The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1899-09-12

on the piazza after supper to enjoy
the sunset. Here our guest set our
minds at rest.
GLOW James would have enjoyed
thisp exclaimed she, softly, as if half
to herself. Mother nodded so vigor-
ously and triumphantly behind her
back that / was afraid she would no.
tice it, and SO fastened to nod in re-
ply. We knew now. She was a
widow. "He loved to sit beside me
and watch the setting sun, even in the
city," she went on, softly. at seems
terribly lonely without him. Oh, if |
could only have brought him out into
such peaceful place as this, he might
be alive now That last hot spell was
so hard on him. / thought perhaps
he had sunstroke, but / could not
tell"
Mothers eyes filed with sympa-
thetic tears, and as she laid her hand
gently over that of Mrs. Knapp she
inquired, tenderly: GLOW long is it
since he died, dearS"
"Six weeks" answered the widow.
'He was all that / had in the world,
and | have been So lonely ever since.
But, please, Mrs. Curtis, / cannot talk
about it quite yet"
Nevertheless, she "did talk about
it" quite a good deal in the days that
followed, with the effect that |, who
was a wideawake girl at that time,
peculiarly susceptible to first impress
sions, imbibed an impression of the
late Mr.. Knapp's eccentricities that
was not altogether complimentary to
the departed gentleman.
"Poor dearp said she one day. "He
tried so hard to speak. If he only
could have told his wants!" Wenever
asked her any questions. We just let
her talk on, feeling that this was kind
est and best. | inferred from this last
remark that her husband had been
affected by paralysis, particularly as
she had said on another occasion: 81
used to SIT at my window and James
sat at his, l sewing, he looking out of
the windows at what was going on in
the street. He seemed perfectly hap
py as long as | was there. But then
we never can tell. l often wish now
that | had done more for him, or
could have learned better what he
wanted"
"What did the physicians say or
do?" | asked. !
"They said it was the breaking up
of the system by old age. never
felt that they quite understood the
case"
Poor little thing! Married to an
aged paralytic and yet regretting his
death as the breaking up of the one
tie on earth! What desolation, what
utter desolation her case seemed to
me! | was moved to take her in my
arms and weep with her, which was
great deal for me.
Not only was the late Mr.. Knapp
old and imbecile and paralytic, but
he had other traits which must have
rendered him highly Objectionable
as a daily companion.
Gust about this time every after
noon | always gaze James a bowl of
cream with fresh sponge cake in it.
He would not touch it unless it was in
a certain bowl nor unless it was fresh
from the bakers. And yet they tried
to persuade me that he didn't know
anything"
From which ! inferred that, added
to his other peculiarities, the late Mr..
Knapp possessed an extremely un-
pleasant temper.
And, oh, Mrs. Curtis" she walled,
"after the poor dear was dead and
gone, they wouldn't let me bury him
in the family lot" From which in
ferred that the dear departed had
come of family of unpleasant tenn
pers. Such heathenish doings l never
heard tell Of, Surely, however, they
felt toward him during his life, moth
ing but a fend would deny him the
family resting place after he was
dead!
But ! forgot my interest in Mrs.
Knapp and her affairs by reason Of
some Of my own. had a delightful
letter from Tom Dixon, saying he
would be with us for week. Now
Tom was a favorite cousin of mine,
and ! spent a good deal Of time fur
nishing up my little belongings SO
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