Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1900-12-29
[Copyright, $500, by 9. B. lewis

HUDDLED UF In IHE Big ROCklN5 CHALK.
at the bottle, ''and she wants to hev a
few last words with you. When you
started over town, was singin Bar
bara Allen and thinkin my days might
be long in this land. Not five minits
later the summons come. l had just
started to wash the dishes, and I had
that cracked blue platter in my hand,
but hadn't gin it over two wipes
when the dishcloth fell to the floor
with a great spat. You are hearin
what l say, amt you, Samuel?''
Mr.. Gallup wasn't. He was deyour-
ing the second testimonial, which gave
the case of woman who had been
given up by over so doctors, and yet
two bottles furnished her with a new
pair of lungs.
"When that dishcloth fell, 1 knew
that my time had come. That's the
way Mrs. Grover and Mrs. Taylor
went. Their dishc1oths fell, and in "a
hours they was in heaven. shall be
up there by tomorrer night, Samuel,
while you'll be free to stay out all
night to hear the political news. I'd
hev died before you come back home,
only wanted to talk with you leetle
about the funeral. Let's see. If l die
tonight, you'll hold the funeral day aft
er tomorrer. won't you. at 2 o'clock in
the afternoon?
Mr.. Gallup was listening to a noise
outside. He heard something to re-
mind him of a hen trying to crow, and
he wondered if it could be that so long
after dark.
IF you want it a day sooner, you
can hev it, continued Mrs. Gallup
after sobs and gasps and shifts at the
bottle, sbut you must look out or the
nayburs will talk Better hev it day
after tomorrer, and | hope, for your
sake, it won't be a rainy day. I've
sometimes thought I'd like a big flu
neral when went, with over 40 wag-
ons in the purcession and the church
bell a-tollin and the dogs a-howlin, but
I've given that up. No, Samuel, you
needn't make any spread over me. I'm
one of the kind that kin go to heaven
without any hurrah and fireworks If
there is ten wagons in the purcession,
I shall be satisfied. Don't you think
ten ought to be huff for person like
me?"
1t wasn't direct question, but had
it been Mr.. Gallup would not have
answered. He was devouring the third
testimonial and making up his mind
to try bottle on the sly.
Ten wagons in the purcession, Sam
uel, and the bells needn't toll nor
nuthin else happen. If anybody is
diggin taters or maxim soft soap or
dyein carpet rags, they needn't stop on
my account. If 25 people come to the
house, that will be huff. We've got
'leven chairs altogether, countin them
with broken backs, and Mrs. Walters
will lend you the rest. You'll hev our
own preacher, Of course, but he needn't
go on for an hour or two and tell how
good I was and how much you'll miss
me. II he says that my toll is DER, and
that you won't never find a more savin
wife, that'n be about huff. Shall you
do any cryin at the funeral, Samuel?'
No answer.
I'D do leetle bit if was you-jest
9 leetle. If you don't. folks will talk
about it same as they did about Jim
Dewitt. He never cried at all, and to
this day folks say he didn't use Han
ner right | don't ask you to break
down and sob and git up an excite
ment but you kin gasp few times and
wipe your eyes and blow your nose.
I'm sorry you'll hev to take that long
ride to the graveyard. as you could be