The record-union., 1895-12-07
TOMS SECOND MIOSUS.


they doubted she was goin a long road,
and the heightened face of Tom, her
CATER, appeared to indorse their prog
nostics; but Betty had never believed
in her own critical condition until the
doctor told her one day that she really
was getting to the end of her tether.
Well" said Betty, with a sigh "th'
Almighty knows what's best fur us all.
| He couldn't ha' took me at a time
when I'd ha' felt myself more ready to
goo"
Good old Betty" said the doctor,
admiringly
''Ah,' continued Betty. pigs killed,
yo' see, an chickens is pretty nigh
grown, and taters'll be got in a two
( three days. There's nought mich left
as wants seein' to. If it weren't fur tn
thought O. tn CATER I'd be Almost
fain to goo-this here cough shakes me
| to pieces very near but eh, | cannot
think whatever our Tom will do! Eth,
doctor yo'd never think how little sense
he has fur a mon of his years! He's
| thaI careless and fooIISn-like l Welly
lose patience wi him sometimes.
Poor Tom" said the doctor, laugh
! ing and buttoning up his coat, he'll
be in a bad way I'm afraid when you're
gone, Betty. He seems to be the kind of
chap that wants a woman to take care
of him.
'sEh, he is thot fur sure, agreed the
wife, sorrowfully. Il dunnot rally
know how the CATERS to live wi'out no
missus.'
why, he must take another missus,
that's ALL If you follow my advice,
Betty you'll pick him out a good one
/ no on
be sure he'll be well looked after"
Usually joke like this would have
been laughingly applauded; but Betty
struck with the idea, answered in all
seriousness
THAT 'ud be tn best, but I reckon
it'll be hard enough to find wan as 'ull
do fur him Same's me. We mum do
the best we can as how it is.
The doctor withdrew, laughing and
rolling his shoulders, and Betty, left
alone, closed her eyes and fell to plan
ming arrangements for her own funeral.
Her mind, however, again reverted to
the less cheerful subject of Toms fu-
ture prospects, and her face puckered
itself up into a thousand doleful
wrinkles as she realized the difficulty
of providing him with a suitable help
mate.
Presently Tom himself entered. He
advanced slowly to his wife's bedside,
contemplating her anXiously the while.
How doesto find tEyser now?" he
asked.
Betty's face assumed a certain mel
ancholy Importance.
Doctor says I'm net long fur this
world, Tom, he does indeed. 'Yore
very near the end O yore tether, Betty,
says he; so there isn't mich time to be
lest i getting ready, thou sees
Eth" said Tom, eying her very
/ o1a,,1 .o11 ind II m
sorry, I am that"
''Well,' said Betty, with superior
air, Yves all ha' t T. goowhen were time
cComs. l allus thought yod be first,
Tom, and I'd planned to gi' yo' nice
funeral. But theer, it isn't the Lord s
will. Thou'h see as I'm laid out
seemly-the best sheets is yonder O tn
top shelf O. the cupboard, an I'd like
to weer my little cap wi tn lace bor-
ders. Yo' can boil tn big ham, an
have nice dit o cheese an that, but
no beer Nay, I wunnot ha' no drinkin
at my buryin', an so l tell thee"
We'll" said Tom, thoughtfully
scraping his chin with his big fore
finger, Il doubt folks'lI be a bit disap-
p'inted like, they allus look fur drop
o summat-'specially them as carry
coffin, thou knows. I'd be loath to vex
thee. but still I'd like everything
gradely at thy buryin', owd lass.
Coon" conceded Betty, somewhat
Modified, thou can give bearers mug
each if thou likes then, but t'other folk
nun do WI coffee, an thou'd happen
best stick to coffee thyseP. 'Tud never
do fur thee to fuddle thyseP on such
'casion."
Tom looked little blank, but he
wisely forebore to discuss the point
land, after moments pause, observed
with deep sigh, that he doubted If
he'd ave mich cart for coffee at sich
time"
Whatever nun I do when thou'rt
gone. missus, I'm sure l don't know he
added hopelessly.
Betty raised herself on her elbow.
tom, I've been bethinkin' myself and
lunbethinkin' myself. Thou'rt moan the
max o. chap as could get on wi'out a
woman to do fur thee. Why, thou I'd
elem sooner nor think O. gettin' thy mate
fur thysel, and as for cleanfn' UP, thou
'ud never notice if tn place wur foot
deep in muck Thou 'ud need body
allus at thy elbow"
Well" said Tom. disconsolately, 81
reckon I'll ha to max shift wi some
max o. little lass as 'ull""
Little lass" interrupted the old
woman Indignantly. THAT 'ud be a
pretty to do Set wan child to watch
another Same as blind leadin' blind
sAh. but" interpolated Tom mildly,
"theer's none so mich work i this little
cote. Would thou have me pay out
wage to a full-grown woman to set
twiddlin her thumbs i tn ingle-nook
wan half of her timer"
Did thou ever see me twiddle my
thumbs for SO mich as minute Tum-
mas Atty? There's work enough here
If it's done as it should be- | can tell
thee But l never said thou vast to
pay out wage. Nought O. tn kind.
Thou mum get wed, mon, as soon as
thou con at arter I'm putten under
ground. Yigh, thou mnu TAX another
missus, an then thoult not have to pay
nought, an hoo'll happen bring thee a
bit O brass iStead.
"Eh. Bettyi" said the CATER, taken
aback Whatever put sich notion as
that thy cad? / dunno want no mis-
suses arter thou'rt gone, I'm sure
don't I'd be a bonny bridegroom, jist
upon sixty-fouri Eth, the neighbors I'D
think me a gradely fool
Nay, nobry'd reckon it nought but
nat'ral- a lone mon same's thee. An
what's siXty-four? Didn't owd Ned
Turner get wed when he wur seventy
two an his wife gone seventy? Hoo
was his first love. they say, an kept
company wi him a year an more when
the was young folks. Then hoo went
to service an Ned took up wi another
lass. An when they COON together
again every wan said it was beautiful -
Coon. if that's all" cried Tom, fired
with spirit of emulation "theer was
poor Ann Morris as / coorted afore ] met
thee Hoo's widow now, an childer is
all upgrown an settled. Hood be glad
enough. / reckon, if we was to max it
up again.
Now, thot's downreet ondacent on
thee. Tummas. to be bringing up Ann
Norris to me now as I've wan foot i the
gravel Thou an me has had mony a
word afore about Ann Norris. A poor,
sickly ill-favored body hoo is too.