The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-03-24
BY
CLIFFORD S.
RAYMOND
IHuSfrofsd BY
IRWIN MYERS

'Nh
This, In the Ease OF n man with life
his wishes, as we found them. were
simple and startling. He was to be
buried by the river, close to the pool
which had beer invested with the add
ed charm Of a ghost-story. His grave
was to be marked by an u~nostenta-
tious stone. The inscription was to
be as he directed In n note In q sealed
enclosure to be opened at the lime
Mrs. Sidney thought appropriate.
II might be. he had written, that
Mrs. Sidney would not want the stone
erected during her life. Her wishes
were to be consulted. When the grave
was marked. II II eve was, the In
scription was to te rs he directed.
Mrs. Sidney. acquainted with the
terms Of this extraordinary mortuary
note, said that II was her wish to have
the sealed envelope opened immediate
ly and Its Instructions carried out.
Christmas night had set In. and h
place was n fairyland of glistening
white. r-off-church-bells sounded
family across the snow. In the In
creasing cold, following the abatement
Of the storm, timbers In the old house
creaked and snapped, and when n Of
the people of the house. on an outdoor
chore, passed within earshot, h
Of footsteps was audible and the crisp
crunching which, even as does a high
wind, emphasizes the comfort of a
ecure and warm shelter.
/ was In the office whea Mrs. Sid
ney's Instructions to open the sealed
enclosure were received.
1 proceeded to do so. There was
a brief note, as follows:
I desire the marking on my yravestone.
when It Is put up. to read:
ARTHUR DoBsoN
Born May q. 1870
Died -
I was holding that document, star
ing at 1t, and grasplng for elusive
threads Of perception, when Jed came
In. He carried q manuscript In his
hand.
Jed drew a chair up to the fire by
my side. 1t was with a strange feel
Ing of relief that l accepted the sig
niicance of the manuscript he carried.
I'm a strange man. DOCTOR" he said
by way Of beginning. you'd never
understand me. I'm a strange man
and l do strange things. I'm going to
do one now. I've seemed conscience
less. haven't II"
1--WE never tried to conceal my
opinion of you," / said.
"No, you haven't. l like n candid
man. That's why I've always liked
you, although l can't say much for
your intelligence. But you're honest
I'm not honest, but I'm intelligent,
I've looked at my life as something
to make the best Of, and / haven't
been foolish about scruples.
"Pve managed my chances, and
have not allowed s~entimentalism to
stop me when something real was tC
be gained. It's a real world, not
fanciful one. That's the way l think
Half the people would be swinging
on gallows," l suggested, III your ami
able ideas prevailed generally"
"That's copy-boOk stuff that's so ir
ritating," he said. "The only thini
extraordinary about me is my canGor
My ideas do prevail, but the people
who adopt them have less frankness
But what l want to say is that In
going to- do n strange thing. foul
probably think 1t an act OF contrition
1t isn't ut all. but you'll think 1t 50
|, However, that's unimportant.
"You may not know 1t, but I wa
very fond of Mr.. Sidney. He was tn
| best friend l ever had or ever shal
have.
'Now, I have guarded against act
ing impulsiveiy or s~entimentally.
know / am In an acutely emotlona
/, condition. l have guarded agains
that. / am still considering the worl
as a real world and myself as a req
' creature In II, And here's the wa
/ figure 1t. Mr.. Sidney's death ha
taught me that materialism Is nc
e enough. II is necessary. but there
8 something else. I've got to find ar
e other something else. That's NOR
important than any money or comfort
-physical-that l car find.
"Where is this something else to b
$ found again II not right here In TIL
n family? i have determined to renal
In our service after you marry Mis-
y Sidney. and to take care Of you an
her and Mrs. Sidney. ! couldn't ieav
e The roots are too deep. could b
n cut down but not dug up. TN tc
/ old. SO as a real creature In a rel
IS world consult my real good. now q
h always, and ! hope l do not seem
e you to be acting s~entimentally."
< "You seem to me to be wholly crazy
m 7 said "Nhen yOu sneak OF Miss ST