The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-03-05

DduI ILLUS uuSCdlCS LIZ - LII C~ Va
four of the neighbors come in, I'm al
most sure to fall off my cheer or knock
over sunthin. How's 1t goin to be when
/ git up there and meet hull pasture
full of angels? There'll be millions OF
'em, Samuel, and they'll all be lookin at
me and wonderin who am, and I'll be
SO upset that I'll fall over my own
feet"
She paused to wipe the tears from
her eyes with the palm Of her hand,
but as she had asked no direct ques-
lions Mr.. Gallup finished the bug arti-
Gle and turned to one on the care of
clotheslines.
81 don't want to be looked at and
p'inted out and made fun of up there"
said Mrs. Gallup as she sat with her
eyes on the carpet. "All night long last
night l couldn't sleep for thinkin that
some of the angels would turn up their
noses at me and want to know what on
airth was doin there. You remember
Sarah Jane Bixby, who died two years
ago? Sarah was snippy and sassy. If
she went to heaven, it would be jest
her way to want to know why I'd come
fiyin up there, with my rheumatic and
back aches. I'd have to sass her back,
and then what would happen? Angels
do sass each other sometimes, don't
they, Samuel?'
II Mr.. Gallup had ever given the mat
ter a thought, he was too busy to dis
cuss 1t. The statement was right be-
fore his eyes that 100000 miles of
clothesline went to destruction every
year for want of being hung up in the
wood shed when not in use. and he was
rejecting on the carelessness of hui
mainly in general.
81 may git up to heaven in the night,
when all the angels are asleep, and so
I'll slip in all right. l hope thatll be
the way, because it'll give me chance
to kind O. git used to the place before
daylight Do you think they have any
breakfast up there? Mrs. Watkins says
they don't, but l don't really see how
they git along without it. know l
should feel a goneness all day without
breakfast. And l want you to look at
me, Samuel, and see If I'm the hum
blyest woman ever born. have read
that when we die we are changed as in
the twinklin of an eye. l hope it's so.
II 1t amt, then l can't expect no good
times up there. Them angels will be
p'intin out my lop shoulder, my big
feet and my wabbly knees and whis-
perrin to each other that I'd better staid
down on airth among the cabbages.
Nobody as knows me can call me obsti-
nate or sot, but I'll be summed If
propose to die and become an angel to
be made fun of. You'll be on my side
about that, won't you"
Mr.. Gallup heaved long sigh and
seemed about to speak, but no word
came. He had finished with the clothes
line and struck an article about the
reasoning powers of the crow, and the
most direct question from Mrs. Gallup
would have passed. unheeded. Her
tears fell for two or three minutes, and
then she asked:
"And how about the beds up there?
Yon kneS we've slept on feather bed
ever sip.e we was married, and I've
allus bin particular to smooth it down
from hesd to foot. I've got used to
feathers, and If l changed off ia Jest
lay there and kick around all night
long. Do they hey beds, Samuel, or do
they keep on fyin around all night long
and singin 1--WE Reached My Home at
LastT Seems to me that fyin and
singin all day would be enough unless
/ feel stronger than l do now. You
orter know these things, Samuel, and
you orter tell me SO I'll know what to
depend on. l might stand sass from
thousand angels, but l do want my
own bed when night comes, and If c7e
Of my headaches comes on unexpected
ly want to know that l kin hev cup
Of tea. Mrs. Watkins says they don't
drink tea in heaven, but l don't see
how she kin know"
Mr.. Gallup was not directly appea' d
to, and as he was reading that crow
had been known to feign death to avoid
having a crowbar thrown at him he
made no sign.
''Waal, I've made up my mind to
few things" said Mrs Gallup as the ST.
lence grew painful I'm goin up to
heaven to do the best l kin. I'll be
nayburly with all the angels l meet
and let 'em understand that l don't
want no more'n my share of harps and
wings and things. If don't find any
thin to eat or any beds to sleep on,
shan't raise no fuss nor go into hyster-
les, the way Mrs. Taylor did at camp
meetin last year. Yes; I'll put up with
things as | find 'em and make the best
of 1t, and won't be Jealous If a few of
'em hev better clothes on or kin sing
better'n me. That's how I'll act, Sam
uel, and then If they pick on me they'll
git as good as they give. l kin be
sassed and picked on jest SO fur, but
arter that they want to look out.
Would it put you out any, Samuel, If
died at night instead of In the daytime?
AS said, II died at night | could slip
into heaven without any fuss, but if
it's goin to make you any extra trouble
I'll perish by daylight. What will be
the most convenient hour fur youT
There was deep silence. Mrs. Gal
lup's tears made no thud as they fell
upon the carpet, and Mr.. Gallup was
reading with bated breath that an os-
trich covers 10 feet Of ground at every
stride when In full flight. The clock
licked. the silence grew deeper. and
the cricket on the hearth fell into q