Newspapers / Greensboro Daily News (Greensboro, … / May 15, 1910, edition 1 / Page 13
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By LJraoK Toolier COPYfc.)CrHT 19 Am TV rr IOR death itself Captain Amos Cosgrove bad no fear, though possessing properly normal disin clination to be its victim; neither did its presence send him scurrying away on tiptoes with solemn i-c:. !nr?d, he was habitually inclined to chslk-nge it, and for ordinarily ailing people Hi.- hj ! i scorn of health and settled opin ion. It was with bis usual skeptical attitude, t'le-i f.iro, thnt, corning home at the close of rr- wavn, h? heard that his friend Henry K hii n fast failing. ' ii r. i: ! all notion, " lie exclaimed irr -!!.-. I.-.-wr l.w Houry to lie really r ' '. tf.i- : h's life ' At tire !,a:ie time, j o;i I- hiin ten ini.r.UVs straight with 1 tut! v., -j it bad he No, y'. Wlin' ''enry u.irts is to have his mind t- ' i'V ' VrWlf " I !n'! I a1 out that," declared Dea- ' v is r "ru", sj'- rnnlv shaking hi head. ' i it t . Henry's been failin' fast this : ic. !io';ii!n'i i surprised to see liira i! '-: .!-T a:w tim.- IK-Mrc spring " ' 1 '! co-ice he' failed," replied Captain .' 01 .i... If I slmiild turn out some mornin', i-rr'drjv my f u e down an' think bur sorrow ful I d 'l u-- t. on..- I'd go about all day so il iii i il v., a i .i K'n'l see the tun fiT the shad dor I , ,t. S:.w with ailin' folks. Think you'if ,iilin'. an' first you know you are. It's union .-.!' megrims." Mo wis Mill thinking deeply of the matter v. In n, lute in the afternoon, he wont home, lialf-un. ons iously taking a roundabout way (h i! led Iii ,n past the sii k man's house. It was one of the largest houses in the port, with hii.ui.it; -, . ell kept grounds, that bespoke both thrift and prosperity. With his eyes turned towarrl the tipper v. indows. Captain Amos did not at first catih .iht of the kneel ing figure of Mrs. ketchum, carefully cover ing with no-vs aicrs the artemisias blooming by the side of the iorch. Her proQle was t'i'h'-d toward him, and Captain Amos's far siir'ncd eye noted ti e youthful color of her rounded cheek, " hi. h belied her fifty-odd year. There was, too. something youthful in 'die iiik dexterity of her movements. Then he awoke to the duty of inquiring about li, r liu .band, and, turning, entered the i ;. She Linked up at the sound of his step on the wall;, and sprang to her feet with a smile of MfUonic. " Is that you, Amos ?" she said as she came forward to greet him. "Same old si:.ienee," replied Captain Amos. "An' you you're just as young as c cr. l)on"t have to ask how you be." " I'.t i trrA half To-t! :x,kln' for tifm of rain " "No. I iue.-s I wouldn't get much sym pathy '.' t snou,a complain, sne answerea. ri'it Henr) s real miserable. 1 dont know " She shook her head and sighed as fhe danced up at the windows of her hus band's room, now glowing in the last rays of the setting sun. " Yes, I heard," said Captain Amos sol emnly. " Still, I can't say I've got much real faith in Henry's sickness; seems to me he kind o' favors 'em. Now, with his imagina tion, if he would only git in the habit of turnir-.' rh? carriers nf his mouth up instid of do" : . vs'.; t me he'd be liable to feel the cbantfc 1:1 no time. I've got a the'ry that mA 1 mm thing is always Just about as you look at era." " Well, Henry's never been no band to make the best o' things," 'replied Mrs. Ketchum. " If he was goin' on a picnic to-morrow, he'd spend half to-day lookin' for signs of rain an' ftndin 'em." " I know," said Captain Amos. " I can't help thinkin', though, that if we only knew now to git bolt on mm, we a make nun leei like a diff "Tent man. Of course be might never be real robust, but that's a long waya from dyin'." "No, Henry's never been over-strong an' livelynot like you an' me, Amos. Seems to me you ain't changed a mite in that respect for forty years. Why, one day this summer, I remember, I happened to look out the door an' saw somebody rushin' by the house. Be fore I really got a good look, says I to myself, ' 1 wonder what that young man's hurryin' so about' Then I see 'twas you." She glanced at him, with a mischievous laugh. " Is that so?" said Captain Amos, compla cently. "Well, I don't know's youU find many of these here youngsters any spryern me, or toi'gher. I don't know's I feel any older'n I used to, though I s'poae I be," he added with a regretful sigh. "Anyway, I ain't recognizin' no diff'rence." "Well, I wish somebody 'd make Henry feel like that," she said, sighing. " You must come in to see him often, Amos. Why, you've cheered