The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-07-20

20 wear padded clothes to make bihs6lf
look fit To be seen at a tablef No, old Eel.
low. Better go before the wine sours and
the roses fade In tho vases. I'd rather.
And he smiled up into my face that old
sweet smile that made him so beautiful
and dear 10 us who loved him.
well, boys, | can never tell you how
the words, and, more yet, how the smile
OF my oomrade, lying there on the turf, all
MANNED and crippled as he was, calmed
me Nor did II seem so strange 90 me, as
some might think IL would, that he should
shrink from such future AS lay ahead of
him should surgical skill enable him TO
linger along on the earth. And SO i made
no reply TO his saying, but sat and looked
as one looks at a face that is sweet to his
eyes, and which he will soon see no more.
"'Have you any word for the dear
ones?' asked, for between my eyes and
the face was gazing upon there came
vision OF an old brown house amid the
Vermont hills, with four giant naples in
front of IL and n brawling stream in the
meadow beyond, and 1 knew that tears
would fall fast and long In the old home
when the news of Dandy Dicks death
should be flashed to its doors, and SO /
asked of the dying man, Have you any
word for the dear ones at homer
Certainly, he replied in the pleasant,
sweet way that was his habit Tell
mother never have found a face among
all the girls as sweet as hers, nor a hand
as soft on my head Then, after a mo.
ment's pause, he added, Tell the general
that died like gentleman, with clean
cuffs and boots like a mirror, and Bob
pnh fo HING Of cnh EnnUt-
and the light In his eyes as he said it was
as merry as his heart had ever been; tell
Bob to be careful of his laundering and
keep himself well groomed when he takes
the road as one of the great fraternity OF
commercial travellers, for no man can sell
goods who doesn't keep himself like gen
tleman.'
az must confess comrades, that
wanted to say something more-somethlng
even graver-for through the mist of my
tears could see that the whiteness that
comes but once to the face of man was
coming to Dicks, and that he was nigh to
the line that none can come TO but once
nor ever return from, and / longed TO
know how his soul stood as 1t drew near
to the crossing and so / summoned up
courage for the question that no true man
asks of true man save when the two stand
with hand claspcd in hand on the edge of
last parting.
"'Dick, murmured, how looks the
road ahead. and what comfort can you
leave me and the many that love your
a" Tell the boys'-and he said it with a
sweet cheerfulness-'tell the boys that
came TO the end of my trip as drummer
should who has sold straight goods in
straight fashion, and i shall pass In my
accounts to the great firm without fear or
quaking, for all charges are duly made out
and every item correct, and have no fear
but that shall get new outfit and a
good route when l ask for 1t tomorrow
And he feebly raised the white hand that
was unmarried and placed 1t in mine.
II could ask no more, for / knew that
Dick had told the simple truth, and felt
In my heart that l was greatly privileged
to sit beside man who could say what he
said and face the future-the great, dim
future that lies waiting us all beyond this
life-so cheerfully. And so said no other
word, but, with my hand in his, sat wait
ing on the edge of that river that was
flowing so nigh and flows on unseen save
by those who have come down to 1t for
their crossing. And so / sat silently hold
| ing his hand, waiting. But In moment
u DntInOry Cdint w auu oohuihS Wv
| to his ear, softly said:
" is there no dear one, Dick, TO whom
you would send a messageY
Life has been like wine to me, old
boy he whispered softly, and the girls
have been very kind, for they and were
young, and their hands We're soft and their
| mouths sweet, but l have never loved
| grossly nor done evil TO any. There's q
| locket In my bosom, and in 1t are a face and
| a name you will recall when you see them,
| and she and have loved, and loved truly,
| and had the cars kept the track she would
| have been my wife next spring, when the
ice melts and the flowers bloom, you know.
| And to his lips that never more would
move in mirth there came the curying OF
his old merry smile at the verbal flourish
with which he had closed his pathetic
statement. And then the look that comes
| but once to mortal face came to his, and
| he knew he had come to the end, for, gath
| ering up his failing strength, he family
| said:
"'Tell the boys to sell their goods
| straight and keep their accounts square
| that they may stand we'll with the great
firm at their home coming.
"And with these words OF love and
| counsel to the boys the spirit OF Dandy
Dick passed upward on its travels.
| "we buried him, with all the honors Of
| the travelling craft, in the little graveyard
| with its white marble gravestones among
| the green hills where he was born.
GAS we were on our return to the depot
| I paused at the top of the hill that over
looked the valley where our comrade sleeps,
and what / saw remains printed on my
memory and will remain while l live, for
could see grave, with two women,
darkly CARRIED, standing by it, and tall,
white haired old man, holding horse at
the little graveyard gate, waiting for the
women to join him. Nv H. II. Murray
| In Home Magazine.