St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-05-26


Here Mr.. Jobson paused and tool
Mrs. Jobson's hand and squeezed it.
i hope you won't always think O.
me simply as of a cranky old pest,
he said, with a shadowy, spiritua
smile. Il know I've jawed and raised
Ned without any occasion a good
many times, and I guess you've had a
pretty hard time of it humoring me-
little girl"
Here Mrs. Jobson began to sob quite
conTulsively, and she tried to deny his
sef-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
! good many years past I've been the
crankiest and hardest-to-get-al along
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 i 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 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 fora space, while Mrs. Jobson
walked to the window and wondered
it the doctor would never come.
/ "I,ye said a lot of things in anger
that feel now as if I should have cut
my tongue out before saying" went
on Mr.. Johson, folding his hands over
the bed coverings and looking prefer
naturally peaceful, "and 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
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
movement of his right arm whatever
she intended to say.
"The time is short, I fear. my DEAR
he said, "and there are a number of
matters I ought to speak of. I think
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, I 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 I 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. I think that man who'd make |
his wife promise that 'ud 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 pesky old |
crank like me-who'd take care of YOU
and give you 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, M i
Mercy on us!ni exclaimed the old
family physician, bustling in, what's
all this? Jobson on the point of disso-
luton again. Ell? Come. come. come,
this won't do! Where. is the man?
| III just look him over and have him
playing hop-scoteh with the boys out
N front by tomorrow morning"
Glow are you, doc?" said Mr.. Job
son, when the physician entered the
room. Il guess I'm a little beyond
you this stime-typhoid, beyond
toubt. as you'll see in minute I've
old the little woman about it, so that
sou won't have the bother of breaking
t to her. Now, I'd like to have YOU
ell me, as nearly as you can, how
ong I've got to-"
'Tush, tush! Let me see your
ongue. man." said the old medical
nan, and then he produced his little
thermometer and raped Mr.. Jobson
ver the heart, and put his ear to Mr..
7obson's chest. and did all kinds OF
hings peculiar to medical men to Mr..
obson. Then he leaned back in his
hair, nnfolded his features and his
ofce, and emitted one long, loud f
augh, which caused Mr.. Jobson to sit
p in bed with an expression of wrath
n his face.
Say he inquired. dye think this
ind o things exactly fitting in the
hamber of a man who's about to J,
ass in his
'Tut, TUT" said the old doctor, hold
lg his sides. You've a diminutive,
Microscopic touch of the grip, man,
nd by tomorrow morning, if you
Ike what il leave here for you. you'll
e as right as trivet and as militant
$ ever''
Mr.. Jobson turned over on his side.
1ldly. and looked at the wall When
RS. Jobson tiptoed in ten minutes
ter, after letting the doctor out. she
'uRd him sound asleep, and he slept
ght on until morning. when he got t
P, dressed and ate three lamb chops s
ld eight buckWheat cakes and drank
y !. .L n 1 f~Z II i 4