The Washington times., 1895-06-16
DANIELS WIPE,

Cant say 1 believe in superstition
myself"
Nor me. Though I've seen the time
when 1 wouldn't look over my left shoulder
for fear OF seein' the new moon"
But you can't change the law of the
universe to suit yourselves. an l for one
know that a dog howlin' is a sure sign
of DEATH
i broke a Iookin' glass once, and didn't
have no luck for year
Now, l don't b'heve in any of them
signs, but if l spill the salt I'm bound 10
get into u quarrel with neighbor Never
knew il to fail"
IF a fork drops from your hands and
sticks in the floor it's a sure sign that
somebody's coming. And YOU can tell by
the way it slants where he's coming from
"Hushi Here's Daniel's wife comm in
from the kitchen. Don't let her hear YOU
They We're a company of plain country
folk who had assembled at a neighbor's
deathbed, that OF a Gecrepit old man, Uncle
Abner Field, who had just passed away.
He was feeble and childish, but as a reia
tive of their young neighbor, Daniel Field,
he commanded some respect. For himself
he was Covetsus, grasping, and ill-tcm-
pered, and as no one cared to have him
about he lived alone in tumble-down
house, when Daniels wife-pretty Lo-
retta Price that was-took pity on him and
invited HIM to make his home with them,
Daniel agreeing to everything that she sug-
gested.
Its too dreadful to have the old man
living and dying alone, when we have a
room to spare and bite and sup for him.
He's your own flesh and blood. Daniel, and
we must do as we would be done by"
Loretta had said.
or course the people who attend to every
VIZ I'm eli hgrt thni SnfI ~ hot
Loretta expected TO get something for her
goodness, but she laughed at the suggestion
that poor old Uncle Abner, who had al
ways been the Personification of poverty,
had any money. She would have demanded
it peremptorily, If only to make him more
comfortable, for her husband was poor,
farming not being his vocation. Like her-
self, Daniel was educated, and longed to
see the world, but she was more practical
and did not disdain present opportunities.
But she was working beyond her strength
before she took Uncle Abner in.
And never once did he try to tighten her
labors by any consideration on his part. As
long ashe wasa BILE tobea bout he spentmuch
of his time in the old house whichhe owned
as ellasthethree acres fgroundpertaiuing
to it, and thishe decided oDaniel with much
formality and many specifications. The
Whole property was worth few hundred
dollars, il ever purchaser could be found.
Wen tear down the house and plant an
orchard on the land" Daniel had said,
but his wife had no interest in it one way or
another More land was not one of her
hobbies; less would have pleased her better.
Now Uncle Abuer wasdead, but indyingh he
had evolved strange aud portentous omen
from the realms OF superstition. He had
lain for many hours in an unconscious state
with all the friends aud neighbors of the
family gathered about him, S the custom
obtains in rural districts, and several times
he had actually ceased to breathe-when
in one of his returns from the horderland
he opened hiseyes and looked upon thefaces
of those about him, and then said in his
shrill voice:
Daniels wireI"
Loretta asteppedhastilyt to him. and took the
cold, hard hand in her soft, warm palm
but with those words he ceased to breathe
There was no more coming back-Unele
Abner had gone the way OF all flesh since
Adam, and the only one TO shed d tear for
Elm was she whose name was last on his
lips, in that fonu of address customary with
him.
But the eject of his words on all gathered
there, excepting Loretta herself, Was most
remarkable. Tney left the deathbed with
precipitate haste, and, grouped together in
the other room, began TO talk in huShed tones
over Uncle Abner's last words, and to dis
cuss their different forms of superstition,
which had proceeded so far as the spilling
OF salt when Loretta herself appeared among
them, and immediately became an object
of the greatest interest,
''Don't take it to heart" suggested one.
He just wanted to see you" remarked
another
1T doesn't always come true" said one
neighbor in tone that indicated exactly
the opposite OF what she expressed.
What doesn't always come true?" asked