The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-02-20

but had become interested in the state.
ment that speckled hens were more Ii.
able to the pip than white or black
ones when Mrs. Gallup recovered con-
seriousness - that is. she opened her
eyes. uttered sigh and fetched q
groan and sat up. She fully expected
Mr.. Gallup would ask her what had
happened or at least look in her direc.
ton, but just then he was busy with
the poultry books statement that a
red rag tied to the tail Of would be
sitting hen will scare her out Of the
idea. When long two minutes had
passed, Mrs. Gallup concluded that
something ought to be said, and she be.
gan:
Samuel, want TO talk to you few
minits before perish. You know l
hey bin expectin to be summoned any
day for the last ten years. or since that
COW kicked me over the heart. While
you were out feedin the hog the sum-
mons came. l caught sight Of the back
Of my head in the lOOkin glass jest az
a strange black cat run across the
kitchen floor. That was the way Mary
Ann Davis and Hammer Sly received
their summons, and there amt no
doubt that I'll be in heaven before sun
rise"
Mr.. Gallup scratched the back of his
neck with one hand and held the book
with the other as he read that some
geese had been known to live to the
age Of Is years, but he had no remarks
to offer.
81 don't want to annoy you while you
are rcadin." continued Mrs. Gallup as
she unplnned the tidy from the head
Of the lounge to use as handkerchief;
"but, as ! never died before. ! think
you kin bear with me little. The
first thing to be done after expire,
Samuel. Is to hev me laid out. The
nayburs will cheerfully do that. want
TO be dressed in that gray dress you
bought me six years ago. Be particu-
lar about that, because it's the only
one | ever had that fits me across the
shoulders. | don't want to 60 to hcav-
VII III IL ulCpo al huutICu Nthb
to hev my hands folded and a pink
hollyhOck In my fingers. ] shall try
to expire with smile on my face, so
as TO look my very best, and If my
mouth is shet nobody will notice my
old teeth. Samuel, are you follerin
met"
He wasn't. He was following the
author Of the poultry book where he
stated that ducks were strangely inlu.
enced by music and had been known TO
so to sleep when fiddle was being
played. Mrs. Gallup toycd with her
tears for an interval and then said:
That's all about me. Samuel. You
needn't git up no big funeral or go to
any big expense. The rest Is about
you. Even if you don't marry ag'ln
within four weeks you'll want soft
soap fur the winter. The soap grease
is down cellar in a key, and it's as good
soap grease as anybody ever had.
When you are bil.n your soap. don't
furgit to lay sassafras stick across
the kittlc. think you'll hcv TO buy
new tablccloth some time before spring.
I've made the last one do fur two
years, but its beginnIn to 20. Its got
three holes right In the middle. How
ever, II you don't marry you won't
mind holey tablecloth. You know
about the wash biler. don't you"
Mr.. Gallup refused to answer that
question by even lifting his eyebrows.
The statement that gander had been
known to commit suicide through dis
appointed love Interested him to the
exclusion OF all else 49,
,"rho biler leaks IN four different
places. snm,lel. aud has fur two years,
and I'm afraid yonli hev TO git 1t mcud.
cd. I'd hev tried TO hang on to II fur
smother year II ! hadn't bin goIn to
die, but now It's my duty to tell you.
And I'm afraid your second wife will
wasn't you to git her new washboard.
I've made ours do fur nine years, and
II only cost 10 cents at first, but it's
begInnln to crinkle. and nobody kin be
blamed fur It. Now, let's see. Mrs.
Taylor owes me two cups Of brown
sugar. II she cries much at my funer.
I'll, you needn't ask her fur them. but
II she only sheds tear or two she
must pay 'em back. Then Mrs. Jack.
SON has datiron Of mine with bro
ken handle. She's bin sayin fur year
Or two that she'd bring 1t back, but she
hasn't don0 II. 1t aln't good fur any.