The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-05-31

49, % OCDoOAl . manu- anu oHuSCLCu
Il hope you won't always think of
me simply as of cranky old pest"
he said, with a shadowy, spiritual
smile. Il know I've jawed and raised
Ned without any occasion a good
many times, and guess you've had
pretty hard time of it humoring me,
little girl
convulsively, and she tried to deny his
self-accusations.
"Oh, there's no denying it ALL
know it," said Mr.. Jobson. "Now that
I'm about ready to make my peace
in this world, can clearly see that for
a good many years past I've been the
crankiest and hardest-to-get-alon
with old nuisance in the District of
Columbia or anywhere else, but I'm
square enough to own up to it all,
anyhow, now that my end approaches,
and that's something. But 1 hope you
won't hold it all against me after
after-well, when I'm no longer here.
There are lot of little ways in which
| know now 1 might have made your
life happier, but all of us poor mortals
are more or less blind, and ID is too
late now"
Here Mr.. Jobson studied the ceiling
sadly for a space, while Mrs. Jobson
walked to the window and wondered
II the doctor would never come.
I've said a lot of things in anger
that l feel now as if | should have cut
my tongue Out before saying" went
on Mr.. Jobson, folding his hands over
the bed coverings and looking prefer
naturally peaceful, land I've let the
million and one little kind things
| you've done for me all these years go
unnoticed and unspoken of. But never
mind. I've always meant well. and I
can only hope that you'll remember
in the after years whatever few little
| good traits | may have possessed. in
stead of dwelling in your thoughts up
on my meanness to you"
'Mean?" began Mrs. Jobson. Sob
/ bingly. "Who ever said you were"
But Mr.. Jobson waved aside with a
movement of his right arm whatever
she intended to say.
THE time is short, fear. nv dear"
he said, land there are a number of
| matters [ ought to speak of. l think
L will leave you pretty fairly provided
for Of course, everything | have goes
to you. The life insurance is all paid
up, and my affairs are in good shape.
AS | say, | have felt this typhoid COM
ing over me for some time past, and
I've been Strengthening out my affairs
during the past week or so. Now,
there's one thing | want to say.
You're still a comparatively young
and handsome woman-no. no. no,
don't interrupts me-and I'm not such
mean proposition as to ask you to
promise me that you'll never marry
again. | think that a man who'd make
his wife promise that nd steal sheep.
You won't want for admirers, little
woman, and nothing 'ud please me bet
ter than to have you pick out some
square, upright man-not a pesky old
crank like me-who'd take care of you
and give you a much better home than
I've ever been able to provide for you.
and marry him. Of course. it would
be well for you to wait a proper
length of time after my"
Just then there was a loud ring at
the front door bell, and Mrs. Jobson
hurried downstairs, with her handker-
chief still at her eyes.
"Mercy on u.s." exclaimed the old
family physician, bustling in, whats
all this? Jobson on the point of disso-
luton again, Ell? Come, come, come.
this won't do! Where is the MANI
I'll just look him over and have him
playing hop-scotch with the boys out
in front by tomorrow morning"
Glow are you, doc" said Mr.. Job
son, when the physician entered the
room. 81 guess I'm a. little beyond
you this time-typhoid, beyond a
doubt, as you'll see in a minute I've
told the little woman about it, so that
you won't have the bother of breaking
it to her. Now, I'd like to have you
tell me, as nearly as you can, how
long I've got to
"Tush, tush. Let me see your
tongue. man." said the old medical
man. anu llltll Ht DIOuuccu HIS llUlle
thermometer and raped Mr. Jobson
over the heart, and put his ear to Mr.
Jobson's chest, and did all kinds of
things peculiar to medical men to Mr..
| J9bson. Then he leaned back in his
chair, unfolded his features and his
voice, and emitted one long, loud
laugh. which caused Mr.. Jobson to sit
up in bed with an expression of wrath
on his face.
Say" he inquired. dye think this
kind o things exactly fitting in the
chamber of man who's about to
pass in his"
Tut, tut!" said the old doctor, bold
ing his sides. you've a diminutive,
microscopic touch of the grip, man,
and by tomorrow morning, if you
take what LII leave here for you, you'll
be as right as trivet and as militant
as ever"
Mr.. Jobson turned over on his side,
sulkily, and looked at the wall. When
Mrs. Jobson tiptoed in ten minutes
later, after letting the doctor out, she
found him sound asleeD. and he silent