The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-05-05
-StoE.. ELL, he's goin' at last" said
Il wwxk Mrs. Deacon Milnan, "and
o NM 0 I'm sure I'm glad oy it."
\ ~ Going, is her said ST.

DSN HtVAf liza AAA sA~ p'yAf va
taught district school, and had jus
dropped In for a social chat. Poor ol'
man. declare It's a pity
I don't think so.7 said Mrs. Sfilman
sharply. Folks haven't no business
to live to be SO old as Methusaleh-
declare. if I'd a. knowed he was TO live
with us I'd ha' thought twice afore
married Deacon Milman."
Simeon said nothing, but there was
something in the expression Of his face
as 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 If
Miss Rachel Snapp had known the dis
agreeable fact before she consented to
become the second Mrs Ailman.
There amt no tellln' the trials rye
had with him. went on Mrs. AIilman,
shaking her cap borders dolefully.
Il wouldn't undertake it then said
Simeon. dryly. do you suppose he
will last through the night:'
"Oh. he can't. no way in the world.
We NEAL Ibk DEAlAu4 J0A4to ~ Ahi44I ~
morrow and clean and whitewash the
room. and as for that old rack o furni-
toor, the three chairs and the pine
desk, and the bureau. / mean to have
ZEN split up for hndlin' wood before
the deacon comes back He'll be just
foolish enough to waTt to keep 'em,
and l won't have no such Noah's ark
trash about my house."
That's most a pity. amt it," said
Simeon. who was engaged TO pretty
little apple-cheeked village girl, and
viewed the far-off possibility Of going
to housekeeping as Moses might have
viewed the Promised Land
They're awful rickety old things.
said his stepmother.
But they're furnitoor all the same"
pleaded Simeon. "and somehow it
seems to me as if I'd like to keep lit
tie something to remember old Percy
aIIman by. even if he amt no nearer
relation than my second cousin. He
used to be real good to me when ! was
a little tow-headed boy. Come, step
mother. III give We dollar for the lot
of EN-"
well. said Mrs. Nfilman, reflective
Is. 'its worth that to git the plaguy
things carted off the premises. You
may have 'em, Simeon"
Il don't suppose they're worth
much said Simeon, but it seems a
pity to split EN- up. And now III 60 in
and see the old man"
Old Percy Milman, lying on the bed
from which he was destined never to
arise again, had listened to the whole
conversation, plainly audible through
the board partition. merely papered
Over, that separated his apartment
from the family sitting room, for, dying
man though be was, he yet retained
every faculty.
"she's glad to get rid o me-" he
thought, mournfully. while a pang
went through the heart whose pulslngs
were well nigh at an end. "Well,
faint so very strange, neither, as l
knows on. but Rachel MiIman always
was a sour. cold-hearted woman. ST.
neon shall have the furniture-pll give
ii to him myself afore the end comes"
And when Simeon came in on tiptoe
the old man looked briskly Up.
"You needn't step so gingerly. boy;
amt asleep. SNUFF the candle, and set
dJwn aside Of me; want to say a
word or two to ye. And tell Rachel to
come in, too"
"Oh, dearw said Mrs. Deacon Mil
man. when the old mans request was
made known to her. 'I'll bet he wants
a bowl O. herb tea made or a lot O
fresh Cruel boiled. I've been on my
feet all day, but sick folks never have
any consideration"
Rachel" said the old man abruptly,
"I've been thinkin' about that ere old
furniture O mine" Mrs. Milman cast
a consciously guilty look across the
patchwork quilt toward her stepson.
Its old-fashiOned. but it's good. and
I've made up my mind to give it to ST.
neon"
I'm sure l thank you kindly. Cousin
= cry ndiu cAAutDl, dN Auis, Y AAS
Mrs AIilman looked confused.
There's some old things in the bu-
reau drawers, and the cushions for the
cheers-they're all Simeon's. too. !"
added Percy MiIman Mind, Rachel
ALL"
I'm sure, he's welcome" said Mrs.
Alilman. tossing her head. Il don't
want none O. the old trumpery."
But you shall have the dollar just
the same" said Simeon, in a whisper
to his stepmOther.
For Sim was always good to me, 3"
added Percy Slilman dreamily, "an'
amt one to forget. If be old. No.
amt one to forget"
And the old man fell asleep. never to
wake again in the world, whose wilder
ness he had trod so long and so sadly.
Simeon carted away the antique fur
niture the day after the funeral. and
Mrs. Milman ran after him with the
old moreen cushions which had been
forgotten.
Here. Simeon she cried, in her
sharp. high-pitched voice. Il don't want
none O the moldy trash leftT
aAII rfOht - said Cfrnoon with n coraf