Smyrna times., 1906-06-06
UNCLE
ABRAHAM'S
LEGACY
RH a a Do-L
BY A. a. Patrick
Copyright, 1905, by P. C. Eastment
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Although in past years Silas Bragg
and his family had been the sole re-
clplents of many benefactions from
Uncle Abraham, as the burden of old
age began to heap itself upon him and
MS earning powers became proportion
ately less and less the aforesaid family
began to ponder over the problem of
getting rid of the decrepit old gentle
man against the time when his feeble
ness should make him absolutely de-
pendent.
Uncle Abe, as he was called. had
served as a Confederate soldier in the
civil war. When Lee surrendered at
Appomattox he, with thousands of 9TH
er soldiers, trudged back to the places
they had left four years previously, but
time and war had wrought amazing
changes everywhere. The few blood
relations that Uncle Abe possessed
were all gone. Some had died in bat
tie, and those who remained had mov-
ed to other parts. After looking about
the village he finally made arrange
ments for board and lodging at the
Bragg homestead and, with a small
square box, the only thing he carried,
domiciled himself at that place.
During the first years Uncle Abe
found his environments to be congeniaI,
and his sojOurn, as already stated,
proved to be exceedingly profitable to
Silas Bragg, who, having won the con-
fidence and gratitude of the ex-soldier,
came into possession of property of
considerable value.
Consequently 1t was a great shock to
Uncle Abe when he learned that it was
the purpose of the BraCgs to cast him
/ out now that they held the title to all
his property. 1t had been his desire to
live out his days at this place. He had
received intimations of their designs
through the increasing irritableness of
Mrs. Bragg and the unkindness of
other members of the household. For
days and weeks afterward he moped
about the little village in a weary and
detected manner. The people would
gaze after him when he passed and re-
mark that Uncle Abe was going down
mighty fast.
This state of affairs continued for
nearly a month, then it was noticed
that the veteran seemed to have taken
new hold on life. He moved about
with an agility that belied his years;
he laughed and joked with a zest that
was surprising, and, above all, there
lurked in his eyes a mischievous
twinkle and glitter that the loungers
at the village store had never taken
note of before. However much the
wonder was, no solution was ever
reached by them.
The real cause of this gayety on the
part of Uncle Abe lay in the fact that
certain things had been happening al
the Braggs'. Only a few evenings be
fore, Mr.. Silas Bragg, on arriving
home in rather lottery state, strongly
admonished Mrs. Bragg because she
apparently had not acted according tc
his instructions.
where's old gray coat?' he queried
''Is he gone yet? No? Didn't l say
bounce him. What dye mean? Coin
) to keep him here to eat a feller out O
house and home? Didn't l tell We t.
make it hot for i'm? I'm a homes
man, am, an 1 don't want to be hare
: on nobody, but he's done eat up tn,
wuth of everything got out O. him an
. l amt gOin' to have i'm no longer
Now, We get rid of i'm; poster the lif
out O. him; spill hot coffee on i'm
Dye hear me? | say. get rid of i'm"
: Having delivered himself of thes
weighty remarks, Mr.. Bragg settle
: comfortably down in chair and doze
off into deep slumber.
On the following morning Uncl
Abe did not appear at the breakfas
J table as he was usually wont to dC
Mr.. Bragg, having eaten his breakfas
again commanded Mrs. Bragg t
make it hot for 'im," and departed
An hour passed. Still Uncle Abe di
not appear.
"I'll show 'im," piped the matron
a shrill voice. "I'll learn i'm to Il
abed. Martha Ann, go get that syring
an pan o. cold water, an give it
i'm through the keyhole." Before tn
order could be executed, however,
thought of such a pleasing nature el
tered the mind of Mrs. Bragg that
almost made her gasp for breath.
Maybe the old codger's Dead" 81
CALCULATED. run, Nancy, an see," 81
called out.
Nancy. as commanded, took up
position in front of Uncle Abe's roor
peering cautiously through the keyhol
,r What she saw made her fall over bac
ID ward and scramble by the hall towal
l. the kitchen. At sight of such actiC
d on the part of Nancy, Mrs. Bragg cou
hardly restrain herself from shoutin
She felt certain that Uncle Abe b;
Il. left this earthly sphere for other par
a This opinion was soon dispelled, t
when the girl had reached the kitch
and had sufficiently recovered to ma
explanations she told of what she h
seen In something after the followil
In manner:
"Oh. ma! oh, maj He had his b.