Year: 1874




as twas, anyway l knew l couldn't
get Miry, and l could get Hepsy, and
that made all the difference in the
world.


sWal, that next winter old Black
Hoss took down with rheumatism,
and tell you if Miry didn't have a
time ont! He want no ways sweet
tempered when he was we'll; but
come to be crooked up with the
rheumatis and kept awake nights, il
seemed as if he was determined there
shouldn't nobody have any peace so
long as he couldn't.


He'd get Miry up and down with
him night after night maxim her
heat tlannels and vinegar, and then
he'd jaw and scold so that she eeny.
most beat out. He wouldn't have
nobody set up with him, though these
was offers made. No, be said Miry
was his daughter, and twas her busi-
ness to take care on him.


Miry was clear worked down; !;
folks kind O. pitied her. She was a
strong gal, but there's things that
wears out the strongest. The worst
ont it hung on so. Old Black Hoss
had a most amaziu' sight O. constitu-
ton. He'd go all down to deaths
door, and seem hardly to have the
breath of life in him, and then up
he'd come again These old folks
that nobody wants to have live alters
have such sight of wear in 'em they
jest last and last; and it really did
seem as if he'd wear Miry out and
get her into the grave fust, for she
got a cough with being up SO much
in the cold, and grew thin as a shad-
der. Remember one time | went up
there to offer to watch jest in the
spring of the year, when the laylocks
was jest budding ont, and Miry she
came and talked with me over the
fence, and the poor gal she fairly
broke down and sobbed as if her
heart would break a telling me her
trouble.


'Wal, it reely affected me more to
have Miry give up 80 than most gals,
because she'd alters held her head
up, and had such sight of grit and
resolution, but she told me all about
it.


1T seems old Black Hoss he want
content with worryin' on her, and
gettin' on her up nights, but he kept
hectorin' her about Bill Elderkin,
and wantin' on her to promise that
she wouldn't Lev Bill when he was
dead and gone, and Miry she would
not promise, and then the old man
said she shouldn't have a cent from
him if she didn't, and SO they had it
back and forth. Everybody in town
was saying what shame twas that
he should save her SO; for though
he had other children, they had mar.
ried and gone, and there want none
of them to do for HIM but jist Miry.


'Wal, he hung on till jest as the
phys in the front yard was beginnin'
to blow out, and then he began to
feel he was goin', and he sent for
Parson Lothrop to know what was
to be done about his soul.


WAL says Person Lothrop, syou
must settle up all your worldly af.
fairs; you must be in peace and love
with all mankind, and if you've
wronged anybody you must make it
good to EN-


'Old Black Hoss he bounced right
over in his bed with his back to the
minister.


The devil! says he, twill take
all I've got And he never spoke
another word, though Parson 10th.
rop he prayed with him, and did
what he could for him.


Wal, that night sot up with him,
and he went off between and 3 in
the morning, and l laid him out reg
ular. Of all the racks o. bone / ever
see, never seen human critter so
poor as he was. 'Twasn't nothing
but his awful will kept his soul in his
body 80 long as it was.


sWe had the funeral in the meetin'
house a Sunday, and Parson Lothrop
he preached sarmon on contentment
on the text, 'We brought nothin' into
the world, and it's sartin we can car
ry nothing out, and having food and
raiment, let US be Herewith content
Parson Lotbrop he got round the
subject about as handsome as he
could he didn't say what a skinfint
old Black Hoss was, but he talked in a
general way about the vanity of wor
rying and scraping to heap up riches.
Ye see Parson Lothrop he. could say
it all putty easy, too, cause since he
married a rich wife he never had no
occasion to worry about temporal
matters, and folks alters breaches
better on the vanity O riches when
they's in tolable easy circumstance
Ye see when folks is pestered and
worried to pay their bills and don't
know where the next dollar is to
come from, it's great temptation to
be kind O. valooin' riches, and mebbe
envyIn those that's got 'em; whereas
when ones accounts all pays them
selves, and the money comes when
it's wanted regular, a body feels sort
of composed like, and able to take
the right view of things like Parson
Lothrop.


sWal, after the sarmon the rela-
tions all went over to the old house
to hear the will read, and as l was
kind Of friend with the family l jest
slipped IN along with the rest.


Squire Jones he had the will, and
SO when they all got sot round all
solemn, he broke the seals and un.
folded it, cranklin' in a good while
afore he begun, and it was so still
you might heard pin drop when
he begun to read. Fust, there was
the farm and stock, he left to his son
John Brown, over in Sherburne.
Then there was the household stuff,
and all them things, spoons and
dishes, and beds and klverlids and so
on, to his da'ter Polly Blancha ard.
And then, last of all, he says he left
to his da'ter Miry the pitcher tha,
was on top O. the shelf in his bed.
room closet.


That there was an old cracked
pitcher that Miry alters had hated
the sight of, and spring and fall she
used to beg her father to let her
throw it away but no, he wouldn't
let her touch it, and so it stood gath.
erin dust.


Some on 'em run and handed II