The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-04-27
PoorMrs. Dolby
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate,

evening he had his newspaper on hi
!. knee and Mrs. Dolby was singing
n Rock of Ages" and clearing away tn,
! supper table. He had been reading TO
9 a quarter Of an hour when she quietl,
entered and sat down and said:
Samuel, ! don't want to disturb yol
nor make you feel bad, but / fee
! obliged to ask you few questions
, Last night at midnight Mrs. Watkins
! saw light m0vin around In our bach
| yard. 1t was a light which bobbed vi
and bobbed down and lodged this way
| and that and when 1t finally went out
; gave a great wink and splutter. II
: was what they call a ghost lantern
, Samuel, and 1t meant that there would
be death In this house within week
; It'll be my death, of course. I've got
twenty-seven different ailments. with
heart disease throwed In, while you
are as healthful as cornfeld. Yes;
it'll be me, but I'm not weepin' over
1t. I'm sittin' right here as calm as
catnip, but / want to know some few
things"
Mr.. Dolby must have known Of her
presence, but he was too deeply inter
ested In his paper to recognize it. He
had found an article which said that a
spider could be boiled in water for
four hours and then come out with his
ambition undaunted.
II shall go to heaven when I die, Of
course" continued Mrs Dolby, as her
voice broke little. II orter go there.
Any woman who has whitewashed the
cellar every spring for twenty-seven
years, besides maxim soft soap, cuttin'
| carpet rags, dyein' over old clothes
| and maxim one skirt last her for thir
| teen years, will go to heaven. What
| bothers me, however, Is how I'm goin
TO act arter l git there You know
| how company allus illustrates me. II
three or four Of the neighbors come in
I'm almost sure to fall off my cheer or
knock over sunthin. How's 1t goin' to
be when git up there and meet hull
pasture full Of angels? There'n be
millions of 'em. Samuel
She paused to wipe the tears from
her eyes with the palm Of her hand,
but as she had asked no direct ques-
ton Mr.. Dolby finished the bug article
and turned to one on the care of
clotheslines.
II don't want to be looked at an
p'inted out and made fun of up there"
said Mrs. Dolby, as she sat with her
eyes on the carpet.
II may git up to heaven in the night.
when all the angels are asleep, and so
I'll slip in all right I hope that'li be
the way, because it'll give me chance
to kind o. git used to the place before
daylight. Do you think they have any
breakfast up there? Mrs. Watkins
says they don't, but | don't really see
how they git along without IT."
Mr.. Dolby heaved a long sigh and
came. He had finished with the clothes
lines and struck an article about the
reasoning powers OF the COW, and the
most direct question from Mrs. Dolby
would have passed unheeded. Her
tears fell for two OF three minutes. and
then she asked:
"And how about the beds up there?
You know we've slept on feather bed
ever since we were married. and I've |
allus bin particular TO smooth il down |
from head 20 foot I've got used to |
feathers, and IL changed of I'd Jest !
lay there and kick around all night |
long. Do they hev beds, Samuel. or do |
they keep on fyin' around all night |
long and singin'? Seems 10 me that |
fiyin and singin' all day would be |
enough unless | feel stronger than / |
do now. You orter tell me so I'll know /
what TO depend OF. IL one OF my head
aches comes on Unexpectedly / want |
10 know that | kin hev a cup OF tea.
Mrs. Watkins says they don't drink
tea in heaven, but | don't see how she
kin know"
Mr.. Dolby was not directly appealed
20. and as he was reading that a COW
had been known 20 feign death 10
avoid having a crowbar thrown at her
he made no sign.
WAL I've made up my mind 10 q
few things" said Mrs. Dolby as the
silence grew painful I'm goin' up 70
heaven 10 do the best I kin. III be I
nayburly with all the angels I meet
and let 'em understand that I don't
want no more'n my share Of harps and
wings and things III don't End any
thing to cat or any beds TO sleep on
shan't raise no fuss nor 80 into hrs
terics. Yes. III put up with things az
! find EN- and make the best % Il. and
I won't be Jealous n a few OF EN- bev
better clothes on or Kin sing better'n
me. That's how IN act. samuel. and
then n they pick on me they'll Kit a.
good Is they give. ! Kin be sassed
and picked on Jest 50 fur. but arter
hat they want 70 look out Would n !
put you out any. Samuel. n ! died AZ
hight instead q 10 the dsvtimef As
aid. n died at MIGHT could siip into !
leaven without any fuss. bot n h's !
,oin' q make any ertrn trouble III
lerish ~ daylight Whist WI be the
most convenient hour FUR vons~
There vas deep siience. Mrs. paa-
IS tearx msde no thud "a they zen
non the carT,ei. and NJ Dolbg IVES
'ending with hated tp-enth thsf AZ o.
nh covers thirteen feet - ground ~
VERY STRIDE when On fun niclr TIE
lcck ticke1. the silence Erev dealter.
nd the crlckst on fhs haarfh fnu into