me up just these few minutes. " She looked up at him with almost a coquettish air. Something in the look awoke a brilliant thought in Captain mos's fertile brain. "I will I will," ho or.iTiised. Then he laughed. "I've kin;t o' txit a notion mebbe 1 can help uim, Maria It 's w. th tryin'." " What is it?" she a d eagerly. "Why, I guess I'll nave to work it alone for the present," he replied regretfully. " Le's see how it goes first before I begin to It was with a definite purpose, therefore, that, somewhat carelessly dressed, he set out the next morning to call on the sick man, talking to himself as be went. "Henry Ketchura ain't lived with Maria all these years without learnin' she ain't goin' to mourn for him long if she gits a chance," he muttered. " Now, if I show him how it's goin' to work out, if he don't spunk up an' git well, I've lost my reckonin'." He entered the sick man's room with all of his wonted cheerfulness, and his first words were nicely chosen to indicate the casual ness of his coming. " I heard you was a little under the weather, Henry," he said, as he sauntered over to the bed and took the sick man's limp hand in bis own hearty grasp, "so I dropped in for a minute. Kind o' wanted your advice. Don't know's I expected to find you in bed this time o' day, though. Thought you was an early riser." "I won't never rise no more, Amos," re plied the sick man feebly. " That's all over for me." " Sho! " exclaimed CapUin Amos. " Can't he's bad as that" Henry shook his head and turned rest lessly. "I'll go before spring. The doctor don't give me no hope. Why, I've been dyin' for years." "Well, well!" exclaimed Captain Amos sadly. For a moment he sat in silence, rest lessly twiddling his thumbs. When he again sjioke he felt the perfunctoriness of his ques tion even as he asked it: " What seems to be the trouble, Henry?" " They ain't no one thing that stands out beyond another," the sick man answered with almost a touch of pride ; " it's a kind of a com plication." " Sometimes I think," said Captain Amos hopefully, grasping at a straw, " that in these here complications they fight each other to a standstill, an' there you be, chock-a-block, an' just a-livin' on without knowin' why, but still livin'." " Not in my case," declared the sick man. "You can't be sure," retorted Captain Amos, doggedly; "nobody can. There's more'n one way of lookin' at a thing; now you look at the bright side. Make up your mind you're goin' to live." He was silent a long time, and when he spoke again it was with the air of one who had looked lor a brighter side, and found it. "Well, there's one thing," he said, " if you do go, you've got one consolation you're leavin' Maria well fixed. A young-iookin' woman like her's liable to enjoy life live on, that is to say for years. If she's left well provided, why, it ain't quite as if she wa'n't," he ended lamely. "Yes, I guess that's so," acquiesced the well-providing husband. "She ain't goin' to be so lonesome," added Captain Amos. Hr glanced about the room, then tiptoed to the window. For a moment he stood looking out with the searching scrutiny o? contemplated purpose; when finally he came back to his chair his voice had regained something of its usual cheer fulness. " I was lookin' over your yard only yester day went by on my way borne. Sometimes I've wished I had a little more ground myself, an' then, if I left the sea, I'd have something to potter over. Now your place is just about right. One thing, I'd cut down that big ba'm o' Gilead tree by the stoop. They litter up a good deal, an' I dont r2l! the smell natural to any great ertent." " That tree sprung up when the house v as -''aaJ- laaCV V V Jfjj.'iiPivLi' TV ' A , Of first bunt," said Henry stiffly. " I'd i think of tearin' down the house.' "Oh, of course you might fed diffrent about it," soothingly responded Captain Amos. I was just thinkin' of myself. I'm kind o' practical. An' speak in' of the house, IVe kind o' got a notion that a long grape arbor then at the south end would set things off. An' that cupolo I'd build that out Ym mm mm hi iAm. Aim. Wfcy, rM dNMd mm urn hut Tin 1 1 mm mmvut Make a fine place fn summer to set with a spy glass an' watch the vessels goin' up an' down the Sound. Don't know's an old sailor ashore could find a better job to top off with." "Twouldn't be tbe same house," said Henry with decision. " No, I jedge not," airily replied Captain Amos. " You see, I don't set no great store on things just because they're old; but, then, I ain't got no more sentiment than a cow." " Thought you had a good