Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-12-03

out on the stoop.'
He gave me the one chair, and
seated himself on the floor. | offered
him my cigar-case, but be refused,
saying, 81 never held much by them
cannons; / lie my old pipe best"
II grow my own leaf in little
garden PATCH" he went on as we
lighted up.
"Seems to BIZ city about here 2"
| said after few puffs.
twas once,' he said sententiously.
II ana the only enc left now, though
"What place is it ~ / questioned.
He mentioned a name known TO
every oil Spectator in the country
twenty years ago. This is the
place?' | gasped.
"You wouldn't hardly believe it,
would you? There was big fire
not long after the boom died out,
and as most folks had moved away,
there want nobody to fight it, and
it took good deal OF the town.
II always felt thankful this house
was spared. l was born here and so
was all my children, and l guess I'll
die here.'
"Then you lived here before the
boom2" / inquired.
"Why, it was over there in my
south bill pasture that they first
struck the lie. There were two
farms here where the buildings stand
now. | hain't rever forgot the day
the first well spouted up. Charlie
he jumped on my gray mare 'Jen'
and just made her fly over TO Titus
vile with the news"
II suppose they paid you a good
price for the farm 2" l remarked.
mo o; 1 didn't SELL" he hesitated.
Charlie-that's my son-he was all
for havin' me take part interest in
the lie that was found. Well, /
didn't exactly like to sell the old
homestead nuther. l don't own only
just the house now the rest of the
town was sold for taxes spell ago
brought 81 200, A farmer back in
the country bought it,
Presently he rose and hobbled in,
to the house. | heard him moving
about for time, and then he called
to me.
81 have made up bed for you on
the settee; it is the best I can do for
| you tonight, and l will leave the
| candle on the table,"
Don't forget to blow it out,n he
called again as entered the house,
| and / heard no more of him that
night.
The next morning | rose late, and
the sun was well up when / stepped
out on the veranda.
My host of the night before was
nowhere in sight, but frugal break
fast was arranged on the table.
After eating I strolled out and
took my way toward that quarter of
the town that / had noticed as I sat
smoking the evening before. !
passed the ruin of church built of
brick in an ugly Ornate style; be-
hind it lay the cemetery, and as 1
approached l saw figure crouched
before grave. I marked the bunch
of wild flowers placed upon the
smooth green turf and hastily with
drew.
When l made my way back to the
house, | found my friend seated on
the porch with his pipe as On the
| evening before.
He greeted me in a friendly man
ner, and after a moments silence,
said
81 saw you up to the graveyard
when | was there 2"
"Yes."
Il was glad you did not speak to
me then. 1t kind o. seems to me
when am up there that they amt
far away, and sometimes l think
can hear them talking to me.'
He had laid down his pipe and his
eyes we're fixed on the distant hills.
"They all went to once, stranger.
1t was only six weeks from the time
Charlie died till Lydia went, and her
mother couldn't live without her.
"Then you had two children"
said.
"Only two, and there never was
such children before. Some folks
said my son was drunk when he was
drowned, but it was a liza lie, strip
He struck the post fiercely. at
happened this way" he said as he
grew ealmer.
"He went out with Fred Alton on
the river one eyening-Fred was go.
ing TO marry Lydia. They said he
was drunk, and maybe he was, but
Charlie wasn't. Well, next morning
we found the boat bottom side up,
and then they found the bodies that
evenin'. Lydia didn't ever get over
it. She just pinned away, and in six
weeks she was put beside the boys
up there on the bill. Mother want
long to follow, and then was alone
and I've been alone ever since. 1t
wasn't long before the wells dried up
and folks moved away. l told them
| / Should neyar 90 so I have staid