Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-08-31

feelings of oppression and helpless
ness that every bone in me contracted,
and 1t became black before my eyes
Just as If they were filled with SCOT.
Again / had such fearful pains in my
spine that l couldn't have raised my
face to heaven for silver ruble. But,
my lord, wei beg your pardon thou
sand times; | mean we common people
are such sinners and know nothing
about dying, absolutely nothing. A
second quarter passed by, and l was
still sitting on the stove bench, pitt
able monument of miscalculation.
II couldn't understand It, Is it pos
sible, l said to myself, that the Lord
Jesus has forgotten to call me when
my days are up?
"One evening just as Peter returned
from work, the janitor walked in rude
ly. What in thunder is the matter
with the old woman?' he beloved.
You say she came here to die; but,
confound her. she is living on and on,
cheating the state out of its dues. She
ought to have bought permit of resi-
dence nine months ago. Now you will
have to pay fine In addition. Attend
to this without delay, as the police hold
me responsible
"Peter, poor fellow, looked all per-
picked never said word and scratch
ed his head. But my daughter, scarlet
with rage, snapped at me vicously.
old fool she hissed, you came here
to die, didn't you? A fine excuse, that,
for eating us out of house and home!
Now we will be sold up for taxes. May
you suffer in purgatory a hundred
years for every kopeck we have to
payv
"But Peter-ah, he is such an angel
of fcllow!-can't hurt fly. 'Franka,'
he said, stop your abuse. God may
punish you for it. Think how you may
fare some day when you are old Then
we talked it over, and Peter gave the
janitor SO kopecks to hold in hand,
for he argued, death might come at
any minute now
"Fifty-three kopecks for miserable
bag of bones like me! 1t nearly broke
my heart, and Franka went around the
house like a she bear bereft of her
young. She was so mad she smashed
the soup pot in setting it down-anoth-
er kopeck gone! And all for me. 4
wouldn't mind it so much said my
daughter after day or two, If we had
all got drunk for the money!"
Ekatrlna breathed hard once or twice
and continued musingly: 81 can't say
that they begrudge me the soup | eat
May God punish me If | ever had such
a thought! But at the same time l do
not shorten their rations by unseeming
appetite. A few spoonfuls left in the
tureen is enough for me. A fine thing
1t would be, indeed, If a dried up whisp
of straw, such as | am. allowed herself
to be fattened by young married folks!
Every age, as take it, has its peculiar
rights and privileges. Old people, good
for nothings, can better afford to starve
than youth, with its thousand duties to
fulfill. No, my lord, they never stinted
me In the way of food But the loss
of ready money they suffered. Fifty
three kopecks! Oh, it was cruel!
The old woman paused to dry her
tears. "And what happened thenF l
asked.
"A second winter season had begun.
The janitor became even more trouble
some. Peter had to give him tobacco,
beer, money even. was exceedingly
unhappy. Everythingwasg going against
me; all my calculations went Tor
naught. Ah l learned the truth OF the
provcrb Man proposes, God disposes!
While the feather bed was still uniln-
ished there was perhaps some excuse
for my living, but when that was done
| felt like cursing my fate.
but the winter was extraordinarily
cold, and l took heart again, for my
rheumatism became almost unbearable
and my cough increased to such in
tensity that L told franka: BE cheer
full, daughter; there is no deception
about this! The new pains will GER
tainly kill me-
"Pshaw, replied she contemptuous-
lv, talk Is cheap. Don't make noun
IN n out of tbat mp1phil1 of n pOllpl. If