Patsy's last words on earth were: "May the Lord forgive my Caleb." Caleb fell asleep and left his mother to die alone. Her death-struggle covered several hours. She raised herself upon her pillow, so that her last glance might rest upon Caleb. His loud snoring was music to her dying ears. She clapped her hands feebly to awaken him, but he snored the more, and mumbled something about chicken. The end came with a little choking in the throat and a slight movement of the head to the left. As Patsy lay cold in death Caleb had a pleasant dream. He dreamed that she was well and at the washtub. He thought he held in his hand money she had drawn in advance for him. When he awoke the next morning and found it was but a dream he lighted the stump of a cigar; and, between puffs, mumbled something about starch-eating mothers and dignified sons. When a neighbor called to see what Patsy would have for breakfast, he said: "Ask the old woman." "She is dead," cried the neighbor. "Then bury her," said he. The next day Noah, the father of Melviny, the grave-digger for the poor, said: "Melviny, my child, I go to dig poor Patsy's grave." "Poor Caleb!" said Melviny, and covered her face with her apron. Noah's hands fell to his side, leaving the spade dangling about his neck. "Melviny!" he shouted fiercely. "Father?" she answered soberly. "Why your thought of Caleb?" "Why your interest in Patsy?" "She is dead, child." "So is Caleb, father." Melviny dropped her apron and began to toy with the spade. "Dear father, you are kind to the neighbors." "Dear child, you are making your own perdition." "Where go you, father?" "I go to bury Patsy in the potter's field." "I go to bury Caleb in my affections, that he may be resurrected a man." Noah kissed his daughter three times. "The first," said he, "is for your mother, who was a wise woman." "In marrying you, father? I never heard her say so in her curtain lectures. Why didn't you say she was a brave woman?" "Don't be frivolous, child." "Cling to facts, father. Remember, you will soon be on the brink of the grave." "The second is for your innocence," said he, kissing her again. "The third--the third----" "Is for what, father? Say it's to encourage Caleb in his wooing. Say it, father." "'Tis my dying kiss--my curse. Go! When he drags you to want and death, you will see how foolish you have been." "When I lift him to honor and life the world will see how wise and heroic I have been. That extra kiss, father?" Noah looked puzzled. "I see it now, father. That's to commend my heroism. You would say so in words, but you are a bit too human at present. Poor Patsy is to be buried in a pauper's grave; poor Caleb in my affections. Your task is noble. No parting word for me? None? I go not alone." "You go not alone, for the fires of tribulation go with you," said Noah, and shouldered his spade. As Noah crossed the bridge leading to the potter's field he met Caleb.