please, need all the strength can
gain"
..Is it this bottle?" said Owen.
Mr.. Penfiax nodded without turning
his head-swallowed his medicine, and
folded up his glasses.
''I'll rest little now," said he-and
honest Owen tiptoed out of the room
painfully conscious of his squeaking
boots.
Paul Penfax shut his eyes and meditat
ed gloomily over past, present and future
1--WE been II miserable sinner" said he
"but l don't know, if l was to live my
live over again, that wonder, now, il
this is imagnation-this strange, drowsy
feeling? I've heard doctors felt that death
was only a sort o falling asleep, used uI
sensation Yes, it's the Pehflax fate. It's
New Years eve and I'm dying! wonder
-what-kitty-"
Only minute as it seemed, and there
were footsteps and voices in the roem.-
foot-even to lift an eyelid.
81 suppose they'll lay me out now, "sait
he to himself I'm dead And it wasn'