, 1901-10-12

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Lord. be good to Jimmie"
coat sleeve across his eyes. and the
prodigal pulled up a long blade of grass
and chewed it reflectively.
81 reckon it would be a comfort, u
he said after awhile. And it's really
the thing he ought to do. He ought to
have decency enough not to come back
unless he could make people proud OF
him. Go enough to live or. have you,
old man."
The old nan reused himself.
"Oh. I've got enough" he said wear
lily. There's nobody but me. It's jes'
feelin' that we've got somebody wand
rim roun' the world, when he ought
to be at home here"
And he waved a comprehensive ges-
ture toward the village or toward the
cemetery. whichever you happened to
fancy.
The prodigal fancied the latter. He
arose and walked to the fence and
leaned upon 1t. His glance slowly
wandered along the grassy mounds,
where some Of the headstones had fall
en- away, and some of the mounds were
without headstones; but the grass
loved them all. and the trees above
were putting on a veil of softest and
tenderest green A swamp vireo was
in the trees, somewhere, and was call
ing one single melancholy note over
and owe again. and all the rest of the
world was still.
IT'S a pleasant place. said the
prodigal. cts the best resting place
I've seen in many a day"
And having said this he shook hands
with the old man lifting his hat for
a moment as he did So. and then dis
appeared from the little village and
left it sleeping in the spring sunshine.
The man at the side gate of the
great gray-walled charity hospital was
busily sweeping the little square of
paved yard that separated the gate
from the hospital morgue. He had no
time to talk. He said this with decis-
ion, which should have been sufficient
for the other man who was leaning
over the grilled gate, his arms folded
on the spiked top.
who cares if you are busy" said
the prodigal easily. You're cross,
Mike. Your supper doesn't agree with
you. What's the matter? Got nobody
that needs plantin' today?"
Mike rested on his broom and
grinned.
-Four in here now" he said, jerking
an understanding thumb over his
shoulder toward the grim door behind
him. An they say there's half a doz-
EMIL be down in the coorse Of the
mornin'. There's always somebody"
Say. Mike said the prodigal.
reaching over and laying an impress
'whatll you take O one O. these fell
lows in there?" And he nodded to-
ward the gray door.
Mike turned pale, and started back.
Cit away from here!" he said in
dignantly. You must take me for a
bloomin' medical stoodent. Go SOM
ers else for your skelintons-you don't
git 'em from mean have me hauled
up for not dom things reg'lar-an'
body-snatchin' an things like that"
Il want the body of a man." said
the prodigal, never moving from the
gate. You can get me one any day
and I'd like to have it by this evening
or tomorrow morning, If it's perfectly
convenient
Yell o git it," said Mike, scowl-
ing at the prodigal fiercely.
Listen to me-. Mike" said the prod
igal easily. The man that's had it Is
through with it, isn't he? He doesn't
need it any more, and couldn't get II
II he wanted 1t. If o don't let me
Lave it. it'll be buried in the potter's
neld-and you know what that Is. Now
I've got a nice. clean grave waiting
for it down in the country. OF course
III get It,"
Mike went a little nearer ana looked
at him anxiously.
You amt lost YOU mind nor moth
in, have We, Jerry?" he asked with
concern.
Losl Holliu VIC &Ut u ueCeut
grave for a man who else would go
to the potter's neld-and you know
what that's like. A funerals forth
coming down in the country. and no.
body's going to be hurt by it.
1t would seem that gentleman,
wandering sadly down to the last
breath and the eternal silence, did fall
asleep In n Of the wards that day.
for among those laid on the slanting
stones OF the ead-house floor was one
who was at once identified as James
Sanger. With mysterious quickness,
as though it had been prepared
beforehand, a coffin was produced
bearing the name of the sleeper on a
little silver plate and the gentleman
vas composed to rest In quite unsx- '