The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-10-12
Something to
Live For
GO 1874 Western Newspaper Union,

By ANTHONY REIMERr


s'WHAT do you thinks the ma,
ter with him7 He can't di
happy till he's read his obituary nc
sice In the papers,"
Poor Dad, he's troubled over hi
pastl"
TvanityT' thought the doctor, bu
ssaid nothing. That's q thing no mai
,can do" he remarked presently.
odd Cyrus Hamp lay dying. Cyru
was a millionaire, and the most no
torious miser in~Wall street. Also re
inowned for his shrewd. merciles
strokes Many suicide lay to his dis
.credk. Cyrus was man who woult
ihave taken up q widows mortgage
and then cut her throat into the bar
gain.
Nobody could be expected TO be
sorry that old Cyrus was passing out
'at eighty-fiye. The old man had simply
been growing weaker day after day.
And now this extraordinary craze DOS
-sessed him.
"Itls ,on his mind" said the daugh-
ter. HE can't die easily until he's
seen 1t. Couldn't-couldn't something
be done, Uncle Fredr
What sort of-thing, my dearf"
Why-couldn't we print one COPY
OF paper or something. giving him a
column Of eulogistic, glowing bio
graphy. It's his sins that are troubling
him"
This was not very daughterly. but
then Cyrus was Cyrus.
1T isn't his sins, It's the fear Of
being unfavorably commented on after
his DEATH" thought Uncle Fred. swell,
my dear, 1t might be done, but it's go
Ing to cost an everlasting sum of
money to fake an entire issue Of a
newspaper" he answered.
"But we ought to do It for fathers
sake" said Mildred. "You have a
printing plant Uncle Fred; that's
what was thinking Of. You could
print fake copy Of the paper"
I'll see what can be done" Uncle
Fred replied.
1t was all arranged that night, and
Uncle Fred put all his hands to work
taking newspaper. 1t was a fairly
good fake, and likely enough to pass
muster with Cyrus. And the next
morning the doctor, the daughter, and
Uncle Fred brought 1t into the room.
We've worked 1t, father" said NIL
'dred. Doctor Johnson gave out q re-
port of your death to the press yes
terday evening. But you must hurry
up and get well, because 1t will have
TO be contradicted today"
"Hurrumph!" !" grunted the old miser.
Lift me up In bed and lemme read
1T"
They placed the newspaper In his
hands, adjusted the light, put on his
spectacles, and left him. Cyrus read
slowly and painfully.
J 1t certainly was q eulogy. Not a
word about the old miser's peculiari.
ties. Not word about his heartless
speculations in the Street.
-'Our esteemed fellow citizen" Cyrus
read, passed away painlessly in his
sleep Late yesterday afternoon. The
end, while not unexpected, will come
as profound shock to the community |
IN which Mr.. Hamp's labors were ex-
pended over q period Of more than
generation.
"Mr. Hamp was well-known figure |
in Wall street and ut his country place
on Long island. He was quite char.
acter in his way. Beneath an exterior
rugged and austere makeup he had the
simple heart Of child"
"Hurrumphl" |" said Cyrus Hamp. ~
"Hls deeds Of benevolence, though
always done under the mask Of
secrecy, were an open secret. The
smiles on children's faces rippled into
happy laughter as he approached to
pat them on the head. Many a man
and woman alive today can testify to
Cyrus Hamp's goodness, to his simple,
unobtrusive virtues both as citizen
and man."
"Hurrumph |" said Cyrus Hamp.
"The community will be the worse
of for the passing Of such man.
There are few eyes that will not be
DINNER today when they read of the
death of this great, outstanding figure
Of finance"
"Hur-rr-rr-rump yelled Cyrus
Hamp, letting the paper fall.
And so loudly did he yell that Mil
dred, the doctor, and Uncle Fred, who
had been waiting outside, rushed In.
'Oh. father. what's the matter?"
'That-that noticei" Cyrus gasped.
Meme who skinned 'em alive and
hung their scalps up In my vineyard!
Me- the scourge Of widders and or
phans! Me who's got more suicides to
his credit than any bloodsucker In the
land. Met To write that notice of
mel The fellow that wrote that
drooIs got to be bounded to his grave,
and I'm going to live to do itw
Another Wolfe.