Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-07-25
Mrs. Gallup.
SIZE HAS A SUMMONS AND HUNTS
UP MIR. GALLUP.

mer and nails and went out to make
some repairs to the pigpen, leaving
Mrs. Gallup singing the doleful bal
lad of " Barbara Allen" as she
washed the supper dishes.
Seven or eight minutes had passed
and MIR. Gallup had just decided that
he must drive three nails in the end
of one board and two in another,
when Mrs. Gallup came running
down the path as pale as death and
her eyes hanging out as if they
would drop on her toes.
The esquire" happened to be
looking toward the house and saw
her advancing, but he picked up a
hammer and prepared to go ahead
as if nothing had happened.
Samuel" she gasped, as she
reached him, and sank down on the
grass, Zone or t'other of us won't
live to hear the clock strike 8 this
eavenin'! 1t may be you or it may
be me, but the summons is sure to
come! Let the pigpen go while
talk to ye."
MIR. Gallup Strengthened up, drew
board toward him, and gave an
old nail three raps on the head with
his hammer and didn't exhibit the
slightest interest in Mrs. Galup's
talk.
"Jest as you went out" she con-
tinued, catching up the skirt of her
dress as warning that tears and
sobs would follow--"jest as you
went out l went down cellar to sec
If them peach pickles was softenin'
up any. You know / made them
att er Mrs. Martins receipt and never
felt quite sure abOnt 'em. / was go
i'm towards the crock and never
thlnkin' of anything when all at
once a black cat spit at me and
jumped outer the window. Yes, |
heard her spit and saw her as plain
as see you, and tell you, Samuel,
that was no cat belongin' to this nav
burhoOd! Indeed, it was no livin'
cat, at all, but the speerit of one sent
to bear the summons.n
Mr.. Gallup stood and looked down
on her for a moment, but he hadn't
a word to say about the cat. Mrs.
Galup's tears came, and the sleeves
of her dress had to answer for a
handkerchief.
" AS l saw the cat the summons
must be for me! !" she said, as she
tried hard to choke back her emo
tions. "That was the way Mrs.
Hopkins and Mrs. Bebee were both
warned, you know. Both went
down cellar and saw strange black
cats, and within few hours they
were dead. Samuel, you don't think
1t could possibly be black cat from
Tarrytown, do yOu-one which got
strayed over here ?"
Mr.. Gallup wanted piece of board
several feet long to fit a particular
spot. The piece he had at hand was
only six feet long, and he was won.
dering how ho could add the other
foot, and he didn't appear to have
heard her question. She got her
eyes clear of tears and moved out OF
his way, and went on:
Yes, Samuel, Ive got to &c
hence. l did want to live to see
how the cOWcumbers. and suuashes
would turn out this year, and to try
the new remedy for ttater bugs,
but when the Lord sends black cal
after me 1T means that | must spread
my wings and fly to that land where
cowcumbers and 'tater bugs are
not. Don't you want to come into
the house and kinder pet me afore
go? Mebbe I'Il be asked I'D ir
heaven what you was a dOin' when
l expired, and I'd kinder hate to say
that you was tixin' the hogpen."
Mr.. Gallup decided to try the six
; foot board over the seven-foot hole
and trust to luck for shortage. III,
gave a glance at Mrs. Gallup, ant
then commenced driving the frs
nail.
"Come to think it over, vol
needn't pet me-" she said, as tn,
hammer ceased to fall. I've LIVED
fur 81 years without pettin', and
Kin go to my grave the same way
You'll git married again, of course
and you'll go around chuckin' you
second wife under the chin anC
plnchin' her ear and callin' her you
daisy, but shant be mad about it
I'll be up in heaven, bangin' on g
golden harp, and singin' as hard as
kin, and / shant know whether vol
act like Ounce or jestice of tn,
, peace. Samuel, dye spose they he,
quilt frames in heaven ?"
Mr.. Gallup was about to drive an
other nail, but the question startled
him so that he dropped ii among tn,