deal," retorted Henry with what seen e(l like an air of sus picion. " Well, not about what don't bekmg to me," exclaimed Captain Amos. It was with an air of almost protecting ten derness that he turned to greet Mrs. Ketchum at that moment, as if the biblical injunction concerning widows and orphans was already in his mind. She, on her part, gave him a smiling welcome. " It's good of you to come in to see Henry so soon," she told him. " You're so cheerful, I know you'll help him. Why, you quite livened me up just the few words we had to gether yesterday. I caught myself hummin' two or three times; it's been a long time since I've felt like that" "Wrell, that's me," acquiesced the captain. " 111 have folks cheerful round me if I have to bsV em over the head to make 'em so." His downward glance at that moment, however, had the effect of recalling to himself a weaker side. He went on with a touch of confusion: " If I'd 'a' knowed I was goin' to visit with ladies, I'd 'a' spruced up a bit A man gets careless livin' alone, with no one to take an interest in him." He sighed deeply. "Well, when folks gets on like us, I guess the heart counts more'n clothes," warmly an swered Mrs. Ketchum. "Everybody knows you've got sympathy, and to spare." Captain Amos shook his head dolefully. "Guess I'd be better off if I was cold hearted," he said with bitterness. " Why, I ain't got even a cat to talk to. Blame if I don't feel lonesomer ev'ry day I live." " Yes," agreed Mrs. Ketchum; "you're like me, considerable of a talker. If I had to mope round all day, with no one to say a word to, seems 's if I should fly. An' s woman can't go round like a man." " 'Tain't the same." replied Captain Amos, shaking his head. " These here out siders you just meet on the street don't help you none; they ain't got no interest in you. Just as likely 's not they get up an' go off be tore you're ha'f through. Now, mv wife wa'n't no talker, but she was interested an' a good listener, an' I guess I don't nerd much more'n that as general thing, though I like a talker, too " ' It does help." agreed Mn. Ket.hum: "an" if you can talk over old times to c;her " ' That's it,'' broke in Captain Amos, with pleased recognition of a great truth. " When folks git on, rrgest part of you's behiod you. an' your r-'d (joes lack. Well, 1 gues? von an' me arc on lirm ground there, Maria I remember you when you were knoe-hiph to a grasshopper. Why, Henry here ain't known you longer.'' "No," she said, "though vou wa; some older." "Some.'' acknowledged Captain Amos, " though a little diff 'rence don't count aft-r fifty like it does before twenty, I notice." "No. it don't," she agreed; then she rose Well, you must come in often, Amos. 1 know you'll do Henry a world o' good. I can tell by mvself." ' I will. I will," the oaDtain promised ' guess I was kind o' cut out for a sitk-om loiter. Don't know wheat I've enjoyed a visit more." He rose, sniffing at the air. "What's thai you're bakin', Maria? Cook ies? Blame If they dont smdl tenptin'." "Come down and try them," she invited, aa' see if the taste so." "Well. I will bite at one before I go aboard," said Captain Amos. "I'm due now, if I'm goin' to dismantle the old boat any before noon; but a fresh-baked cooky 'd atop me on the way to my weddin'." For half an hour, Henry, lying in the room above, beard their murmured talk and laughter, and grimly smiled as he thought of his friend's haste. For the first time he felt an unaccountable loneliness. He wondered at the unending stream of Captain Amos's talk, and strained his ears to catch the indis tinguishable sound; he was a little envious. " Amos always could take more words to say nothin' than any person I ever knew," once be muttered to himself impatiently, as a burst of laughter came up the stairs. Then he won dered if it wss nonsense; Amos was no man's fooL He was glad when at last he heard his voice pass from the door. He came again the next afternoon, and it waa clear that be had no intention of re proaching himself this time for the careless ness of his dress. He wore, too, the air of ceremonial calling- on ladies. Indeed, Henry's first knowledge of his presence was the sound of his voice outside on tbe lawn, whither be had conducted Mrs. Ketchum, whose ideas of the balm o' Gilead tree agreed with bis own. Presently the voices passed on, and the sick man surmised that they were discussing Captain Amos's proposed arbor, and his curiosity became unbearable. He waa also lonely, and craved the companionship of the cheerful people below. Summoning hU courage, he crept groaning from