Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

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12 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

OUR SHORT STORY.

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OUR SHORT STORY. THE INSURANCE POLICY. By VINCENT EMS. "You've 'card me mention my uncle, Ben r' asked Mr. Abel Damper. "Not more than about a 'undred thou- sand time- replied Ben. "G oiu' ta men- tion 'im azain 1" "Only to say he's dead," said Abe, with reproachful solemnit y "Then I 'ope you'll let 'im rest peaceful," retorted Ben. I've 'card enough about im, an' 'is 'ouse, an' 'is money, an' 'ow 'e Wa. once mistook for a gentleman-" "Twice," corrected Abe, indignantly. j "Must 'ave been by the same person then sneered Ben, with a touch of spite. "So 'e's dead is 'e? 'Bout time, wasn't it?" "Well, we might think so—'e mightn't," said Abe. "Matter of fact, 'e didn't, for I ear 'e was 'orrible rude to the doctor when 'e told 'im 'is time was come. Said 'e'd live long enough to keep 'iin waiting a few years for is bill But 'c didn't, because 'e died twenty minutes later—last Tuesday that was. An' concluded Abe, "I've 'ad a 'int 'e's left me a thousand pound. The funeral's on Friday, an' we're to go back to tibe 'o'se to 'ear the will read properly. There worè't a better man ever lived than my pore uncle!" sniffed Abe. "A thousand pounds," said Ben, working out a calculation with a bit of chalk on the jetty "a thousand pounds, with beer at sispeuce a pint, is forty thousand pints! Goin' to start on 'em, Abe?" "Wait till I come back Friday night," said Abe. Abe came back on the Friday night, half angry, half puzzled "The old sinner's left me a thousand pounds all right," he explained to Ben, "but not what :ou might call a proper thousand. 1m to draw enough so as I can be insured for a thousand. Same with my brother Joe. All the rest, bar two pun' ten to 'is 'ousekeeper, is to go to start a 'Ome for Rc-omatics. Darn me if I'd 'an:' spent 'arf a crOfovn en a wreath if I'd 'ave known, let alone get a new suit o' black. Any rate, I'll be worth a thousand pounds in a sort of way." "Yes, in a sort o' w,iy grinned Ben. "Assume you pass the doctor, you'll get your thousand pound policy all right, an' it'll run for a year. Then there'll be another c, r fifty pound to pay on it, else v"ii ,ii lose the lot." "What?" bellowed Abe, who didn't under- stand assurances. "It's the solemn truth I'm tellin' you," said Ben. "If you don't pay up at the end o' twelve months the policy stops." An' supposin' said Abe, bitterly, "sup- posin' I pily up, when do I get the thou- sand qui d "When you're dead," grinned Ben. "The oary-'eaded old viper!" snarled Abe. I ain't no better off for 'is 11)) alcft than if 'e'd stopped 'erf'" "In one way you ain't," agreed Ben. "an' in another way you are. If you died in the twelve months somebody would get the thousand pounds. I wouldn't mind givin' you fifty quid for the policy if you'd take your Bible oath you wouldn't live more than a year "I'd swear solemn began Abe eagerly, but Ben cut him short. "I know you would. You'd swear any- thjn. But that don't guarantee you'd peg ■out! What you want to do, Abe, is to use that there policy to do .yourself a bit of good. What about gettin' 'old of some female with a bit 'o money, tellin' 'er you're insured for a thousand, prove it by showin' 'er the policy, marry 'er, an' take things ca-,v. But I ain't never been married," objected Abe. "an' I don't know no female what would 'ave me." "Xobodv would ordinar'ly." said Ben, "but with a thousand pound policy 'angin round you neck one might be found who d •shut 'er eyes to your face, an' your ways, ^■tcetery, an' 'ave you." "Anybody in your mind?" inquired Abe. "Tivo or three," said Ben. "But before I 'and you over to a female for you to live easy on 'er money, me an' you would 'ave to come to a proper arrangement. I'd want to be eased a bit myself, Supposin* she 'ad two quid 'a week I'd want six bob, an' so on. You'd 'ave to sign it, an' swear it." "I'm willin," said Abe, "an' my word's my bond, like it says in the Scriptures." "I ain't so sure about it," retorted Ben. "But in this ca,se I'd 'ave you tight enough, because if you didn't pay up I'd let on about the thousand pound insurance bein' only for a year, an' that would be good enough for 'er to divorce you on-marryin' under false pretences bein' pretty serious. But there ain't no hurry till you've got the policy, so let it