The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-10-23

neral, but death had obstinately ,refus-
ed to gin II a show. There was lot
of old folks with asthma and liver COM
plant and lot Of babies with whoop-
in cough and. measles, but none OF 'em
would die. Reube used to go around
achin fur, It. and he'd drop into the
postoffice occasionally to say to me:
Pap, II some one would only die, I'd
turn out the boys In way to jump
Jericho 100 years ahead. Them red
pals and axes and ladders would jest
be an Offset to the mournin. and the
way the boys would stand around on
one leg and look solemn would be pic
ture to beat, an old master. How's
your heart disease. PapT"
Better. thank you"
81 was In hopes 1t was wuss. Thar's
wuss men nor you, Pap Perkins, but II
you'll only die our fire company will
gin We sendoff to make yer widder
proud fur the rest Of her days"
Reube was on the watch day and
night fur a funeral, and he'd, almost
made up his mind to turn out the COM
pany fur the next COW that died of hol-
Ter horn when a crisis come like
fash. OWN to his lame leg Lisb Bill.
lings hadn't fined the fire company,
but he was an old and respected citi-
zen who could beat anybody In town
at a game Of checkers. Tharfore when
the news come that his we'll had cayed
In on him. and buried him under ten
feet of airth the fire bells rung and red
shirts went whoopin down the road.
Mrs. Billings didn't seem to care very
much whether they got Lish's body or
not, bein 1t was already buried. but
they was determined to hev 1t fur
funeral. They worked all the arter-
noon and all night, and at intervals
Reube had the bells toled fur the dead.
Nobody in Jericho slept: The well
kept Gavin In, and the nremen kept
workln like heroes to clear It out 1t
was o'clock next mornin when they
found Lish's old hat. AS it was passed
up to Reube he shed tears and turned
his head away. Philetus johnson was
Jest remarkin that Lish's loss was bur
gain or something Of that sort, and the
diggers down In the well were lookin
fur arms and legs, when Lish himself
appeared in the crowd. He seemed to
be in good health and speerits, and he
carelessly remarked to the fire compa.
ny that he was much obleeged fur saw
In him weeks work. Nuthin was
said fur about mint, but presently
Reube Holdfast wiped the tears from
his eyes and asked:
"Lish, whar you bin since yesterday
noonY"
up stairs in the house." says Lish.
"What was your objeck"
ITO boom Jericho by gettin up fu-
| neral Thar's my old hat, and you kin
take it along and bury it in good
| shape"
Reube called of his company, and
they marched back to town with SOL
emn tread. They hadn't put away their
red water pals before folks was laugh
in at 'em. and before sundown the
doom Of the fire company was sealed.
Lish Billings had thrown 'em down,
and the public was guyin and ridiculin.
When the Z o'clock mail had bin dis
tributed, Reube stood up In the post
| Office and said:
"Feller citizens. wharas this ere
town Of Jericho don't seem to appreci-
| ate enterprise, vigilance, heroism and
booms and wharas she'd ruther be at
the mercy Of the fire fiend than to have
her disastrous confagrations squirted
out, now tharfore resolved that this
band Of heroes be disbanded, and Jeri.
cho kin go to thunder!' NJ. QUAD.