Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-03-17

might almost say she was the author
of the discourse, for she gave him all
the appropriate ideas. AS she had
helped him out of the wagon she had
said: Are you prepared? I thought
not; but there's no time to lose. Re-
member there are aged parents; two
brothers living-one railroading in
Spokane Falls, the other clerking in
Washington, D. G. Don't mention the
versalists-there's been two in the
family; nor insanity-there's ben one
o them. The girl in the corner by
the clock is the one that the remains
has been keeping comp'ny with. If
you can make some genteel illusions to
her it'll be much appreciated by his
folks"
AS to the long prayer, she knew that
the Rev. Mr.. Ford could be relied
on to pray until Aunt Becky Burnham
should twitch him by the coat tails.
She had done it more than once. She
had also, on one occasion, got up and
Strengthened his ministerial necker-
chief, which he had gradually prayed"
around his sanity neck until it was
behind the right ear.
These plans proved so fascinating to
Aunt Hitty that she walked quite half
mile beyond Croft's and was obliged
TO retrace her steps. She conceived
bands Of black alpaca for the sleeves
and hats of the pall-bearers, and fes-
toon OF the same over the front gate,
II there should be any left over. 1t
was thousand pities, she thought,
that the old hearse was so shabby and
rickety, and that Cody Eldridge, who
drove it, would insist on wearing a
faded peach-blow overcoat. 1t was ex-
asperating to think of the public spirit
at Egypt, and contrast it with the state
of things at Pleasant River. In Egypt
they had sold the old hearse house for
a sausage shop, and now they were
having hearse sociables every month
to raise money for a new one.
All these details flew through Aunt
Hitty's mind in fascinating procession.
There shouldn't be "a hitch" anywhere
There had been a hitch at her last
funeral, but she had been only an as
sistant there. Matt Henderson had
been struck by lightning at the foot of
Squire Beans old nooning tree, and
certain circumstances combined to
make the funeral one of unusual in
terest, SO much so that fat old Mrs.
Potter from Deerwander created sem
sation at the cemetery. She was so
anxious to get where she could see
everything to the best advantage
that she crowded too near the bier,
stepped on the sliding earth. and pitch
ed into the grave. AS she weighed
over 200 pounds, and was in a position
of some disadvantage, it took five men
to eXtricate her from the dilemma,
and the operation made a long and
somewhat awkward break in the relig-
ious services. Aunt Hitty always said
of this catastrophe, "If I'd "a been
Mis- Potter, I'd ben so mortified
believe I'd "a said, I want plannin' to
be buried, but now I'm here I declare
I'll stop"
Old Mrs. Butterfield's funeral was
not only voted an entire success by the
villagers, but the seal of professional
approval was set upon it by an under
taker from Saco, who declared that
Mrs. Tarbox could make a handsome
living in the funeral line anywhere.
Providence, who always assists those
who assist themselves decreed that the
niece Lyddy Ann should not arrive un-
til the aunt was safely buried; So,
there being none to resist her the right
or grudge her the privilege, Aunt Hitty,
for the first time In her life, rode in
the next buggy to the hearse. 81, in
his best suit, a broad weed and weep
ers, drove Cyse Higgins black colt, and
Aunt Hitty was dressed in deep mourn
ing, with Widow BuzzelPs Grape veil
over her face, and in her hand a palm
Leaf, fan tied with black ribbon. Her
comment to ST, as she went to her vir-
tuous couch that night was: "It was
an awful dry funeral, but that was the
only flaw in it. 1t would "a ben per-
feet If there'd ben anybody to shed
tears. l come pretty nigh it myself,
though, and l amt no relation, when
Elder Weeks said, You'll go round the
house, my sisters, and Mis- Butterfield
won't be there; you'll go int the or
chard, and Mis- Butterfield won't be
there; you'll go int the barn and Mis-
Butterfield won't be there; you'll go
int the shed, and Mis- Butterfield won't
be there; you'll go int the hencoop,
and Mis- Butterfield won't be there?'
That would "a drawed tears from a
stone most, specially sence Mis- But
terfield set such store by her hens'
And this is the way that Lyddy But
terfield came into her kingdom, a lit
tie lone brown house on the rivers
brim. She had only seen it once before
when she had driven out from Port
land, years ago, with her aunt. Mrs.
Butterfield lived in Portland, but spent
her summers in Edgewood on account
of her chickens. She always explained
that the country was dreadful dull
for her, but good for the hens; they
always laid so much better in the win
ter time.
Lyddy liked the place all the better
for its loneliness. She had never had
enough OF solitude, and this quiet
home. with the song Of the river for
company, If one needed more company
than chickens and cat, satisfied all
her desires, particularly as it was ac-
companied by a snug little income OF
5000 a year, a meager sum that seemed
to open up mysterious avenues of joy
to her starved, impatient heart
From Kate Douglas Virgins "Ths
Village Watch Tower"
Co.