The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1903-08-13
TOOMBS' PROPOSITION
ny MAX ADEIER.


ny MAX ADELER.
H"e Widow Hoops has buried tire e hue
hands. hut this fact did not discourale her
inn Iakiag fourth. .lusq after her return
from the wedding tour she was surprised
one dny 10y visi, from Mr.. Toombs, the
undertaken. A. she came INTO the parlor,
Toonb> opened the conversation as follows:
"Ah! Mrs lIoo-Brierly, mean; hope
zee you we'll Did you have pleasant trip!
Nee weather while you were away; a little
backward. maybe but still comfortable and
likely to make things grow. Cemetery looks
beautiful now. | was out there to-day 10
q lurying. Grass is coming mp charming on
oGr lot, and ! noticed blackberry bush
r!pNing out OF Mr. Hoops grave. lie wac
fond OF EN-, reckon. There they were lay.
inr. iiaup-. and Smith. and Mcfadsten, all
taicc Of them. .n1g NJ a bug IN rug. No
woman could have done fairer with those
mon than you did, ma am; those mahogany
cuii,n., with silver plated handlcs, were
good enough for the pntriarchs and pro.
r.5rts and the president Of the United
States himself daren't ask for anyth irg hct
ter tan q hcarse with real ostrich ioathers
sul hur.e, that are black A. ink all over,
except the near horse that's little yaller
about one hopl.
81 know when we laid NJ Mcfaddcn ont
] laid to Tim Potts, my foreman, that tie
simpr.h,ar.ci affection that you showed
in having that cnrp,c buried in style almost
madc me cry like a child; but never fully
rct .ircd what wom.u's love really IL till YOU
nude "a line Sauin's coffin with white
.ltn. aud let in a French plate glass Ky
ie't over hi, countcnance. That positively
worked on my feelings 50 that pretty near
fnrgD, in distribute the gloves to the mourn
nr., and | left the lid unscIewcd till we got
to the graveyard And Smith wa worthy
Of Il: hc deceived it all He was man all
over; no difference how You looked at him;
.touii,h, may be, and took coffin that was
thick through; but he was all there. and
know when you lost him it worried you like
ANYTHING
Nav, n's none Of my business. Mr.
Bitterly hu, casting my eye over those scpul
chrcs to-day ii struck me that ] might fix
EN- NJ a it'll, so'- they'd Ice more comfort
able Ike | think MrFadGcn wants few
soLs over the feet. where the chickens have
been scratching. aud Hoops maidstone is
worked a litllu out Of plumb. Hes settled
tome. pose think I'd .traightcn it M
aud put ga-pjpe railing around, Smith.
And while You're about il, MR.. Briefly,
hadn't you better buy about ten feet be-
yond HOOPS, ,u', there won't be any crowd.
ing when you plant the next one: like
elbow. room in cemetery lot, and pledge
YOU my word it'll he q tight squeeze to get
Nj Biicri, in there aud leave room for YOU
br.idcs 1t can't tr done, SOS TO look any
way. right. and ! know you don't want 10
roust all three of EN- out and make EN-
move up So. to let the next occupant in.
~ cour,c. id cut you up, and it'd cost like
thuuGrr. too.
II know when Mr. Ruttrrwick moved his
three wivc- out Of the burylug ground over
to the cemetery, the horse ran oil while the
remains were ia the cart. and the sacred
| Gr. Wa scattered and spilled out Of the
ta,lhniri al along the streets for iilf
mile, And wlcn they collected the three
Nj. lultrrN'rk-. he couldn't tell which
wa, which o. ave his life. and for months
| hid bother him tire worst kind when he'd
| wan to CrIr, rut and mourn over the grave
| OF Nuia to tluuk that maybe he va, crying
over rar' Vt Err, inc for hc never liked her
| much anyway. When persons dead aud
| hug.rl ~. tire lrr tG,rg to let him alone
| anil not go hu.iue him around the com
| muuity Taat'. my ,irw anyway: and LAY
| that II wa YOU, ~uOncr than put Hoops on
top Of M.taiitn and Smith on top OF
| llpup., I'd mN N tie whole reservation and
lay en- ~ feet apart
And how T. NJ Bricrlvy Seem in pretty
god raIth; Do you think We are to have
| him with II, long? ! hope ,o but there's
consumption in hi. family, hciryc Life
| j. mighty uncertain. We don't know what
minute we may have to skip. I'm fore
| handed kind of man, and while his we'idinp
ulr wa. being maIe Just stepped into tho
| ta,'ur's aud ran it over with tape mca sure
| ,u'. go ct gomc nlca Of his size You d
| hardly le,irvc il, hut l'vepot a black walnut
caskr. at the shop taatll fit him as exact a,
| il it had been built for him. II was the luck.
| ic.i thing. An odd sic, too, and wider than
| We generally make them. | laid il away
upstairs Tor him, to he prepared III ease Oi
| accident. You've been so clever with me
| that ! feel = ii ought to try my bet to
accommodate YOU; and | know how women
hat, ,p bother about such things when then
grici l. tearing up their feeling, and they
are frctiirg about getting their mourning
clothc. iH time for the funeral.
| and That partly what | called TO see
you about, NJ. VI FL --Bricrly, mean. I've
got note d" rly this morning, and Tn,
| man. pu, ~ me awful hard. but I'm
cluuncd right out Haven't got cent Now
| it occurred so M that maybe You'd advance
mo the money on Mr Briefly, funeral II
III offer you liberal terms. How does II
| per cent strike you! And il he hangs on ior
six or seven years I'll make it 90? MIND
| you. | offer the caskct and the best trim
| mings, eight carriage. the uobbicst hearst
in the county, aud ice enough 10 keep hin
for three day in the -wclierngc,t weather
in August. And | don't mind wcll-yos
III even agree 10 throw in a plain tomb
stone, II You can do that Ia accommodate q
fiicnh, why III No? Don't want /,
speculate pr it, Oh very we'll; I'm sorry
because ! know you'd been satisfied with ia,
way ID hamlicd him But no matter,
spo.c | can kin round and borrow else
where. Good morning: drop in some time
and III show you that cashct"
| \. Toombs was going out he met Mr.
Briefly at the door When he was gone
Briefly aid
NV dear, who is that very odd.lookinl
man
| And Mrs. Briefly hesitated moment
turned very red, aud answered;
| s.'IN,t L.. hut &; Ia, Z. I l.,