Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1899-09-07

the street He seemed perfectly hap
by as long as / was there. But then
we can never tell. / 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 1t 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 earthi What desolation, what
utter desolation her case seemed to
mel l 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.
"Just about this time every after
noon | always gave James a bowl or
cream with fresh sponge cake in 1t.
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 pecullarties the late Mr..
Knapp possessed an extremely unpleas-
ant temper.
"And, oh, Mrs. Curtis" she walled,
after the poor dear was dead ana
| gone they wouldn't let me bury him In
| the family lot" From which | inferred
| that the dear departed had come of
| family of unpleasant tempers. Such
heathenish doings l never heard tell
Of Surely, however they felt towards
him during his life, nothing but fiend
would deny him the family resting
place after he was dead.
But / forgot my interest in Mrs.
Knapp and her affairs by reason of
| letter from Tom Dixon, saying he
would be with us for a week. Now,
| Tom was a favorite cousin of mine,
and | spent coed deal of time fur
nishing up my little belongings so that
| might look my very best when he
came And then, l vas putting finish
ing touches to Toms room, too, until
the minute he arrived, so that | really
had no time to talk to Mrs Knapp or
to listen to her if she wished to talk
to me.
Dear old Tom! How good it was to
see him that day with his blithe ways
and 'bonny brown hairr We talked
and talked till supper was called, and
then we still talked all the way to the
dining room door, and yet we found
time to say nothing about anyone but
ourselves. AS we seated ourselves at
the table l saw Mrs. Knapp's vacant
place (for she was a little late) and
realized that | had not mentioned her
presence in our household
why, we have a boarder, Tom"
began, in answer to his look of inquiry
at the empty place. Just as l spoke
she glided in.
why, who on earth would have
thought of finding you here!" and he
shook her hand in grasp so hearty
that / could see it was painful to her.
She colored family, and said little
unsteadily, This is, indeed, surprise,
Mr.. Dixon" and l read between the
lines that the surprise was not an al
together agreeable one.
But Tom didn't seem to notice any
thing (most men are dumb about such
things, you know. so | kept my eyes
and ears open, and waited for develop
ments.
At last they came, and in the most
startling manner.
80 | hear poor Jim is gone at last?
said Tom, turning to Mrs. Knapp al
he buttered his seventh biscuit (Ton
always was rather greedy youth, anc
enjoyed most heartily the good things
of this life, mothers cooking among
them.
"Oh, Mr.. Dixon, how can you speal
of him in that way" exclaimed thu
widow, hurrying from the room, in I
fit of sobbing.
, Tom stared.
, well, I'll be darnedl What unde
the sun is the matter with the woman
, anyway he exclaimed
you ought to be ashamed of your
!, SELF" replied l. severely. mo wonde
, the poor woman is shocked to hea
j you speak of her husband in that wa,
after he's dead and gone"
, Tom stared again. And then h
broke into such spasms of laughte
q that | thought he had suddenly lost hi
. mind. | had heard of such things, bu
7 | had fortunately been spared the sigh
, of them SO far.
"Her husband" he exclaimed, whe
+ he could catch his breath, as he wipe
Il the tears from his eyes. Her hus
+ bandl She hadn't any husband Sh
q never was married. Jim was her oil
: black cat!" and then he went off agai
t into spasms
No wonder the hard-hearted relative
d had objected to having all that wa
If mortal of 1.-The late Mr.. Knapp lai
: in the family lot!
r Mother and | looked at eacn otht
J. and said nothing. What was there
' say? But we thought things. / don
70 know whether they were the san
.e things or not, but we certainly though
1t things.
re New ZeaIands OId-Age Pensions.
al The New ZealandeTs at 65 years