The herald., 1912-09-26
ITS a wonder you folks didn't stir

ITS a wonder you folks didn't stir
nae up"
$50 'tis-so It's. We talked of 1t
many times, but we knowed that II
we put on the tar and feathers you'd
be TOO alfred lazy to scrape 'em
of and your wife would have the
Job"
That's right. She is good, Cyrus"
None better"
"And that brings me to what
want to ask. She won't have dol
lar after I'm gone"
"Of course she won't"
She'll have to depend on the kind.
ness of the neighbors."
she will"
Cyrus, you don't belong to any
church, but you believe In heaven.
don't your"
"Yes, kinder
You'd like to feel that was look
ing down on you and acting as your
guardian angel, wouldn't your"
IF you are going to keep up your
laZiness-"
But I'm not, Cyrus-rm going to
hustle. I'll do all that can for you
If you'll sign this paper"
What is it?"
'Just a promise to be kind to, and
that you will look after, Sarah. We
shall both feel a great deal better II
you will"
The caller looked upon it as q dy-
ing mans within, and signed. When
ready to go he said:
81 hope you will get hustle on you
up there, JIM"
Then three more widowers and one
old bachelor got the word to call,
and in the course Of three days the
business was wound up. Then a
lawyer was sent for, the signed pa
pers handed over to him, and
great calm fell upon the dying man.
He smiled every few minutes, and
made no understandable explanations
regarding what he had been up to.
A few days later he passed away,
and almost his last words were:
Sarah, If they want to be kind to
you, let 'em go ahead"
There was kindness from every d.
rection, from contributions to pay
| the funeral expenses to groceries and
provisions sent in for the widows
sustenance. After about month had
elapsed Deacon Harrison received q
letter asking him to call at. the law
Office of the attorney who had the
dead mans papers. When the good
man came strolling in, only mildly
curious as to why he had been sum
moned, he was greeted with:
"Of course 1t won't take place fol
a year, but allow me to congratulate
you in advance"
What dye mean?" asked the dea
con.
Your marriage with the Widow
Bushwick."
"shoo! What ye joking about?"
"only this"
The paper he had signed for jim
Bushwick was handed him. Hehad sign
ed without reading, and now behold
Il not only promise to be kind t
James Bushwick's wife after she be
comes his widow, but to marry he
one year after his death"
"By thunder!" exclaimed the dea
con as he danced around.
mo better evidence wanted In
breach-of-promise case" quietly re
plied the lawyer.
"She can sue and be hanged"
Better settle for a couple of hur
dred, deacon, and carry off your pa
per. 1t wouldn't sound we'll t
have people saying that you ha
your second wife picked out Will
her husband was alive"
The deacon hung of for a wee
and then came down. One by on
the others followed suit. Each on
was financially we'll able to do SO.
Money contributed by your goo
: friends, and nothing Is to be sal
about It," remarked the lawyer
the widow as he handed her $3.50 {
the thousand.
To this day she has no other ide
about it. Now and then some on
says something about Jim Bushwick
!, laziness in Deacon Harrison's hearin
and he turns and replies:
|, "Why, there wasn't lazy bone
his whole carcass! He made mol
clean money in the last two weel
of his life than did In the hull yea
!. Vas drat him ha dbl"