Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1870-06-30
EATON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JUNE 80, 1870.

of gloves and half dozen white hand
kerchiefs, with colored borders, then as
many sets of plain linen collars and cuffs
of different shapes-and thought as I
laid these in, how Mrs. FPS delicate sense
of lady-like neatness would enjoy wear
ing them-next a pair of very best
double -soled CATERS, over these a pearl
colored dress pattern-sixteen yards of it
THAT the man bought it of assured me
| was of excellent quality, and on top of
all, the new hat, the crowning gift, and fit
summit to this monument of affection
reared in grateful recognition of a wife's
devotion and love.
On the cover of the box laid an un-
sealed envelope, addressed to Mrs. John
| Flakewhite, Present." containing the fol-
lowing note:
| '' VIII my dear wife accept from her husband the
accompanying box and its contents, and still con-
| tinue to oblige the giver, by remembering that
/ articles she has fairly and honestly earned
| them, by her habits of prudence, economy and
/ cheerful labor, under circumstances that render
these qualities truly valuable Also, as the
articles in question may wear out and utterly dsap-
and snewn to Children, erand-chiidren. and their
children, as perpetual honor to her remem-
it, that they may be urged 10 keep forever in the
| family the virtues which it represents and Illus
trates, and that the daughters may each In turn
merit such memorial from, and prove herself to
be indeed crown to- her ! hgsSs1di 9S1I /,
Having placed the box and letter on the
table, where Mrs. F. would be sure to see
| it in the morning as soon as she got up, l
stole back again into bed, and-unusual
thing for me-actually wished for day
light. -,A
In the morning woke early, as indeed
did nearly every hour during the night,
fearing to oversleep, and at once glanced
at the little table, where all, as yet, was
| just as I left it, and lay quietly awaiting
the discovery of the box by Mrs. Flake
white-which could not now be long. de-
| layed-when should feign the profound
est slumber. In little while she moved,
and seeing me, as she supposed, fast asleep,
quietly arose, and, just as had hoped,
and saw through half closed eyelids-she
noticed the box at once, walked towards
it, read the address to herself on the let
ter, and with smile of wonder and Gu
riosity, opened it, and watched her read
| it slowly to the very end.
Now it was my turn to be surprised, for
I had expected that her natural female
curiosity would already have been hard
at work diving into the box, and her little
| fingers would have explored to the very
| last parcel in it /; but, no-she actually
| dropped into chair by the table, and
| without SO much as touching the box, cov-
cred her face with her hands, sobbing
convulsively, while tears commenced
coming thick and fast, trickling through
| her fingers onto the letter that lay in her
lap.
I saw at once that it would never do to
| let this thing go on, and besides, q lump in
my own throat, that grew there in the
most sudden manner, warned me that it
was quite time to wake up; so with
would-be sleepy. yawn, and very de-
eidedly sheepish face-only that fortunate
| " for me MRS. F. didn't see that-I sat up
in bee, and as nothing more appropriate
| for this unlocked for turn of affairs sug-
gested itself to me, simply said:
"Why, Mrs. Flakewhitel"
She looked up at me, and smiled
through her tears-and if did not see
a distinct rainbow shining in front of her
face it was because my own eyes were
decidedly misty for the moment-and she
came. around to my side of the bed, and
putting her arm around my neck, managed
to say, between great gasping sobs-
"John, dearl you are-entirely too
good-to me-that-letterIis the incest
epresent-I ever had-in all my life-I do
thank you hundred times for whatever
is in the box-but that letter has made
me so happy-I will treasure it so long
as live" and off she went again-sob-
bing as hard as ever.
We soon gained our composure-for
must confess that such happy tears we're
contagious, and I had myself a slight at
tack-and while / dressed, Mrs Flake
white fully equaled my expectations IN
her delight at what the box contained.
She put on her best dress to give full
effect to her new magnifcence, everything
fitted exactly, and with nice shawl she
already had, thrown over her shoulders,
and the new hat poised gracefully on her
head, making an oval frame around her
sweet face, charmingly colored with plea
sure and excitement, it was now my time
not to tire of looking at her, as l put her
through her PAGES up and down the room,
not forgetting glance at the new galters
| as they tripped In and out, when sudden
| ly she stopped, and looking me straight
| in the eyes, said, "JohnI these beautiful
things cost a great deal of money, and
now 1 am waiting for you to tell. me
where it all came from, for l know you
didn't borrow, and am just as sure you
didn't hGos it."
| advanced on an order for large picture
| like my last one, that you know l sold, -
said 1, trying to look Indifferent and un-
concerned, and being conscious at the
same time of making wretched failure
| of it.
"Ohl you sly old fellow, to keep such a
splendid secret from me ever since yester-
day morningi How did you dare go to
sleep with all that on your mind, and
these collars and hsndkerchiefs- and new
dresses and hats all the while tucked away
| in some dark corner. l wouldn't have
believed it of your
The incidents above related happened
several years ago, and, by the kindness of
my purchaser, through him was enabled
/ to obtain other orders from friends
and acquaintances, and now-thanks to a
kind public-have no difficulty in dispos-
ing of what am able to produce. The
greater part of Mrs. Flakewhite.s laugh
| ing prophecy has become a reality, and
Mary Flakewhite, aged three years, will
soon be old enough to have shown TO her
the letter, which her mother keeps safely
laid away among her greatest treasures ;
only few days ago Mrs. Flakewhite sent
her running into my studio with "see,
papa, seer wearing over her bright curls
| the original ''brown hat with pearl color
ed ribon, last years style" that was so
intimately connected with my change OF
fortune, while she herself stood at the
door, looking as cheerful and, If possible,
more charming than she did on the event
full day when she last wore 1t, while she
said, smilingly, "John, dear, do you re-
member that hRt?"
Hon. JOHN o. COLE, of Albany, N. Y.
has resigned the Office of Police Justice
of that city, after having held it fol
nearly As years. He was first elected tC
the position in 1925, and has held il
ever since, with the exception of the
seven years, between 1888 and 1916. Wha