Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1909-12-30


ers along the sheet Then when be
comes IN you ten him that found
this letter on the floor. and mind that
/ say Oh the floor and that gave one
piercing shrieis and fell dead"
a viii, ma'am," said Mary, taking
the ragged letter
IN the meantime Mrs benton had
pushed chair TO the side of the table
and prepared to mount while she said
plaintively:
"Oh. Mary. ] feel like some OF the
people they write about-the Indian
girls that leap from preciplces. singing
their death songs
place me on suniums marbled steep
Where nothing but the waves and /
Can hear their ghostly murmurs sweep
There. swan-lilSe. let me sing ard die"
Annie stepped to the table from the
chair preparatory to lying down and
assuming her corpselike position. Mary
gathered her skirts around her feet.
Mrs. Fenton had on very pretty
white dress with much lace around the
waist. She prepared to 'be Dead" as
had got nearly all the soap out OF his
eyes and or his face, stepped forward
to surprise his pretty wife, whom he
sincerely loved. But the strange words
and actions caused him to stop, listen
and look through a hole in the screen.
At FIRST he thought Of rushing out and
surprising her But he didn't and stood
quite still, awaiting developments.
At last Mrs. Fenton managed to get
down to the table, and Mary adjusted
her head and the clothes about her
feet Mrs. Fenton closed her eyes and
folded her hands across her breast;
then she was suddenly struck by a
thought
Mary. don't cover my face until just
before you so to the door. Oh. for
got to loosen my hairl George likes
TO see it sol And, Mary, / do hope
and pray he may repent after this"
"Well, ma'am, he ought to, but /
don't see what he has done"
While this was being said and done
George said to himself.
by Jinks. this is getting interesting.
I'll help carry this thing out in fine
style. 1t is a joke that can cut two
ways. I'll slip out the back way and
ring the bell and come in, and I'll bet
a stack Of little round silver dollars
shea never play such a trick again"
And he took his gripsack and went
out the back way.
Mary continued arranging the corpse
and set all the chairs around the walls
as if for funeral Then the ben rang
suddenly and hard. Mary jumped
Mrs. Fenton said:
Hurry, quick; give me the powder
boxw And she put the powder on so
thickly that she did look very white.
She continued hurriedly:
Now. Mary, cover my face careful
ly so won't sneeze. Now go and let
him in"
AS she said this Mrs. Fenton sud
denly began to Quiver and lift her
knees under the sheet and sneezed
three times, while Mary was fairly
dancing with fear as the bell rang
again this tine furiously
At this minute George was at the
door and bounced in. laughing heart
ily while Mary looked too shocked for
words He threw the bag down with
a slam as he shouted:
80 the old hen has kicked the buck
ct, hoped the twig. passed In her
checks and gone to Kingdom comet
WE'LL I'm not going TO cry over IT.
What was the matter with herT
Mary remembered her Instructions
and with tragic air handed him the
letter.
''This, sorg'
George took the letter and read It.
laughlng still harder.
''Yis. sor; she found It on the fure-
on the tiure--yis, on the aure-and fell
did on the spot"
what spot?" asked George. looking
about him curiously.
"Lor. don't know. sor," replied the
girl, who was beginning to be ratified
with the turn affairs were taking.
"Well don't care Now. Mary. this
letter was written to her by a big lum-
mux of a galoot. and wish he had
married her"
At this studied insult Mrs. Fenton
lifted her head under the sheet Mary
only saw it and stified a cry.
Il say, Mary" said George, you are
nice looking girl. and know you
are tidy and a good cook Now. what
do you say to taking the old hens
place I've had my eye upon you for
long time"
There was another subdued commO-
tion under the sheet
Just as soon as she is planted, for
It would be an awful bother to break
up housekeeping. and you could have
all her clothes her sealskin coat-and
ah-her table linen. T'his last was
Annie's JOY and pride) On. say, I'll
have her crematedl l suppose therell
be coroner's inquest and an autopsy.
Yes, III have the autopsy. for she
swallowed a gold dollar once And,
Mary, get your scissors. III cut her
hair or. She won't need 1t where she's