Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-05-22
IN MID OCEAN


easily in his bed and groaned The
trained nurse came and stood beside
him.
is there anything can do?" be
asked.
What time Is it?'
"Half-past twelve"
And we've got to be at the wharf al
two?"
"Yes."
What made you let me sleep 50
long! the sick man demanded irrita-
bly,. Prop me up in bed and bring me
writing materials. Didn't you know
Id got to write a letter before we
start? And see that there is ink in the
pen"
Slowly and carefully the nurse raised
the invalid to sitting position and
brought him the things he had asked
for.
Now you can 60 out and leave me
for an hour"
The man left the room quietly and
Mr.. Cummings took up his fountain
pen with trembling fingers. Slowly
and painfully he wrote:
Mrs. Eliza Cummings.
Dear Sister:-I should have written
to you before this, but have been too
Ill. Now, | take this last opportunity
to send you few words. do not
wish to startle you, but time is short
and my strength is failing. am at
Deaths door. You know of my abhor-
renee of post mortem ceremonies and
burial and that | always wanted to die
at sea. start for Europe this after
noon and expect to die about mid
ocean and be dropped quietly over
board without any fuss. have made
my will and arranged all my affairs.
You, as my only brothers widow, l
have made my chief legatee. When you
hear of my death, your lawyer can
communicate with mine. My strength
is ebbing fast. Farewell.
RANDOLPH CUMMINGS.
He was breathing hard, but be ad-
dressed his letter, sealed and stamped
1t, then sank back with closed eyes. In
a few minutes the nurse came in and
after going out again to post the letter,
he began the final preparations for de-
parture.
At half-past one a closed carriage
drew up at the door, and in few min
utes the sick man was brought down
and he and the nurse were shut inside
and driven to the wharf.
The next morning the letter reached
It's destination Rachel Cummings
came into the living room to find her
mother and older sisters with strange
expressions on their faces.
what is it," she asked, pausing to
look at them curiously. 81 should say
from your faces that you were perfect
ly delighted over something, but were
trying very hard to conceal your salts
faction. Do tell me; | am consumed
with curiosity"
ooh, Rachel! What a dreadful way
you have of putting things exclaimed
her mother, and she began to cry weak
ly.
Rachel took the letter which Dora
handed her and read it through quick
ly. Her face grew pale and when she
raised her eyes they were glittering
81 don't wonder that you are
ashamed she said sternly. you can't
help showing that you are glad. |
think you are just as horrid as you can
be-"
She walked out of the room, her
head very erect, ran hastily upstairs,
threw herself on her bed and cried Bit
terly.
After a time Mrs. Eliza dried her
eyes and looked at her two elder
daughters. Before Rachel came in she
had been feeling a little depressed be-
cause she had not cried. But now that
she had really shed tears and made
her handkerchief quite damp, she felt
better, and as II she could face the sit
uation calmly
81 did not think she would take 1t
that way" she said in subdued voice.
But then, she was always his favo-
rite among you. And she looks like
him Yes" with a little sniff, "she Is
all Cummings and bears very strong
resemblance to your poor Uncle Ran
dolph."
well, mother" said Sophie, what
are you going to do? Shall we keep
on lust the same as we have been do
ing?"
"Why, I don't know. It does not
seem as II you need to continue work
ing so hard. You have both looked
rather pale this spring, and l have wor-
ried about you, poor dears. On the
whole l think you might give up your
positions. .,
Good" cried both girls. "We'll
get through Saturday night. And can't
we have a piano and take lessons?"
Their mother smiled at their eager
ness. "We'll see," she said, indulgent-
~.
So 1t happened that there were two
vacancies in Tillmans dry goods store
on Saturday night, one at the ribbon
counter and one at the glove counter.
But the cashier and bookkeeper, who
was a sister OF the absent ones, re-
tanned her place.
Rachel had tried hard. to make her
sisters stay. We've had hard work
to get along with what money we could
all earn. Now we shall begin to get In
debt right straight of. | can't pay all
the bills, even II | do have as much as
both Of you" Argument was useless.
I'VE don't care for debt for a little
while" they said, and you are a goose
to keep drudging away in that old
store.
One night Rachel came home from
work and half way up the walk she
orJ Ilcfenod She went dirort.