The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1917-02-20

years ago he was thirty seven years
old, was twenty-seven and our daugh-
ter was in her second year. OF course
his salary stepped with his unexpect-
ed death-he was III less than q week
and when his funeral expenses had
been paid, our little hoard in your IA
TIERS bank was almost wiped out. II
felt very helpless, very much alone;
didn t know what to do.'
The young widow bent over her ba-
by and stroked her head. The mem
DRY Of her double distress-the loss of
her husband and her anxiety for her
child and herself-was still strong in
her. Presently she raised her head and
continued:
"The day after William 8 burial a
gentlemen called, put some questions
and asked me to sign a form he had
filed out. did SO, thinking it was a
report for the vital statistics bureau
|
looking over William s papers I found
sealed envelope, addressed in his
handwriting to me. Il contained the
will your father read to You. I could
not imagine what it meant. knew
William was man Of strong religious
sentiment, but he had never intimate.l
to me that he thought it possible for
the dead to communicate with the !i.-
ing in any way and fearing the effect
his peculiar will might have on others
. kept it to myself The door bell
rang. "Wait a moment, John,' said
Mrs. Wister. She put the little girl
on John 8 knee and went out. When
she came back after minute os SO
and sat down, she held long envel
:, ope in her hand; there was on her face
a look SO uplifted and spiritual that
she came back after a minute or sc
, beautiful. The tears came to her eyes
d but did not run over as she turned them
on him and said: "John, my message
Montana, and intermediate points.
= has comet It is in this letter. I an
II going to show it to you directly, but be
/ fore do want to finish my story
William was buried on the twenty
y, eighth day of the month. On the frs
e, of the next one I got an envelope jus
like this. At once William prom
I'd isesprang into my mind. My hand
~ shook 50 could hardly open the enve
Sc ope. When did get it open found
". check for fifty dollars and letter. TIL
tn letter ran like this:
MESSAGE FROM THE GRAVE
- Dear Madam!-Your late husband
foresight two years ago in taking OF
81 with this company for your benefit
.. monthly income policy Of insurance, hs
provided for you for twenty years an
" if you should live longer, for 20,
whole lifetime, an income Of fifty do
- lars month. We enclose you now OF
q check for the first monthly paymen
'A On the first day Of each month yo
will receive like amount. Sympath
- zing with you, as we do, upon the To-
W of your excellent husband, we still fe
W. that you are to be congratulated tn:
~ his love has provided for you this il
''o come, which by the terms Of his polio
Vo contract will continue for twenty yea
I'll even if you should die sooner, in whic
W case the balance for that time will 6
to your little girl, or if you should li1
d. longer than twenty years will continr
% to come to you on the first day of ever
NC month Of your life. This is the me
=. sage Of your husbands devotion, pr
u missed gu in his Will, which he shove
W to us.
Mrs Wister called her little daughte
=, to her side, took the child 8 finger
- her own and slipping it under the Ell
= velope flap slit the paper open and DIRE
out check for fifty dollars, saying
"Sweetest, this is daddy's message
YOU and me of devotion that has ou
lived death and that will follow US a
the days Of our lives. This day the1
- must be joy in Heaven where dadd
is because he knows that he has
Guarded the brood in his own nest
y And kepthis faith with those
ID loved.'
it ssOh, John, John, ''-the tears 9