the bed, and walked to tbe south window, the blinds of which were closed. Yea, they were discussing tbe grape-arbor, Henry saw tt once. Captain Amos was pa cing off the ground, while Mrs. Ketchum Jol lowed him with a childlike interest in his action. Aa they stood together above the spot where Captain Amos dug his heel in the sod, Henry tried to catch their murmured talk, but failed. It seemed intimate. They passed around to the back of the bouse, and for half an hour the watcher waited' for their return; then be heard their voices at the front of the house, and went to a west window. Captain Amos wss passing out the front gate. Even aa the sick man won dered, the captain stopped short and with a laugh turned back. Henry hurried back to the bed as he heard footsteps on the stairs. Captain Amos was still chuckling ss he entered the room. " Here I fixed up to come over an' pay you a little visit and cheer you up, but I got so interested in that there grape-arbor I was talkin' to you about, that blame if I didn't cart Maria all over the place, an' was just a-goin', before I thought what I came for. Guess my mind's sort o' like a bottle holds only one thing at a time." He hitched his chair nearer the bed and said with a new air of solicitude, "How you feelin' to-dav, Henry?" " Middlin'," replied the sick man. " I ain't in no pain. How'd Maria take to the arbor?" "Like a duck to water," Captain Amos said enthusiastically. " Why, she wanted to get to work at once. But I kind o' discour aged her for the present." " Well, I was kind o' considerin' it, too," rTSi-if-'-'rt?1 ' to -he;. I a- ! ,i. o'li.Mit. UateaKS - mcht V, -,rr,-d h, ' to I $?eg?r5' xt !!wZCr I 'W turned '.ho d.-or T. .. ,.,,,,.. Ioi'i.1- frol.l I,;. I..I.JI.I 11- 1 !i;i. k. loli nine It v a- oi !v li said Henry, slowly, improvement, but polo " "Oh, I guess there ain't no ired ..' that." broke in Captain Amos hastily "It'- big enough just to set in with a spy jr'.iss That' all's needed." "An' the ba'm o' Gitrad--it doe- n sort o' pity to cut down a bie tree, no ma'ir-r what," continued the sick man "That's so; it does." heartily agreed the aptarn. " When a tree's aone that you've always been used to serin, it does kind :.' make things seem a. V. the i'n'i all there empty-like . " He iame nearby ev-erv duv. and he had the satisfaction of knowing 'hm in Mrs. Kei- Mebbe it wmiM be an rame as .hp .1 f,,- m,. i, ( at bancin' the . ., a woni..n ,t" .r. - i - i''i :i ., - chum's Interpretation at least, his coming as vastly helpful. " I declare, Amos," she said one day as they sat in the sick-room, " I don't know but hat I've got to dependin' on you 'most as much as Henry. Now he's sick, I doa't hardly stir out; but there don't really seem no need, with you bringin' all tbe news. As for Henry, be can't seem to think o' nothin' but you. Why, I feel real jealous ; I ain't nothin'. He gets real restless when you leave, an' he's always ask in' what you talk about down stairs. Seems like he couldn't bear to miss a word." " Shot" exclaimed Captain Amos, with lie coming modesty. "You make me feci like one of them prophets out o' the Old Testa ment hangin' on my talk like that. iKm't know but I've missed my callin', an' ouht to leave the water an' take up with good work . " "Well, I don't know how we could spare you to anybody ebe," she objected laugh mgly. "Do we, Henry?" Her husband smiled oddly. "Well, we wouldn't want to be selfish, slong's Amos ain't," he responded. Then he changed the subject by asking tbe captain if it was not likely to rain before morning. Two days passed before Captain Amos came again. They were quieter than usual, but as Cap tain Amos ro.se to go, his host awoke to new interest. He motioned toward the door. " Shut it, Amos," he said. " I want to talk with you." "Dont you talk if it's goin' to make you feel worse," warned the captain. "Your comfort's the first thing." "That's why 1 want to talk," replied Henry. Then he looked up with a smile at his friend as he went on: "Amos, we've been pretty good friends for a good many years, an' now I want to ask you a question, an' I want you to give me a fair an' square answer. Will you?" Captain Amos nodded. "Yes," he said. " I kind o' like the truth myself between friends, though I ain't above a reasonable lie when it comes in handy. F'ire away." " Well, now, don't think I'm tryin' to med dle with other folks' business, for I ain't; I've got a particular reason for what I want to know. Have you ever had any notion just a notion, mind of marryin' Maria after I'm gone?" Suddenly and unexpectedly face to