Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-01-03
copyright, 1900, by c. B. Levi. ]


but had become interested in the state
ment that speckled hens were more IL
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
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
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 We're out feedin the hog the sum
mons came. | caught sight of the back
of my head in the loOkin glass jest as
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 IN 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.
II don't want to annoy you while you
are readin," continued Mrs. Gallup as
she unpinned the tidy from the head
of the lounge to use as handkerchief;
but. as | never died before, think
you kin bear with me q 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 yon
bought me six years ago. Be particu-
lar about that because it's the only
one l ever had that fits me across the
shoulders. | don't want to go to heav-
en- in a dress all hunched up. | want
to hev my hands folded and pink
hollyhock in my fingers. l shall try
to expire with a 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
me?"
He wasn't. He was following the
author of the poultry book where he
stated that ducks were strangely influ-
enced by music and had been known to
go to sleep when fiddle was being
played. Mrs. Gallup toyed with her
tears for an interval and then said:
CHATS 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'in
within four weeks you'll want soft
soap fur the winter. The soap grease
is down cellar in keg, and it's as good
soap grease as anybody ever had.
When you are bilin your soap. don't
furgit to lay a sassafras stick across
the kittle. think you'll hev to buy a
new tablecloth some time before spring
I've made the last one do fur two
years, but it's beginnin to go. It's got
three holes right in the middle. How
ever if you don't marry you won't
mind Il 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.
'"rhe biler leaks in four different
places. Samuel. and has fur two years,
and I'm afraid you'll hev to gitit mend
ed. I'd hev tried to hang on to it fur