West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-06-13

/ MI boWstt lace expressed such gloom
as he entered the hall the other evening
! that Mrs Bowser hesitated to inquire
whether his business had all gone to smash
or the doctor had told him that one OF his
lungs was missing. She put the question.
| however. in a voice scarcely above a whis
per and preceded and followed BY long
drawn signs he replied:
Two hours ago received news OF the
/ death OF Hiram Gordon"
And who on earth is Hiram Gordon '
she inquired after vainly trying to recall
the name.
My second cousin. out ia Nebraska.
Yes poor Hiram has passed away from
earth. and his troubles are over"
Mrs. Bowser had no remembrance of any
second cousin and she was sure that Mr..
Bowser had held no correspondence with
any for years. Besides. he was not the
man to let the death of a distant relative
pull him down 10 any extent. She wanted
TO say so. but it suddenly occurred to her
that this was one Of Mr.. Bowsers freaks
As they sat down TO dinner she began to
chat of the events OF the day to chase
away his sorrow. but he looked at her re.
provingly and said
Mrs. Bowser. this hilarity rs altogether
out OF place under the circumstances and
you ought TO have sense enough to
realize ii"
Il am not hilarious. she replied but |
do not see why the death OF a second
cousin whom you have not seen for 20 years
should plunge our house into the depths Of
gloom
If YOU do not. do. aud you will greatly
oblige me by keeping your levity for some
other occasion.
lie ate very sparingly and sighed FIRE.
quently. and he forgo: to say that the steak
was overdone and that there were Jumps
in the mashed potatoes. AS they adjourned
to the sitting room lac sank into chair
with whispered groan and said 10 him
self:
Poor Hiram Poor Hiraml Aud yet he
is better of.
Now, then" answered Mrs. Bowser
with bursting voice. want to know who
this Hiram Gordon was. Was he one Of
your distant relatives. who was always
try ing TO borrow FIVE or ten dollars 2"
She meant to rouse Mr.. Bowser and she
accomplished her purpose His face
flushed up. and he turned on her with;
is that the way you speak OF person
who has just been laid to rest7 Woman
you seem TO be heartessl"
But am not. II seems that you had
second cousin named Hiram Gordon.
| Years and years ago he moved to the West
/ You never wrote to each other. and never
| heard you mention his name. I don't be-
lieve you had thought of him for FIVE years
when you got news of his death. And
what is his death to us ? | don't say we
should rejoice. but don't see why we
should weep"
mo of course you don't. My sorrows
are not your sorrows"
But why do you sorrow ?"
Woman" shouted Mr.. Bowser. as he
sprang up and gave the family cat a scare
III sorrow because 1 have the heart OF a
| child with the body OF a man When we
were babies together, Hiram Gordon and |
occupied the same cradle. In childhood
! we played horse together. lie had the
| same tender heart have got AS a boy he
would go a mile out OF his way rather than
walk on sleeping hog. True, we drified
/ apart and lost sight of each other for a
/ score OF years. but we always carried a
/ soft spot In our hearts fOr each other a
/ person with the heart Of a hyena cannot
understand this. bur there are others who
would even grieve with me. Poor Hiram"
Mr.. Bowser sa; down with a great jar
and sighed and shook his head. and Mrs.
Bowser thought it policy TO maintain
silence. The cat came back and ;ried to
look solemn. and for FIVE minutes the house
seemed to be deserted. Then came a
sound that brought Mr. BowseT to his feet
as IL he had been thrown up by a spring
board. and he raised an arm and hoarsely
whispered
"By thunder but what d 10 sou call that"
II was the strains OF fiddle next door.
IL squeaked and walled and squawked as il
was being turned up TO the key Of G and
then started of on the air Of Buffalo
Gals" like young colt galloping across its
| pasture.
by John. but think Of it! gasped Mr.
Bowsor as his eyes began to bulge ont
My second cousin dies out in Nebraska.
and scarcely get word Of il and sit down
to grieve when human hycna next door
starts IN to work jig tune out OF his old
fddlcl"
But our grief is our own" replied Mrs
Bowser We can't expect nor do we ask
the world TO grieve with US"
"l know that don't - But the world
| ha, no right to play blamed old fiddle
/ under orr nose when we arc feeling as we
| do tonight That noise has got to stop"
Il think IL we 60 up stairs we shall not
| hear t."
Wen neither 60 up stairs nor down
cellar. bot stay right here and that man
will either stop that fiddle or Ill stop his
wind By the great horn spoon. but I
/ didn't believe that such heartlcssness
could exist in this world Just hear it.
will you7'
But you see we canf do anything
protested Mrs. Bowser. with a pleading in
her tones. "a man has a right to eddie in
his own house. Come up to my room aud
lct me read YOU to sleep
Don't talk nonsense to me. Ny sec.
ond cousin dies out In Nebraska come
home to shed tears 70 his memory As T
/ gricvo there suddenly breaks IN on my sad
memories the high didGic diddle notes ofa
I fiddle as IL 60 mock me. Tell the cook to
90 over there and warn that 6end 10 human
form to shut up or take the consequences. d"
"Bul she wouldn', 60 on such an ertand
as lhat. Please don't lei such little thing
disturb you. lie may not play FIVE minutes
| longer"
''You bet be won'tV' exclaimed NJ. Bow.
ser, as he started down the hall. "fn 20
l o,.r, ttero .,d e.. tt.t D., f,.-.tt rs.t.