be for a bit. I can be pumpin' them females an' findin' out which is the biggest fool about insurances. I reckon one of 'em know-, about as much as a dead donkey, but I'll have to make sure. There wouldn't be no weddin' bells, Abe, if che was to say, An' supposin' I'm willin' to marry Mister Abel Damper, an' supposin' re didn't die in a year, who's goin' to keep that thousand pound policy paid up till 'e does die?' Some females 'ave got their wits about them, an' others ain't. The one you marry, Abe, will 'ave to be one of the 'ain't' sort! An' concluded Ben, grin- ning, asrumin' I 'it on a female like that, an' assumin' you marry 'er, I shall always say that you an' 'er must 'ave been meant for each other by Providence, eeein' as you're the only man in the country what didn't know that premiums 'ave to be paid on insurances, an' she'll be the only female what didn't know ditto! You'll be a couple of fools together "Much "obliged!" said Abe, scowling. "There's one point that struck me. D'ye reckon it's likely that a female with two or three quid a week comin' in will want to marry a boatman?" "If things is fixed up with the female I've got in my mind," said Ben, "you needn't worry ahout that. She won't, be marryin' you. She'll be marryin' that thousand pound policy < Abe in due course became the possessor of a policy of insurance for £ 1,000, and after Ben had inspected and approved it, he pro- duced a couple of Bibles and an agreement. "Take one o' these in each 'and," he told Abe, "shut your eyes. and say after me, I 'ereby swear that I'll go to everlastin' 'ell for ever an' ever if I don't pay Mister Ben- jamin Gimp, Hesquire, three bob in the pound reg'lar every Saturday night a couple of hours before closin' time like it's written down in the agreement.' -Abe said all this, and kissed each of the Bibles. "Now," said Ben, "you're tied up, an' the next thing is to come over to the Red Lion, sign this agreement I've written out, stand me a pint, an' 'ear the female's name." An' now let's hear it," said Abe, ten minute's later, setting down his pint pot. "Miss Bennett—'er that lives at View Cotta-c-c; she's the female," replied Ben. "'Er?" ejaculated Abe, disappointed. "Why, she's cider than——" "She's got two pun' fifteen a week," in- terrupts Ben. "Likewise, she's also got a bit in the bank. Further, she don't under- stand insurances. An' she says she's noticed you down on the beach, an' wouldn't mind marryin' you, bein' of opinion that many an awful face covers a good 'cart. She was quite touched when I told her you'd been frettin' after 'er for years an' years, an' 'ad only just screwed your courage up to ask me to aSK 'er if there was any chance of 'olv matrimony." "But," began Abe, "-she's "It's 'er or nobody," put in Ben decisi- vely. "All the others is too sharp. One of them said that—well, she was what might J be called insultin'. You'd better make up your mind for Miss Bennett, Abe, and be quick about it, because there's a cap'en she was engaged to forty-three years ago ccmin' to see 'er next week." Briefly, it can be put that Abe-tall, with an out-size in hands, ears, and feet, and with a face which was, to say the least, somewhat rugged, but redeemed by the twinkling eyes of a sailorman's blue--duly introduced himself to Miss Matlida Bennett, a short and stout little body, with small hands, small feet. and a face" homely and pleasant, and after a bit of courtin' the two were married, Abe duly producing his in- [ surance policy for < £ 1,000, and Sanding it over to his bride for safe keeping. » On the first Saturday night after the wed- ding Abe duly turned up at the Red Lion,* and handed to Ben eight and sixpence. Ben took it, and then snapped, "I'll trouble you for another one an' six. Why? Because I want it, that"s ,yby Ain't that a good enough reason?" Abe protested, but, feeling happy, paid. He liked his wife, liked the new comforts of a clean home and well-cooked meals; so what was eighteenpence extra? j On the next Saturday Ben demanded twelve and sixpence, and once again Abe paid. Perhaps it was because his wife had told him but an hour before that she'd been a bit nervous over marrying him, but that she wasn't nervous no more, and that she wished they had met end liked each other twenty years earlier. On the third Saturday Ben demanded fourteen shillings, and Abe at first pro- tested, then jibbed, and finally refused to pay more than the eight and six. At once Ben threatened exposure. "Pay