Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-09-23
PROBATION OF A SOUL.
BY GRACE NJ. LrMnuRsEs

A physician stood near. and with profess
sional calmness waited for the end.
Two q, hers were in that death. cha n,ber.
but no one saw them, for they were in
visible. One was an ANGEL from heaven.
and the other spirit from hell. Both
were there TO claim the soul of Payson
Brown.
lit is mine,n said the angel softly; she
was weak and sinful, 1t is true, but he has
done much for the. church of God. and
many of the poorer class owe it to his
kindness that they have had fuel this
winter"
"Oh, yeslp sneered the spirit; "but did
you think where he got the cash to do so
much with? He took 1t from the very
mouths of those western miners, and their
wives and children we're starving. Oh.
he's mine, fair enough. But Pm willing
to do the fair thing" and here he made
proposal to which the angel sorro wfuIIy
agreed, and silently and unteen, they left
the room, bearing with them the soul OF
Payson Brown.
Upward toward the heavens they scared
the spirit from he'll rather laboriously,
for 1t was to him a new road, Finally
they reached star that commanded a
grand view of the earth. Here they laid
their burden, and tho angel whispered
softly:
"Do well that may return" and roared
onward to her heavenly home.
"See you later, my boy" said the mes
senger OF the devil cheerfully, as he
dropped downward like stone.
1t was some hours after the messengers
had departed before the soul of Payson
Brown took a definite form, but after a
time white vapory thing, shaped not
unlike the body it had inha bited on earth
arose and began to look about.
swell, WE'LL" Brown exclaimed as soon
as he could speak; "if this is heaven Pm
disappointed, hut il it's hell Pm delighted
to find it's no worse. "Whew, there's the
EARTH" he continued, as he saw that IA
miliar planet spread out before him, turn
ing slowly ON its axis as though exhibit
ing herself for his especial benefit.
"And there is home, and there is my
wife going to visit my grave. But, with
heavy sigh, "why does she wear pink
flowers in her hat-she, a newly made
widow"
Signing deeply, he turned his attention
to the business part of the town. His
former partners in the wood and coal
business were just leaving the office, they
were laughing and talking merriIy, and
the sight of their Joy irritated Brown.
"Domb it all, they don't miss me much"
he muttered. VERY well, I'll take a look
at those western mines lost that $4,000
in last month. Working full force, by
Gum!" he exclaimed, as his eyes rested
upon them. "And l, fool that l was to
believe 1t, thought them worthless"
And Brown, worn out by the sight of
his wife's pretty hat, his partners gaiety
and the rich mines, turned his face away
from the earth and wept.
When once more he turned toward
earthly scenes, the broad Atlantic was
spread out before him, and ships were
going in every direction. One, however,
seemed to be sailing a different course
from all the others, and Brown decided
that it was party OF explorers searching
for the north pole.
"Well, they won't find it going in that
direction" he thought; "there it is to the
no. no'theast of them" and. raising his
thin, vaporey hands to his mouth, trumpet
like. he shouted. ono ,no,theast there 7
~, o,.ho.t, NJ o,, h,,,,dou;,..
say ho ho 'heas'' On you oiuhoefihs
idiots, no. northeast"
Then, as the ship did not change her
oo,,.so =, s.o,taa ao,,. No,,o,tho..t
eo"''e He sh'oeu asan o nv 'neas'
say, you banked blanketty foois!, why
didn't they send a crew of two-year old
ba bies9 WHY didn't thew send a Iot NJ
gooo lackasses! why oiun they send
no. no'theast there, say"