Gilpin observer., 1899-09-28
THREE WARNINGS.

Everybody in Torbett township knew
just what was the matter
Miss Saline Jones, very estimable
lady in middle age. had lain down on
her bed knowing that she would soon
die. She had received three mysterious
warnings. Wherever the case was dis
cussed-and it was talked of now
throughout the township and the great
er portion OF the county-nobody could
be found who had ever heard of an in
stance where person forewarned had
ever received more than three warn
ings. One was the rule. Cases where
two warnings were given the doomed
were cited, but they were not SO well
authenticated.
Miss Jones had lain in bed now three
days. Everybody could see her failing.
She had hunted look; her face was
pale, sometimes clammy with perspira-
tion. She had not slept now in three
nights. DR.. Townly's first resolve was
that she should sleep that night-but
kept his own counsel.
He really feared the poor lady would
die of fright.
After examining her carefully with
puzzled expression he entered the little
parlor, which was darkened to keep the
flies and the light out, and conversed
with Miss Jones' niece, a bright and
fairly well-educated girl. The niece
had been sent for in haste. She had
no patience with the story of the
warnings" but she admitted that she
had not had much time to investigate
the matter
She had the forethought, however, to
call in the neighbor who had tele-
graphed her that her presence was re-
quired in Torbett.
The neighbor was member of the
leading church in Torbett, who an
nounced herself as the mother of
large family, therefore very consci-
thing to her until she had slept over
the first warning.
"She told me it looked like an angel
with wings She could see the angels
head better than the wings. But the
wings were there"
The doctor knew the story, but he
asked Mrs. Bennett gruffly: "Where?'
They were on a melon-a water
melon. 1t was a melon grown in a
patch just back of the henhouse-on
the little bench of land very near the
ravine.'
"Well?" growled the doctor.
II did see the second warning my
self"
What was it like?"
'It was on a melon. too. 1t looked
Just like Miss Jones told me. 1t was
just like the branches of a weeping
willow"
did anybody else see it?"
my son John saw it, and half
dozen of the neighbors saw it,"
"How big was the tree-the branches,
/ mean?"
They covered the breadth of your
hand. am sure"
"Did Miss Jones say she regarded it
as a sign she was going to die? Sup
pose the melon hadn't been pulled-or
somebody else had picked it up?"
That's just it. She didn't get the
melons-her little nephew, Tommy
he's about years old-he brought the
melons in to her. There was an old
patch back there once-she never goes
into 1t. Tommy. he was chasing the
hens-and run there and found the
melons,"
Then she went to bed, did she?"
NO She wondered what it meant
asked me what l thought. And
daren't say what I thought. 1t was
the first sign I ever saw. And hope
/ may never see another"
Ibid she show any signs Of fright
did she lose her appetite or cry? Was
she nervous? Or did she talk much?"
Neither of the three. She just sat
down and rocked herself. If anybody
spoke she just looked at us, as much
as to say: You don't know anything
about it. 1t can't be helped Wouldn't
be coaxed to eat. We couldn't get her
to swallow cup of tea"
"Well-and them"
"She got the third warning"
What was it?"
1T was on another melon. It's not
as plain as the others. But hundreds
have seen it. 1t was an overripe melon.
Kind of faded away now. She said
when Tommy brought it in that she
did not need such a plain warning.
said she ought to be thankful she got
three. And then she laid out her
shroud and got into bed. OF course
dozens of US were in and out"
Yes" thought the doctor, "and
hundreds more. bigger fools, were tell
ing the story and adding to it,
What was on the last melon?"
"Just an urn-the same as you see
any place"
"Hnmph!"
"she came over to my house that
afternoon. I'd just got the parlor
closed and was going to lie down when