Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-08-27
A TRAGEDY.

1t was evening, and the spent sunlight was
fading along the uplands and gone alto
gether from the meadows in the valley.
Nicodemus had spent the entire afternoon
in digging a grave for old Nanny, who
died yesterday and is to be buried day aft
er tomorrow. Matthew had strolled over
from his cottage door to watch him give
the finishing touches to it. had joined
them out of sheer idleness, having moth
ing better to do. The three Of us now sat
on the tomb which forms sort of table
over the ashes of some gentleman long
since dead-so long indeed that his name
and titles if he had any, have disappeared
from the stone. Ncodcmus, smelling the
tobacco which Matthew and smoked in
peace, produced his own pipe and lighted
it. The smoke coming freely, he nodded
toward the newly made grave.
"The six and sixtieth, " said Nioodemus,
(which is to say the sixty sixth dur
ing my incumbency, as you may term it.
Clerk and sexton of this parish have been
for two and twenty years come Trinity,
and this is the sixty sixth grave that have
dug"
&C Ills fair slice of death work." said
Matthew, six and sixty deaths in SO
short space as two and twenty year.
Truly, as the good book says, In the midst
of life we are in DEATH. Two and twenty
into six and sixty is-let's see-yes, is
three. Three solemn reminders per an
mum, as you may say, that all flesh is
grass"
"They've all got to come to me-" said
Nicodemus musingly. Every one of 'em
n
matter how rich they are or how POOR
they've got to come in the end. Six feet
by three is all they get-sometimes less,
but not often more-and none of EN- car
ries anything away with EN-"
"No," said Matthew. "That's certain.
Naked came they into the world and naked
go they out
"Aye, even old Neddy, with all his gold
pieces, said Nicodemus.
"Ah," said Matthew, Though he, in
way Of speaking, took 'em up to the
very gates, ehP Carried 'em as far as is
possible, you might say"
"He did. A curious story was that"
said Nicodemus, glancing at me. "a sort
of story writer's story, similar to the TO-
mancing pieces they print in books, but
nevertheless true
After had limited that should like to
hear that story Matthew remarked that
there was chilly wind coming round the
chanoel corner, and Nicodemus said that
sitting on tombstones gave him rheu-
matte pain in the small Of the back. We
therefore went over the stile to the Three
Kings and sat down against the fire in the
kitchen. There was nobody there but Ben
jamin Tripp, the landlord, and after he
had filled our mugs he leaned against the
doorpost smoking his ohurchwarden and
listening. "That old Neddy, now," said
Nicodeums thoughtfully. II can just call
him to mind and that's all, for tits good
five and forty year since it happened to
him, and ] was then lad Of maybe 10 |
year DID,
six and forty year come St. Martini"
said Benjamin Trip. ~ remember 1t as
If 'twere yesterday, seeing as were mar
ried the week before"
II dare say you're right" said Nico-
demus "Things have escaped me good |
deal Of late on account Of having SO many |
things to keep In mind-buryings and |
christenings and weddings and such |
like
This being rare parish for marrying |
and giving In marriage and likewise for
the bringing into the world Of babies and
stockings, as the saying H." said Mat
thew.
"But about old Neddy," continued Mo
odemus, (which was a case of burying by
his own act, and therefore remarkable.
He lived, did old Neldy, at the Lone Ash
farm, and there was neither kith nor kin
to look after him, and his one idea was to
get money and keep it. All his life he
was the biggest old skinflint that ever
lived In this parish, which contains q null
titudinous variety Of human characters
"All sorts and conditions Of men, as the
prayer book hns 1t, = interrupted Matthew.
"They did say" resumed Nicodemus
''that the old chap never
bought but one good coat in his life, and
that he used to get his hats off the scare
crows in the 'taty fields. However that
might be-
"Gospel truth was that there, said
Benjamin Trip.
swell, was going to say, whether 1t
was or 1t wasn't old Neddy was particu-
larly near In all his dealings, and looked
10 every penny as If 1t had been golden
pound. Used TO rake the ashes off the
kitchen fire after everybody had gone to
bed ana count the candle ends to see that
The lssses weren' I extravagant with thcm
I've heard 1t said that he'd spend hours
over a slxpenoe'-
"Threepence, said Benjamin.
"And, Of course--sixpe pence or threepence
this couyse Of life caused him to get to-
gether deal Of money, and be became
'ioh man for these parts, and had gold
md silver In much abundance But then
y was always afraid Of thieves. +"
aye aaid Matthew, "of course be J