The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-19

Old by Jocks" Edmiston was in bed
when Eliph' Hewitt. the little book
agent, called at the farmhouse. and his
daughter was busy putting up straw
berry Jam. She was in no good temper,
for a kettle of strawberries had scorch-
ed while she had been upstairs for a
minute to see by Jocks" shuttle off
the mortal coil, and she had just got
another lot of strawberries on the
stove, and by Jocks" was yelling
down the stairs for her to come up and
hold his head while he dropped off into
the eternal.
He was a chronic deceaser and got a
dying spell every so often, but they
didn't usually work out. He generally
began to die about the time his daugh-
ter got her hands so full of work that
1t was a nuisance to have him dying,
and he would go ahead and keep up the
deathbed scene until he got tired lying
in bed, and then he would get up and
do a good days work and feel better.
Now, 1 amt got no time to buy
books, nor yet to look at books" she
said sharply I've got my hands full
with these berries and pa upstairs with
one of them foolish dyin' spells of his.
Just you go right along and don't
bother me-"
She wiped her heated face with her
apron and plunged a wooden spoon into
the kettle of berries. ooh, pa, do be
still for one minute. won't your" she
called You don't give me a minutes
rest. I'll be UP in plenty of time. You
lie still and let me finish this job, and
I'll come right up. Please do"
The quavering voice came down the
stairs, calling, Mary, come up" and
she wrung her hands.
Lands sakes!" she moaned. He
won't be still It'll 1 go up. I never see
such a mani 1 just can't leave these
berries," and then she saw the little
book agent still standing with his face
against the screen door. Would you
mind goin' up and keepin' pa amused
until ] get these berries in the cansY'
she asked. TRY TO sell him a book,
or do anything you want to. so you
keep him busy. I'm plumb bothered to
death, and every time he yells down
git more nervous"
She opened the screen door and the
little book agent stepped carefully into
the kitchen.
Fright up them steps" she said, and
he went as she directed.
by Jocks" was lying in bed with
the covers drawn up to his neck, and
he raised his head and looked at Eliph'
Hewitt as the book agent entered.
Come VI to see me die?" he asked
angrny- We'll guess it's about time
somebody was comm. I never knew
such family as I've got They don't
care a cent, by jocks, whether l die all
alone up here or not Every time I git
a dyin' spell they all go and git busy
A man can't die like he ought TO in
such a family. Every time 1 git ready
to drop off, and feel I am goin', they
go 10 putin up fruit or something, by
jocks And they been doin' that way
for the last thirty years. I'm gettin'
tired of it,
Eliph' Hewitt smoothed his whiskers
with his neat little hand and took the
chair that stood near the head of the
bed. He laid his sample on the floor at
his feet on one side and his hat on
the other.
I'm a book agent" he said gently.
And my name is Hewitt; Eliph' Hew
lit. / am selling to the leading citi-
zens of this section a work in one vol
ume."
"By Jocks" popped up his head and
looked at Eliph' Hewitt with amaze
ment, and then popped his head down
again.
%By Jocks," he exclaimed 1t beat
him. He lay still for a minute, and
then stole another glance at the little
book agent. Eliph' Hewitt was un-
wrapping his sample copy There was
no doubt about it. He was going to try
to sell dying man a book!