El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-02

lowed, with the effect that I, who was
a wide awake girl II that time, pc
cuIiarly susceptible to first impress
sions, imbibed an impression of the
late Mr.. knaDps eccentricities that
was not altogether complimentary to
the departed gentleman.
"PoOr dearr' said she one day. HE
tried so hard to speak. If he only could
have told his wants. We never asked
her any questions. We just let her talk
on, feeling that this was the kindest
and best. inferred from this last re-
mark that her husband had been af-
fected by paralysis, particularly as she
had said on another occasion: Il used
to sit at my window, and James sat at
his, 1 sewing, he looking out of the
window at what was going on in the
street. He seemed perfectly happy as
long as 1 was there. But then we can
never tell. I often wish now that
had done more for him or could have
learned better what he wanted"
what did the physicians say or do?"
I asked.
"They said 1T was the breaking up Of
the system by old age L 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! 1
was moved to take her in my arms and
weep with her, which was a 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 afternoon
I always gave James a bowl of cream
with fresh sponge cake in it He would
not touch it unless it was in certain
bowl nor unless it was fresh from the
bakers. And yet they tried to per-
suade me that he didn't know any
thing!"
From which inferred that, added to
his other peculiarities, the late Mr..
Knapp possessed an extremely I'M
pleasant temper.
"And, oh, Mrs. Curtisv' she walled,
"after the poor dear was dead and
gone, they wouldn't let me bury him in
the family lot" From which 1 infer
red that the dear departed had come of
a family of unpleasant tempers. Such
heathenish doings 1 never heard tell
of. Surely, however they felt toward
him during his life, nothing but a fiend
would deny him the family resting
place after he was deadi
But 1 forgot my interest in Mrs.
Knapp and her affairs by reason of
some of my own. l had a delightful
letter from Tom Dixon, saying he
would be with us for a week. Now
Tom was a favorite cousin of mine,
and 1 spent a good deal of time fur
nishing up my little belongings SO that
1 might look my very best when he
came. And then, was 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 hairy' 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 any one 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 L
had not mentioned her presence in our
household.
"Why, we have a boarder, Tom" 1
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 n grasp so hearty
that could see it was painful to her.
She colored family and said a little
unsteadily, This is indeed a surprise,
Mr.. Dixon" and 1 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 1 kept my eyes
and ears open and waited for develop
mentS.
At last they came and in a most
startling manner.
SO 1 hear poor Jim is gone at laSt?"
said Tom, turning to Mrs. Knapp as he
buttered his seventh biscuit (Tom al
ways was rather a greedy youth and
enjoyed most heartily the good things
of this life, mothers cooking among
them.
"Oh, Mr.. Dixon, how can you speak
of him In that wayw exclaimed the
widow, hurrying from the room in a fit
of sobbing.
Tom stared.
"WelI, I'll be darnedI What under
the sun is the matter with the woman
anyway he exclaimed.
you ought to be ashamed Of your
SELF" replied 1 severely. mo wonder
the poor woman is shocked to hear
you speak of her husband in that way
a load ap6