Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-05-10
that says your be kind. .

that says you'll be kind
"Why, I'll sign that. OF course" was
the reply; and the deacon, for once
in his life, signed paper without
reading 1t and looking for traps. He
did moro than that. He offered TO boss
the funeral when It came OF and to
be one OF the pallbearers.
Then Cyrus Barnes, another wid-
over, was sent for. He was awfully
sorry to find Jim so near the grave,
and he was going to pull out dollar
bill and leave It with him when--he
didn't He INDUCED in further words
iof sympathy, which made 1t 80 per
cent cheaper for him.
Cyrus, I've been a poor stick Of 4
man." said Jim.
"You have that" was agreed.
II ought to have been at work every
day"
I'VE all know that"
Its wonder you folks didn't stir
me up"
80 tis-so It's We talked OF It Il
many times, but We knowed that II
we put on the tar and feathers you'd
be too ALFRED lazy to scrape 'em
off 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
llaziness-".
"But I'm not, Cyrus-1'm going 70
hustle. I'll do all that can for
you II you'll sign this paper"
What is TT" 81
Just 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 1t asa dy-
ing mans whim and signed. When
ready to go he said:
II hppe You will get a hustle on
on up there, jim"
Then three more widowers and one
old bachelor got the word to call, and
in the course of three days the bust
ness was wound up. Then a lawyer
was sent for, the signed papers
handed over to him, and a great calm
fell upon the dying man. He smiled
every few minutes and made no I'M
derstandable e.. .,lanations regarding
what he had been up to. A few days
later he passed away, and almost his
last words were:
Sarah, IL they want to be kind to
you let EN- 90 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 a month had
elapsed Deacon Harrison received .
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 for
q year, but allow me to conEratulat4
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
Burt was handed him. He had signed
without reading, and now heheld:
II not only promise to be kind to
James Bushwick's wife after she be-
comes his widow, but to marry her
one year after his death"
"By thunder" exclaimed the dea-
con as he danced around.
mo better evidence wanted IN -
breach f- promise case" quietly re-
piled the lawyer.
"She can sue and be hanged!
better settle for couple Of hun
bred, deacon, and carry OF your
paper. ut wouldn't sound well to
have people saying that you had
your second wife picked out while
;her husband was alive"
The deacon hung of for week and
then came down. One by one the
others followed suit. Each one was
financially we'll able to do 80.
Money contributed by your good
friends, and nothing is to be said
|about it, remarked the lawyer TO the
widow as he handed her $3.50 Of the
Thousand.
| To this day she has no other ides
latout 1t. Now and then some ona
says something about Jim Bushwick's
llaziness in Deacon Harrison's hearing
4 and he turns and replies:
II .eWhy, there wasn't lazy bone ID
his whole carcass! He made mora