The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-10
TIE EVENING STOR Y
Uncle Abrahan's Legacy.


and his earning powers became pro-
portionately less and less, the afore- ]
said family began to ponder over the
problem Of getting rid Of the decrepit
cid gentleman against the time when
his feebleness should make him ab5o-
lutely dependent.
Uncle Abe. as he was called, had
served as a confederate soldier in the
ApEOTnattOx he, with thousands OF Oth~
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 battle, and
those who remained had moved to 9th
er parts After looking about the viii
lage, he finally made arrangements for
board and lodging at the Bragg home
stead, and, with a small square box,
the only thing he carried. domicile1
himself at that place.
During the first years, Uncle Abe
found his environments to Re congenial,
and his sojourn. as already stated,
proved to be exceedingly profitable TO
Silas Bragg, who, having won the con-
6dence and gratitude of the ex-soldier.
came into possession Of property of
considerable value.
Consequently it was a great shock to
Uncle a be when he learned that It was
the purpose of the Braggs to cast him.
out, now that they led 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 irritabIeness of
Mrs. Bragg, and the UnIdndness Of 9th
er members of the household. For days
and weeks afterward, he moped about
the little village in a weary and defect
ed manner. The people would gaze az
ter him when he passed and remark
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 ia
ken q new hold on life He moved
about with an agility that belied his
1 years; he laughed and jOked with
zest that was surprising, and, above
all. there lurked in his eyes mis-
/ chievous twinkle and glitter that the
4 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
I certain things had been happening at
/ the Braggs'. Only q few evenings be
( fore. Mr.. Silas Bragg, on arriving home
! in a rather lottery state, strongly ad-
/ monished Mrs. Bragg because she ap-
/ parently had not acted according TO his
I instructions.
where's old gray-coat?' he queried.
rs he gone yet2 Mop Didn't I say
bounce him? What dye mean ?-goin'
to keep him here to eat feller out O
/ house and home? Didn't I tell We to
make il hot for i'm? I'm a honest
man. / am, an I don't want to be
hard on nobody, but he's done eat up
/ the with of everything / got out o
him an I amt goin' to have i'm no
longer. Now, we get rid of EN-; pes
+ ter the life out o. him; spill hot cof-
fee on i'm. Dye hear me? I say, get
/ rid of i'm
Having delivered himself of these
/ weighty remarks, Mr.. Bragg settled
comfortably down in chair and dozed
l off into a deep slumber.
On the following morning Uncle Abe
/ did not appear at the breakfast TAME
a. he was usually wont TO do. MI
Bragg. having eaten his breakfast, again
I commanded Mrs. Bragg to make II NOT
for i'm" and departed. An hour passed
Still Uncle Abe did not appear.
"I'u show i'm" piped the matron IN
sbrill voice. "T'li learn i'm to lie
abed Martha Ann, go get that syringe
/ an a nan o. cold water, an give II 70
/ i'm through the keyhole. Before TINS
order could be executed. however
| thought of such a pleasing nature enter
ed the mind of Mrs. Bragg 4siat it al
most made her gasp for breath
May be the old coSger's dead, she
calculated Run, Nancy an SEE sHS
Nancy, as commanded, took up a
Dosition in front of Uncle Abe's room,
peering cautiously through the key Key
hole What she saw made her ran
over. backward and scramble I'D the
hail toward the kitchen. At sight OF
such action -on the part of Nancy, Mrs.
Bragg could hardly restrain herselL
from shouting. She felt certain that
Uncle Abe had left this earthly sphere
for other parts This opinion was
soon dispelled, for when the girl had
reached the kitchen and sufficiently
recovered to make explanations, she
told of what she had seen IN some
a. ell, inc an
.sOb. maj Oh. MAJ He had his box
open on the bed, an it's jest plum full
O. greenbacker bills!"
Tn a little time after this occurrence
Uncle Abe came out of his room Mrs
Bragg. considering the new light on
the Situation, made haste to prepare a
warm and tasteful meal for him He
seemed to be in excellent spirits; he
ate heartily of the meal, and then
pushed back his chair and made the
following astounding remarks;
Mrs. Bragg" he said. 4 have just
been doing a little thinking. I am get
ting old. At the best 1 can't live many
years, and don't want to be moving
) about. Now, I'll tell you what I am
, going to do: I'm going to stay with
! you and Silas what few days have
left. When I'm gone, there's little
square box in my room which you car
in it, but I'll say this: think that
what's in the box ought to be worth q
good many thousand"
, uncle Abe" broke in Mrs. Bragg
''you are the kindest and best man ir
the world. Why. you have home here
as long as you live. Whatever we have
you shall share it with US. You are
near and dear to us. Uncle Abe. and
. we don't think nothin' about whether
We'll get anything or not. Why. only
this morning Silas was speaking tc
? me. sayin' we must tell you this. Yes
indeed, Uncle Abe; you needn't worry
about a home"
That evening, when Mr.. Bragg re-
turned, he looked at his wife sternIy.
''Well, has Old He didn't finish
''Sh-h-hi" interrupted Mrs. Bragg
holding up a warning hand. Then she
; went over and whispered in his ear.
: Mr. Bragg apparently comprehend
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