Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-11-18

She only obeyed Mrs. Jefferson's be
hest in silence. There were sever.
al packets of the time-yellowed old
papers, and more than one journey
back and forth was necessary before
the whole heap lay on the turf by
the roadside. Mrs. Jefferson look
ed on with streaming cap-frills and
hawk-eycd eagerness, to make sure
that no defrauding Sights Of hand
were practiced during the momen-
tous operation Of 'weighing.'
Now, mind you,' said she to the
ragman, 4 won't be cheated!'
'Wirty-nine poundn calculated
the hero of the elongated coat-skirts,
as he swung the burden high in
air.
Call it forty!' squeaked Mrs. JEFF
ferson, greedily eyeing the pile.
Forty pound; you didn't hitch 'em
on true
Wa'al, we won't quarrel over an
odd pound, ma'am, you and ], any
way quoth the accommodating mer-
chant. 'Lemme see,' closing one
eye in a calculating fashion, forty
pounds at four cents comes to-four
times ort is ort, four times four
one dollar and forty cents. Here's
your money, ma'am, and hopin'
you'll gin me your custom agin.'
Agatha, what are YOU laughing
at?' demanded her mother, as the
bells tangled noisily away down the
quiet road, over which the Novem-
Der mists brooded like blaze of
gold. Didn't see that impudent
ragman a-starin at you, and you gig
glin' like any school girl? What
do you S pose Hugh Darwin would
think if he was to hear ont? Go
back to your work this very minitr
And Agatha went, leaving her
mother to count up her gains, like
a feminine style Of miser, in calico
and cap-bordcrs.
1t was drawing toward sunset the
next afternoons; Mr.. Jefferson and
Agatha had gone on some errand to
the village, Il mile and a half dis
tant, and Mrs. Jefferson was alone
in the kitchen, chopping apples for
mince-pies, when Uncle Philcmon's
weak, piping voice made itself heard
from the chamber above
'Clarissy, Clarissy!'
Mrs. Jefferson, with a smothcred
exclaimtion of impatience, threw
down the chopping-knife, set aside
the wooden tray, and ran up stairs.
w ell said she, with more encr-
gy than mildncss, whats wantin'
now?:'
4 feel very poorly, Clarissy,'
groancd the old man, who lay among
the white bcd-clothes like dried
yellow etfigy. L think I'm drawin'
near my end
'Oh no, you amt, Uncle Philc-
mon,' said Mrs. Jefferson, secretly
believing that no such good luck
was in store for her. Here, drink
this
She held some stimulating cordial
to his withered lips, but he feebly
shook his old white head.
Pm a dyin', Clarissy-medicine
amt no use to me any longer, and |
want to see my old newspapers once
agin.'
Mrs. Jefferson had been prepared
for some such demand. She stole
down stairs, and brought up a neat
pile Of Holper's Ueehiies, that she
had borrowed some time since of
neighbor to read in the evenings,
and study the pictures when she
was weary Of knitting.
Here they be, Uncle Philemon
she said, soothinsly.
The purblind old man put out his
shaking hand, and felt the folds.
Mrs. Jefferson thought guilty Of
poor old blind Isaac, and Rcbccca
who deceived him for Jacobs sake.
SIZE had no such excuse to plead.
Could she, too, hope for a blessing?
yes muttercd Uncle Philemon;
yes, take good care Of 'cm, niece
Clarissa, for-thcre's bit of Il pa
per like will under my pillow
somewhere, and Eve left 'em all to
little Agatha. She's been a kind,
thoughtful child to the old man, and
it'll help her and Hugh toward
houSekecpin'
Whit will, uncle::' eagerly gasp
ed Mrs. Jefferson, leaning toward
him, more surely to catch the inco-
herently articulatcd words.
'Thc money. There's a bill laid
smooth between every fold for little
Agatha. | hadn't no other place to
keep my money, and knew it would
be safe there. It's for A.gie and
IIugh-that's what the will says
Mrs. Jefferson sat rigid and
aghast. And she had sold this pre-
cious pile to an itinerant ragman
for the petty consideration of four
cents Il pound!
The old man, his one haunting
secret off his mind, seemed to drift
peaceably into quiet sleep. Not
so his niece by marriage. She sat
by his bedside palid and despairing,
rocking herself to and fro ever and
anon, like one lowering on the verge
of insanity. If she had only been
content to take the advice of Moses,
her husband, or even listen to Aga
tha's innocent pleadings!
'Oh, my poor girl she walled,
rushing down stairs, when at last
the familiar click of the front gate
latch sounded, announcing the re-
turn of her daughter and husband.
I'm worse than Jacob and Rebecca.
I've thrown away your birth-right.
Eve sold it for four cents a pound
to miserable, cheating ragman.
what do you mean, Clarissy"
demanded her husband, staring at
her in open-mouthed astonishment.
She wIung her hands hysterically
together as she related the sad story.
Il could tear my hair out by the
roots when think of my mad, self
ish follyn she cried.
Moses Jefferson looked grave!y
at his daughter, who had stood lis
tening in perfect silence.
Take your mother into the house,