np, or be found out he blustered. "You're a dirty blackmailer," said Abe, "an' for two pins I'd never jay you another penny An' "-Nrith sudden resolution— "I'm darned if I will I did wrong in bein' tempted into this 'ere game o' deludin' an out-an'-out good woman like my missus, an' I won't 'ave no more to dnwÚh it. Eh? I swore I would, an' kisaed a couple o' BibJes to- it? Matter of fact," said Abe, complacently, "it was only my thumbs I kissed, 'avin' a feelin' Bibles shouldn't be used to swear on." "There's this 'ere, agreement you signed!" snarled Ben. "I'll keep you to that "It's too late," said Abe. "I was willin- to keep to it-it was you who didn't, with your blackmailin' Yes, you can put me in court for it if you like, but if I'm a fool over insurances I ain't over agreements. What I signed ain't worth the paper it was written on, seein' nobody was a witness an' you ain't 'ad it stamped, as by law pervided. Y ou'v e over-reached yourself, Benjamin Gimp, an' you'll get no more money out o' me "WaitF" snarled Ben. "I ain't done with you yet! A bargain's a bargain "It would 'ave been if you'd stuck to it," retorted Abe. Ben did not wait for closing time, but went home to write a letter. The composi- tion took some time, but when the epistle was finished it exposed Abe and his wicked- nesses pretty thoroughly. "If that don't bust things un. nothin* will chuckled Ben with grim satisfaction. "Wonder what she'll say to that?" What "she"—Mrs. Damper, to wit-said was: —■ "To MR. B. GIMP,— "I have received your letter. I suppose you wrote it to make mischief. Well, it hasn't. "So no more from yours truly, "MATILDA DANIPER. Any other letters will be used for spills, matches being hard to get. "Me and my husband—and I rover wish for a better—have no sc-cr^ts from each other Ben cursed, and perhaps he would have cursed more had he known more. Abe had steamed the envelope open, written out another letter containing various wild accu- sations each easily refuted—signed it "B. Gimp," inserted it in the envelope, and— but whv explain the obvious? When Ben and Abe met the fusilace of lurid abuse from Ben—was violent and bitter. "You've stuffed your missus up soir.e'ow, roared Ben, "but an old swindler like you will get paid out sooner or later—you ree if you don't! I've got a card up my sleeve yet! You're livin' on the fat of the land now—nil through me !—but I'll 'ave the laugh of you yet,you robberisin' scoundrel Ten months from her wedding day =\1rs. Damper died, leaving Abe entirely disconso- late. "Serve you r!ht! Serve you right:" spat out Ben, in vicious triumph. "I knew you'd be paid out! You'll like turning to an' doin' 'ard work again now, won't you? I can see you doin' it, an' cursing' like mad! Ten months o' takin' it easy will make work work Y o u' 11 "I'll 'ave what my pore missus left me." said Abe quietly. I Ben roared with spiteful and indecent laughter. "You'll 'ave whnt she's left you!" I he echoed. "Now this is where I come in an' get a bit of my own back This is where I play the card I told you I 'ad up my sleeve. I never told you, although I knew it right enough, but that two fifteen a week wasn't what you might coll proper money. It was an annuity, an' it stopped dead the minute your missus died 'Ow do you like 'earin' that?" "I don't mind," said Abe-, "because she told me 'erself before we was married. I wasn't referrin' to that when I said I'd 'ave what she left me." "What's she left you?" demanded Ben. "Some pots of 'ome-made jam?" "My missus," said Abe slowly, and with tears—real tears—in his eyes, "wa,- one o the best. We 'adn't been married very long before she said she ought to do by me same as I'd done bv 'er, so she insured 'erself for a thousand pounds. That's what I was re- ferrin' to." Abe caught Ben as he lurched heavily for. ward, and with the assistance of Joe Gramp laid him in the. shade, the while a boy ran for a doctor and the ambulance. "What's, up with 'im?" asked Joe. "Looks as if 'e'd 'ad a stroke, or a shock, or sum- mat sudden like that." "It was a shock," said Abe, with the voice used when visiting the sick and suffering. 'E ea rd somethin' that upset 'im."

KING FLIES TO ENGLAND.

MINERS DECLINE TO PROMISE.

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OTHER MEN'S MINDS.

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I CLUB WINDOWI

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OUR LONDON LETTER.

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