The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-03-14
COUPON BONDS.
From the Atlantic Monthly. I

, fortunate owners Of the lost bonds retired
D to the luxurious chamber Laura gave them,
and lay awake all night groaning, and sigh
ing, wondering and surmising, and Il re-
t greet to add blaming each other So true
IL is, that modern convenience, hot and
water all over the house. pier glass, and
the most magnificent canopied couch avail
nothing to give tranquility to the harrassed
mind Hitherto the Ducklows had felt
4 great satisfaction in the style their
daughter, by her marriage, was enabled to
support. To brsg II her nice house and
two servants was almost as good as pos
sessing them Remembering her rich DIN
ing,room and silver service and porcelain,
they we're proud. Such things were enough
for the honor of the family; and, asking
nothing for themselves, they slept well in
their humbleet Of bedchambers, aud slipped
[ their tea contentedly out of clumsy earth
ern. But that night the boosted style
in which their 'darter' lived was less APP
precisted than formerly; fashions aud
Isplendor we're no longer a consolation.
II we had only given the three thousan'
dollars to, Reuben! said Ducklow, driving
homeward with countenance as long as a
whip-lash. "Twould have just set him up,
and been some compensation for his suffer
+ ms and losses gOin' to the war
Wal, had no objections replied Mrs
Ducklow. Il always thought he ought to
have the money eventooally. And, as Miss
IBeawick said, no doubt it would'a been ten
times the comfort to him now. But you
didn't seem wilin' y
And they expstiated on Reuben's merits,
and their benevolent intentions towards
him, and, in inauguration endowed him
With the price Of the bonds over and over
again; 50 easyis it to be generous with
lost money
But it's no use talkin' said Ducklow,
I've not the least idee we shall ever the
see tbs color, o'them bonds again. If they
was stoe to the bank, can't prove any
thing st does seem strange to me, Mrs.
Ducklow replied, that you should have no
more gumption than TO trust the bonds
with strangers, when they told you in so
many words they wouldn't be responsible
If you have flung that in my teeth once,
you have fifty times And Duckiow lash
ed the old mare, as if che, and not Mrs.
Ducklow, had exssperated him
Wal. ssid the lady, 4 don't see how
we're going to work to find 'em, nov there
LOST without letting it be known we had
bought EN-.
i been thinkin' about that, said her
husband Oh dear! with groau, wish
the pesky cowpon bonds had never been in
vented =
They drove first to the bank, where they
of course were told that the envelope had
not been united there. Besides, it was
sealed, wasn't is 2 said the cashier In
deed ! He expressed great surprise when
informed that it was not 1T sh ould have
been: supposed any child would know
enough to look for THAR
Aud this was all the consolation Duck
low could obtain
just az OK pected, said Mrs Ducklow,
as they resumed their journey. / just as
much believe that man stole your bonds as
that you trusted 'em in his hands in an I'M
sealed wrapper! Beats ALL how you could
be so careless!
'Wel wal Is'pose | never shall hear
the last ou'tn
And again the poor old mare had to suf
fer for Mrs. DuckIow's otfenses.
They had but cue hope now,-that per-
haps Taddy had tempered with the envel-
ope, and that the bonds might be found
somewhere about the house. But this hope
was quickly entinguisLed on their arrival
Taddy, being accused, protested his inno-
cence With vehemence which convinced
even MIR. DuckloE that the cashier was
probably the guilty party.
'Unless, said he somebody got into the
house that morning when the little scamp
ran off to ride with the minister
'Oh, don't lick me for that I've been
licked for that once han't ma Ducklow?'
shrieked Taddy.
4 don't see any way left but to adver-
tise, as Josiah said, remarked the farmer,
with deep sigh Of dependency.
And thst'll bring it all out = exclaimed
Mrs. Ducklow. If you only hadn't been
SO imprudent =
Wal, wal! said Ducklow, cutting her
short.
Before resorting to public measures for
the recovery Of the property, it was deem
cd expetiient to acquaint their friends with
their loss in private way. The next day
accordingly, they went to pay Reuben a
visit. 1t was g very different meeting from
that which took place few mornings be-
fore. The returned colder bad gained in
health, but not in spiEita The rapture of
reaching home once more, the flush of hope
ehlu Hdppt4Sss HSu p4as6u away Will the
Wis tiers who had fCcked to offer their con
gratuations. He had had time to reflect;
but now every moment reminded him how
soon that home would be taken from him.
| lie looked at his wife and children, and
clencbed his teeth herd to stifie his emo
! tions, that arose at the thought Of the fu-
4 ture. The sweet serenity, the faith patience
and cheerfulness which never ceased to il,
lumine Sophrouiaa face as she moved
about the house, pursuing her daily task,
and tenderly waiting upon him, deepened
st once his love aud his solicitude He was
watching her thus when the Ducklows en-
| tered with countenances mournful as the
grave
How are you getting along, Reuben p
said Ducktaw, while his wife murmured a
solemn good morning, TO Sopnronia.
u am doing we'll enough don't be at all
concerned abont me! 1t amt pleasant to
lie here and feel it may be months, and
months, before I'm able to be about my bu
eiuess but | wouldut mind it, could
stand it first rate Il could stand any thing,
but to see her working her life out for me
and the children! To no purpose, either
that's the worst of it. We shall have to
lose this place, spite of fste!'
Oh, Reuben said Sophronia, Fastening
to him, and laying her soothing hands up
on his hot forehead : why wont you stop
thinking about that? Do try to have lit
tie more faith We shall be taken care Of
Pin sure =
If had three thousand dollars,-yes, or
even two,-then I'd have faith' said Reu-
ben. Miss Beswick had proposed to send
a subscription paper around town for US
but I'd rather die than have it done. Be-
sides nothing like that amount could be
ralsed, I'm confident. You needn't groan
co, Pa Ducklow, for AMT limiting at you.
| don't expect you to help me out of my
tzou6le If you'd felt called upon to do it,
you'd have done it before now and don't
r:k' don't beg OF hny body added the SOL
. die- proudly