Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-16
DAILY SHORT STORY
MRS. TooMes' ANNUITY.

ment. affixed his seal, picked up the
twenty tive cent piece she took out of
wooden mitten, aud bis work was
done.
Very comfortable, Mrs. Toombs, to
| bsve this little amount coming in every
| three months. The government is very
kind TO the widows of veterans"
The government won't have to do
anything for me very long. I'm going
| dOwnhill terrible fast" She gave one
OF those bronchial coughs that sound
| like the low notes on a trombone. When
! she recovered from the strain she pro-
ceeded. What's S120 a year? I got
| this house and some money in bank,
| but I'm a poor lone woman without
| any business head and can't manage
my affairs. A year or two at most will
settle me. I'D rather go right of now.
l wish some one would take my prop
erty aud give me so much year till
I'm gone. DR.. Burbank says one lung s
gone entirely. and DIR. Woodruff says
my bronlcGl tubes is all stopped up.
Don't neither OF 'em expect me to finish
the year"
During this speech the notary was
pricking up his ears. The old woman
might be a good speculation.
How much II year would make you
cOmfOrta bic. Mrs. Toombs?' he asked.
'Oh, don't need much. If had 500
or $50 a month certain besides my pen
sion I'd get along first rate"
What you got 10 put in for an an
nUity?"
We'll, | got this house and grounds.
WO'th. mebbe, $1,000. l got eight acres
O. good land. wO-th from 500 to $500 an
acre. | got $500 In cash"
The notary figured that her property
was worth $500. He didn't believe
the widow would last six months. If
not. the cash she would turn in on the
annuity scheme would pay for her keep
as long as she lived, and the realty
would be clear profit. He dickered
with her and finally closed n deal by
which ne agreed TO take her property
and pay her $500 year, she to remain
in the homestead as long as she lived.
Then be went home and told his wife
about H.
One more year. Martha. In this
trap" he said land We'll move into
our own property. COnsumptives most
" go out IN the spring, and Mrs.
ToOmbs won't git through another
change from winter to summer"
In that case l reckon we'd better
not do any repairin'."
Reckon not: nor git any new furni-
ture just now neither"
Mrs Toombs held her own better
than was expected, but the next win
ter she seemed to be failing rapidly
Indeed, there appeared TO be so little
chance for her passing the spring that
Mr.. and Mrs. Hatch, finding that their
newly acquired home needed painting
both for looks and utility, decided to
paint it at once and have the work out
Of the way before the widow was NOV
ed out ito the cemetery aud they NOV
ed In. They spent $500 on il.
One bright spring morning Hatch
passed by the place. curious to know
whether the old woman was likely to
vacate. He found her digging in
vegetable garden. Concesling his
chagrin, he hailed her and asked how
she felt.
WAL. she replied, "if 1t hadn't
been for your tidying up the house !
think I'd "a give In. As it is, maybe
I'm good TIL fall
Hatch went home and told his wife
that they must give up their cOntem-
plated spring moving. A very discOn-
tented couple sat down to supper that
evening, and they vowed not a bit OF
iTnnrnVnnant ShnIlld IN m
erty until Mrs. Toombs was six feet
under ground.
That summer the out Of door exer-
else the pensioner got ia her garden
seemed TO do her world OF good, and
In the autumn she was quite robust
Hatch doubted II he would get pos
session Of his house even the next
spring. But be did, and In a way that
did not please him. The doctors agreed
that II Mrs Toombs could spend the
summer In the mountains she might
get we'll. So she notified Hatch that
she was going away and he had better
look after his house. A. great incon-
yenience be and Mrs. Hicks moved
temporarily into the more valuable
premises and hired a man and his
wife TO look after their ordinary abode
This rendered the summer months not
only disagreeable. but expensive to the
Hickses. and In the autumn the widow
returned. having gained twenty-five
pounds. The doctors looked her over
and declared that, barring accidents,
she was good for twenty years.
Five years passed. About $4,000 had
been expended in the annuity and on
the house. and Hatch and his wife
were as far from the promised land as
ever. Every now and again Mrs
TOOmbs would be reported ailing. and
Mr.. Hatch would call. OstensibIy to
sympsthize with her, but really to find
out II there was a chance OF release
from the heavy burden be was carry
ing But the widow lived on, and the
Hstches suffered
One day fifteen years after the con-
tract had passed between Hatch and
Mrs. Toombs the Matches, hearing that