The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-10-07
s39Ga. ELL, he's goin' at last" said
n " N-s nescon Milman land

9 NM Q I'm sure I'm Giau oV II.
4 AR j Going, is hei" said 81
1GS neon, her tall stepson, WHO
taught district school, and had just
dropped in for social chat. Poor Old
man, declare it's pity"
Il don't think so,' said Mrs. Milpan,
sharply. Folks haven't TO business
to live to lie so old as Methusaleh. l
declare, if I'd a knowed he was to live
With us I'd ha' thought twice afore l
married Deacon Milman."
Simeon said nothing, but there was
! something in thc expression OF his face
| is he sat spreading his ten huge fingers
before the blaze Of the beech logs, that
intimated his own inward conviction
that it would have been just as well II
Miss Rachel Snapp had known the dis
agreeable fact before she consented to
become the second Mrs. Milman.
There amt no tellin' the trials i've
hod with him. went or Mrs. Milman,
shaking her cap borders dolefnlly.
Il wouldn't undertake it then," said
Simeon, dryly. DO you suppose ne
will last through the night"
"Oh he can't, no way in the world
I've sent for Bethiah Jones to come to-
morrow and clean and whitewash the
room, and as for that old rack o furhl-
toor. the three chairs and the pine
desk, aud the bureau, I mean to nave
,em split ND for kindhn' wood before
the deacon comes back. He'll lie just
foolish enough to want to keep EN-,
and I won't have no such Noah's ark
trash about my house"
That's most 4 pity, amt it" SAID
Simeon, who was engaged to pretty
little apple-cheeked village girl, and
viewed the far-ofr possibility OF going
to housekeeping" as Moses might nave
viewed the Promised Land.
They're awful rickcty old things"
said his stepmother.
"Eut they're furnitoor. all the same -
plcaded Simeon, land somehow it
seems to me as if I'd Ike to keep lit
tie something to remember old Percy
Milnan by, even if he amt no nearer
relation than my second cousin. He
used to be real good to me when 1 was
little tow-headed boy. Come, STEP
mother, I'll give ye dollar for the lot
of 'em."
We'll" said Mrs. Milman, reflective
". Its worth that to git the plaguy
things carted of the premises. You
may have 'eIn, Simeon"
II don't suppose they're worth
much" said Simeon, "but it seems a
pity to split 'eln up. And now I'll so IN
and see the OLD man."
Old Percy AIilman, lying on the BED
from which he was destined never 10
arise again, had listened to the whole
conversation. plainly audible through
the board partition, merely papereo
over. that separated his apartment
from tie family sitting room, for, dying
man though he was, he yet retained
every faculty.
shes glad to get rid O me-" he
thought, lnournfully. While panS
went through the heart whose pnisings
were we'll nigh at an end. "Well'
'tain't so very strange, neither, rs l
knows on, but Rachel Milina1 always
was a sour. coid-hearted woman. 81
neon shall have the furniture-ln give
it to him myself afore the end comes"
And when Simeon came in on tiptoe
the old man looked briskly up.
.,1e ,,rt,,, pplI
Amt asleep. Snuff the candle. and set
down aside OF nc; l want to say a
word or two to ye. And tell Rachel to
come in, too
"0h, dear" said Mrs. Deacon Mil
man, when the old mans request was
made known to her. "I'll bet he wants
. bowl O herb tea made or lot O
fresh cruel boiled. I've been on my
feet al. day, but sick folks never have
any consideration
"Rachcl," said the old man abruptly
I've been thil!iin' about that ere Old
furniture O mine" Mrs. Milman cast
4 consciously guilty look across the
patchwork quilt toward her stepson'
IT'S old-fashioned. bat it's good, and
I've made up my mind to give it 20 81
neon
Pm sure l thank you kindly. Cousin
Percy" said Simeon, awkwardly, while
Mrs. Milman looked confused.
There's some old things in the bu'
reau drawers, and the cushions for the
,hcers-they're all Simeon's. too,'
| added Percy Mii1nan. Mind, Rachel
all"
I'm sure, he's welcome" said Mrs
Miiman, tossing her head. Il don't
want none O the old truulpery."
But you shall have the dollar just
the same" said Simeon, in whisper
to his stcrnotheT.
| For Sim was always good 10 me,
! added Percy Milman, dreamily, ''an'
amt one to forget. il be old. No,
amt one to forget
And the old man fell asleep. never tc
wake again III the werld, whose wilder
ness he had trod SO long and so sadly.
Simeon carted away the antique fur
| niture tie day after the funeral. anc
/ Mrs. Milmah ran after him with the
! old rnoreen cushions which had Deer
, forgotten.
| Here, Simeon she cried. in hel
sharp, high-pitched voice, II don't wan
| none O. the moidy trash left.'
! All right said Simeon. with a comi
! cal look at the cushions. They dom
! seem very spruce. but dare say Ross
| will be able to make sonethin' out oi
'em."