West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-12-06
MRS. GALLUP'S
LAMENTS.
She Wanted 20 BE an Angel. But There
Were Drawbacks.
Couldn't Play on a Harp and Her
Voice Was Cracked So She Had
to Sing Through Her Nose.

1
to read the copy of The Chemung
County Gazette he had brought
home from the post-office when
Mrs. Gallup dropped down on the
lounge with sigh and began:
Samuel, if you could spare a
dyin woman three or four minits of
your time should like to talk to
you. / know you don't like to be
bothered when you are readin, and
l wouldn't say word if it was only
bile on my leg or one of my back
aches, but it's more serious than
that, Samuel-fur more serious"
Mr. Gallup stretched his legs out
to their fullest extent and made his
toes crack, but he never looked up
from his paper.
81 don't want to give you no sud-
den shock" continued Mrs. Gallup
as the tears began to stream down
her cheeks and her nose to witch,
"but it's my duty to tell you, so you
kin prepare yourself. Samuel, you'll
be a widower before Saturday night!
Tonight is Tuesday night. Before
shutdown on Saturday night the
funeral will be over, I'll be an an
gel, and you'll be free to 60 out
somewhere every evenin and play
checkers. Do you hear me, Sam
uel?
Mr. Gallup may or may not have
heard her, but if he did he paid not
the slightest attention.
eyes; I've got my call to CO."
she resumed as she wiped her eyes
on her apron. "I've had rheumatic,
fever, consumption and heart dis
case, and many and many time
I've expected to go, but l have
never felt like this before. My
heart goes funk, funk, funk, my
lungs seem to be hitchin' around,
and now and then my breath shuts
off on me the same as If | had got
caught in hole in the fence. Mrs.
Watkins was took this very way be.
fore she died and so was Mr.. Com
fort. 1t may come to night, or it
may be delayed till tomorrow, but
within a day or two I'll be an angel.
You won't blame me for dying, will
you Samuel"
Mr.. Gallup turned his paper
over, pulled in his feet and crossed
his legs. but made no reply.
"Folks can't help dyin, Samuel
that is, can't. hate to go before
I've made the soft soap and put up
the fall pickles, but can't help
myself. 1t was so with Mrs. Wat
kins. She had the soap grease all
ready and was all ready to dye rags
fur new carpet, but when Gabriel's
horn sounded she had to spread her
wings. You'll miss the soft soap,
Samuel, fur you're great hand to
wash up, and you'll miss the pickles,
fur you love sour things, but will
you miss me?"
Mr.. Gallup held the paper in his
left hand and reached down his
right to scratch his heel through his
sock, but he was dumb. Mrs. Gal
lup looked at him through her tears
for time and then choked down a
sob and said:
"Well, if you don't miss me,
can't help it. I've allus had hot
water ready when you wanted to
wash Your feet and you've never
found me without stickin salve fur
sore fingers. I've nursed you
through collie and sot up with you
through fever. You've never had
to tell me my bread was heavy or
the biscuit tasted Of saleratus.
And when I'm laid away, Samuel,
you'll remember that / wore the
same bonnet and shawl for II years
and that allus made a PAIR of
shoes last three years. Haven't I
done purity well all things consider
ed?"
Mr.. Gallup might have agreed
with her, but il he did he didn't say
so aloud. lie crossed his legs the
other way and scratched the other
heel, and when Mrs. Gallup could
restrain her tears, she observed:
81 amt leavin this house the way
some wives would, Samuel When
am gone, you'll find your shirts
and socks and everything IN the
usual place, and you won't have to
sew on button. III even scald
out the teapot and scour out the
dishpan il ] have time. IF angels
can look down from heaven, then I
want 10 look down and see that I've
left everything in order / want to
ask you about angels, Samuel. Are
they old or young angels, or are
they sorter mixed up1 viii be