Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-09-03
MIKE REILEY'S
FUNERAL
Showing That a Mistake May
Breed Mistakes
BY OSCAR cox


The incident of this story was re-
cent occurrence This is mentioned
beforehand because there are carping
critics who would say after reading 1t
that the plan was farfetched; that such
happenings are only to be found in
stories and there Is nothing probable
In it,
Mike Kelley, young mason, started
out to work on bright morning. light
hearted, for by the end of the week,
when paid Off, he would have the $500
marrying Nora O'Toole, the girl he
loved and who loved him. better than
all the world The banns had been
published, and everything was being
made ready for the wedding, which
was to occur In just ten days from that
date.
Mike said 80 long" to his mother.
who was q widow, and to his sister,
Kathleen, who worked in a paper mill,
and then walked briskly along till
he came to thes house where Nora lived
and where he expected to see her sit
ting In the second story window sew
ing on her wedding outfit, for Nora
knew the time that Mike went to work
and was always there to give and re-
ceive a smile. and sometimes they had
a brief chat together.
This morning Nora threw up the
sash. and Mike stopped, and Nora ask
ed him II he had attended to this and
to that In preparation for the wedding
or the fixing up Of the nest In which
they were TO live, a four room house
near Mikes present home. He had
satisfied her that he had done the
painting needed. and replaced the
broken glass In the windows, and
mended the roof. and they both agreed
that there was nothing more to be
done on the premises except what
could be done after they moved in.
Mike kissed his hand to her. She threw
him kiss In return. and Mike went on
his way, while Nora drew down the
sash and resumed her sewing.
She was very happy considering that
she was to be married so soon to the
man she loved and piled her needle
briskly. 1t seemed to go through the
fabric of itself
But suddenly a presentiment came
over her that something was about to
happen. In her minds eye she saw
coffin, with Mike in 1t and lot of
mourners sitting about as at funeral.
Then 1t seemed to her that Mike sat
up in his coffin and said: What are
you sittin' around that way for when
you've come to weddin'?. Get up and
shake leg" But Nora drove it out of
her head.
About o'clock that night Mikes
sister, Kathleen. appeared at Nora's
home and asked IL she had seen any
thing of Mike. for he had not come
home. Nora was bit troubled, for
Mike, especially since he had begun
his preparations to be married, had
been very regular In his homecoming
after knocking Off ~work at In the
afternoon. She told Kathleen that she
had not seen him since he went by
In the morning. when he was looking
very well and very cheerful. She ask
ed Kathleen to tell him when he re-
turned to come and let her know of
his arrival. for she would not go to
bed until she had news of him.
Mike did not come home that night,
and In the morning her mother, his
sister and his sweetheart were all very
much troubled about his absence.
They hoped that the postman would
bring a note from him stating that he
had been called upon to do some work
which would take him too far from
home to warrant his coming in the
evening and going out again the next
But the postman passed,
whistling at the door of every other
house on his way except that Of the
Relleys. not leaving them single
letter
The day ended without any word
from Mike. They would have sent to
where he worked to inquire about him,
but Mike had never taken pains to
keep them informed as to the places
where he was employed. since he was
frequently changing. sometimes work
Ing on two or three different jobs in
the same day.
A week passed, and Mike did not
turn up. His mother was broken
down with worry. Nora ceased her
for the wedding. Kath-
1Ar a. 30