Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 58: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- and twenty dollars. 564 for, and that no one could spy upon him, he sat up in bed, threw back the coverings, and rose with surprising agility for a man of his years and weight, let alone one who had lost all use of his muscles. Pattering noiselessly across the floor in his bare feet, white and clean from the daily scrubbing given them by his sisters, he secured the splint he needed and re- turned to bed. marred this little adventure. He did not bump into a chair, nor set. up the broom so clumsily that it would fall down and startle those below stairs. Two minutes later he was puffing away contentedly, after having stuck the broomsplint under the mattress. His mind dwelt with pleased anticipa- tion upon his coming supper. He was to have a thick, juicy steak, with lots of fried potatoes. The Pritchetts always lived well, but beefsteak rarely appeared upon their table. It was considered almost sinful ex- travagance to buy it when there were so many cheaper, equally nourishing dishes available. But he had asked for it, and the grocer had delivered it that afternoon. When he had exhausted this theme, he reached under the mattress and drew out a worn leather wallet. From it he took a thickish pad of dirty bank-notes, which he counted with relish, although he knew per- fectly well that it contained three hundred Elmer never had been a spendthrift, save of time. His sisters knew nothing of this hoard; they supposed that the ten or twelve dollars in his tvous- er-pocket represented his wealth. He replaced the wallet, laid his pipe on the little mahogany table, and closed his eyes. Presently his loose and flabby mouth opened, and a gentle snore escaped. He slept peacefully until Hetty entered with his steak and potatoes, sizzling hot under a pewter cover. Letty followed with tea, toast, and barberry jelly. While he ate, the sisters chatted. They always did this, and from time to time E}- mer interjected a remark, if his mouth was not too full. Sometimes he did anyhow. Usually the talk was inconsequential; harmless village gossip, “ do-you-remem- bers ” of events in childhood, or when their patents had been in their primes, inquiries ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. No untoward accident’ as to his enjoyment of the meal they had prepared so carefully, and the like. To- night—he gave it little thought at the time —a more somber note crept in. ‘“T always think, sister,” said the elder, ‘that some day we shall sit down to our last meal together. That is why, when I feel tired, and like sort of scraping some-- thing together most anyhow, I always say to myself: ‘this may be the last meal I shall ever get!’ And how sorry I should be if I hadn’t taken pains with it.” “You wouldn’t know,” commented the: practical Elmer between two mouthfuls of fried potato. ‘“ Not if I understand what you're driving at.” : Letty sighed. ‘“How wise a provision it is that we don’t even know! We should be miserable all the time; for of course there’d be a last’ time for everything else, too; going to church, lacing our. shoes, making over a bonnet, or letting out the cat at night.” Miss Hetty refused to be turned aside. ‘““T said to-night when I fried this nice steak, ‘now I’m going to do this just as well as I know how, as if it really was the last meal I’d ever cook for Elmer.’ And I put on a clean napkin, though the one~he had this noon was hardly rumpled.” ‘Well, you needn’t worry about this be- ing my last meal!” Elmer grunted, not quite enjoying the topic. ‘“One never knows,” Hetty solemnly averred. ‘“ But Dr. Knapp says a sick man never stands still; either he gets bet- ter, or he grows worse and dies.” “Knapp is an old fogey! Ill live to ‘tend his funeral.” | Neither sister replied immediately. Final- ‘ly Letty timidly suggested that unless EI- mer got back the use of his legs she didn’t see for her part how he’d be able to attend anybody’s funeral but his own. As there was no obvious answer to this, conversation languished, and Elmer thought no more of it that night nor in his dreams. He awoke next morning with the pleas- ant odor of home-cured—bacon intriguing his nostrils. He felt no premonition that this day was to be different from any other —save that he had asked Hetty to dress a chicken and fricassee it for his dinner. But- THE OHIO GATE UNG uHKclooolkks.CcOm