face with his mind-curs, Csptain Amos was in a panic If now be said that he had had, what would be tbe feelings of his friend? If In denied it, what would be the effect upon his mind-cure? Must he now confess that he had no faith in it ? He could not, but he an swered haltingly: "Why, if you ask me p'int-blank why, I guess I've bad just a sort o' notion one time or another. My mind kind o' flies aliout hap hazard, so to speak. They ain't no real reli ance on it." Then he added, wyh a vague attempt at a soothing thought "Of course Maria might not have me, even if I ever went beyond thinkin' on it, whi-h I ain't. She's " "That's all I wanted to know," broke in the sick man, with what seemed to bis' friend a surprising air of relief, "an' I'm gmn' to tell you why. You know how it seemed a loss up between folks which one, J.iel I'arker or me, was goin' to get Maria when r was young. 1 won't deny Joel troubled me a good deal in them days, an', "lint's more, he's !ecn troublin' me ever siiue I e' been failin'. 1 guess Maria never cared for him ' I-' , h v ' .jldn't .1'.' ..n't bear m.'v ' hat roth in H-i is lie's f: r.- :!. ur bi;s!,ii ss. Ion 1 '.M.rk. How long do vou rjot his liar i time. lAiII. aiivthiii' a.i -uppose mv property 'd last if he - en it ' Whv. it "1 1 VI jro in no 1 never could tr. t Maria to sav nt Joel, an' his never marrvin' made him set-m kind o' faithful, so when I begun t fail -ime ten years brick, it woitk d me. Why. I'd dn-an about it. aa' brood about it. an' when I'd run arrows loel 1 couldn't hardly treat him decent, thoueh I confess be never seemed to hold anvihin? against me. Why, Amos, if one thinie more'n another's kept me alive for ten years past, it's Joel I'arker. 1 vowed I wouldu't give in 'slong's he was itin' round to get a tree band on what I'd loft. 1 just couldn't die Well, siiv-e you've leen tornin' round,, an' I've seeu how' you an' Maria get on to gether, I've gone off on a new tack. An' to day Maria s;oke kind o' slightin' oi Joel an' showed me she wouldn't consider him. I done me good. Now I know how she feels, nmwmm mm iei Vm tiy wrf dt.jok th (rH-rbr. Hry m ( OIK an' how yuu feel, an' see how thing; is likely to turn out. liy. I 'm satisfied an' ready to go. I an'i fight no more " He reai hed forward and lock the captain's hand in hit. " You've took a big load off i f my mind, Amos a big load, I an tell you " Captain An ion's fan wore a pinched look as he turned nenousl. io hit, ihend. In truth, he wished to rrrarry no one, vet now, lor lionrv's sake, he seemed liound irfevo cablv to Maria Ket.huiu. "Hut. Henry." he said eviitedly, "don't you think you'd belicr leave me out an' keep on vorryin' about oel a s-ll longer? It ain't a sure thin, vou know, an' mebbe I'd slip up, after dl Women are uncertain ; you know lhat Worry along with Joel, an' just ke p on livin' like you I eon a-doin'. laird o mighty, I don't ia-t to U- responsible for no man dyin'!" but Henry smilingly shook his head. "Nil, Amos," he sail!, "I've" give' up, an' glad to I've lieen a considerable sufferer. Now my mind's at jiea.c for the first time in years." " Hi,t it don't seem right to look at it that way." burst in Captain Amos n's kind o' like suicide to let yourself go without no effort - siii, nil- "No." do. hired the sick man. "1 know when mv time's mme. It's foolish to talk lik- thai " I here wai (lani, in C.ptain Amos's voice .is ho li.trhcd li.- hair ih.mi.is1v loser to t'-e or. I ' but, ih-ury. I want to tell von I don't want io inarrv Maria. I " I! - l and .aved hirri to iilcme ' I ..!. t sav a word. Amos,' he m laimed alniosi irriiabb . " I know iust how ou feel, l. nd II 5 all nl-t-e.'t lee'in' h i : r , Ar" my n . i v all and . ,-rd the door. . he 'lean! a IK turned I man ex s. orr.titure of d in ? like to things is tti-nng i ! long to wait He had - h.-ul said that his mind, K-ty about Joel, was at peace l..r the nr-i urae in years. Indeed, it reacted upon h:' physical condition. Before Thar.ktirtving he as on tbe street again, and th irh he ne' er was robust, be lived eom 'or.ahlv and hinpily for twenty ywers. CVp tain Amiss nevw disclosed his mind -cure. He otien thought of it, however, thoueh be never . mild i one to anv satisfartorv conclusioa jixejt lis logical working-out. ill 'Mr; m m. ? see .ie!'s 1 e 1- i- he le.iri s I tfoi n to i . r I. . 1 1 ! ., - rn self. Il would hi'., told the '..-ut.'i w in irk asc'1 lr in :
Greensboro Daily News (Greensboro, N.C.)
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May 15, 1910, edition 1
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