The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-09-04
Bread East
Upon the Waters
-
BY JAMES COOLIDGE

~ Ahc 4NlSlllo AShtNitull-
ments," book that has delighted mil.
lions of people botli old and young, is
story Of how Sindbad the Sailor was
required to take an old man on his
shoulders and carry him across a
stream. When the old man was Sc.
curely fixed in his, position lie refused
to get down, and Sindbad was obliged
to bear the burden indefinitely. l am
reminded by this story of the Old
Man OF the Sea OF something similar
that happened to me when l was a
young man.
Before settling down to my profess
sion, having put aside enough money
to spend few months in Europe,
went abroad. The sum was only $500,
and | was obliged to piece 1t out by
doing a good deal of walking. One day
l was trudging along through the En-
gadine when l overlook man who
for some reason was having q hard
time to get on. When came up with
him l bade him good morning and
asked him IL | could be of any as
sistance to him.
"You might help me along to the next
hotel" he said. "It's only about a
mile"
took his arm, and as we walked
slowly ON he told me that he was Enoch
Crane, an American. He had long been
ailing, and his doctor had sent him
abroad. He, like myself, was walking
because he couldn't afford to ride.
When we got TO the inn took him to
a room and helped him to bed-a bed
from which he was destined never to
arise. He was very i'll in the night,
and sat with him till near morning.
Having my time laid out and none
to lose, | proposed after breakfast to
proceed on my journey but Mr.. Crane
begged me so pitifuly not to desert
fellow countryman among strangers
that / agreed to. remain with him an
other day. At the end of that day
another iii found the time allotted
for my travels slipping away from
me and / taking care of sick man
In little Swiss inn.
In this way the whole time | had
laid out for my trip passed and the
time for lne to go. home arrived. The
old man was sinking rapidly, and the
village doctor told him that he had bet
ter prepare his affairs for journey to
another world. Then Mr. Crane called
me to his bedside and said to me:
You tell me you are going home. /
beg Of you not TO leave my body in this
faraway land, but to take it with you.
l have expected tQBdle over here and
have made every provision, having in
quired the cost of removal in every
particular. You will find exactly the
amount in my wallet under my pillow.
Take my body to b., In Il. county in
Massachusetts, and about a mile north
OF the village on the V. turnpike Is a
lot forty feet square inclosed with
stones taken Off the ground. In the
center Is space marked by four posts,
where the grave is to be located. This
is not all. l want you to be custodian
Of my grave. Send for notary and
Will draw up n paper transferring the
lot to you with everything it contains,
which, of course is my body"
What situation! My trip spoiled,
Obliged to go home in company and in
care of the corpse of the man who had
spoiled 1t and my pay was a plot OF
ground not worth $50, which, after all,
l must hold for grave. Nevertheless
/ consented. | cannot claim that | did
1t solely from kindly motives. Enoch
Crane possessed II singular influence
over me.
When Mr. Crane died possessed my
self of his wallet, which, In addition
to money, contained an account for ex.
penses figured down to the closest pos.
sible amount. 1t struck me that he
must have been afraid would reap Il
few dollars out Of the transaction. 1t
paid the way exactly, and expended
the last dollar in having the body
transferred to the grave. l had prom
ised Mr.. Crane that l would see the
grave dug, the body lowered and the
earth put back, all under my own SUI
perintendcnce. 10 do this must pay
FOR my own carriage. Glad OF the pros
pect Of getting the disagreeable matter
OF my hand, | secured two men with
the necessary implements and was soon
standing beside them us they dug the
grave between the posts Crane had
described. They had gone down about
four feet when one of them threw up
q tin hOX. L tnnL, chnrnn of IL hut