The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-12-06
The Missing Bonds.

1T WAS a genuine, old fashioned New
n England kitchen, wide, and cool, and
airy, with great wooden clock behind the
door, it's worn face embowered in q hazy
mist of asparagus boughs, and a floor as
white as if it were strewn with liles-a
room where the sunshine came, interweav-
ing itself through the morning glory vines
that hung their heart shaped leaves and
blue, transparent cups athwart the deep-set
windows And Miss Agnew herself, seated
in the splint-bottomod rocking CHAIR where
the hay scented breeze came i'll from field
and meadow, was no uniting representative
of the neat, methodical New England house
keeper of olden time, in her brown calico
dress and stifly brushed 'front curls."
Her very occupation savored of the house
wifely element she was preparing sunny
checked pears for preserving, and as, one
by one, the juicy quarters" dropped with
clink into the shining tin pan by her side
Miss Agnew beamed eontentedly down on
her work, proudly conscious that she was
fulfilling the whole duty of woman.
Close beside her sat a young girl of seven
teen, with limpid, wine-brown eyes, and
cheeks as bright as the piles of pink clouds
even now closing in around the fiery gates
of the September sunset Apparently she
was busted in removing the cores of the
fruit, but the swift, deft motion of her
hands was merely mechanical in reality
she was listening with a soft, shy smile
to the gay, rambling chat Of a tall young
man who leaned against the open doorway
deliberately selecting the rosiest and fairest
pears for his own private delectation.
$50 your worldly wealth troubles you.
does it, Aunt Hetty ?'' he demanded, after
minute or two of silence.
:" Trouble is-no word for it p sighed Aunt
Hetty, energetically darting the point of
her knife into plump, scarlet-flecked
"Duchesse'd" Angouleme. cit just
drives me distracted, James Mont-clair p
81 wouldn't own United States bonds,''
remarked James, mischievously. "Would
you, little Mabel?"
Mabers checks flushed pinker than ever,
at this direct address the long lashes drop
ped over her hazel eyes.
"I don't know, James," she answered,
SOFTLY 81 should like to be rich, like Miss
Agnew."
" Well, you needn't child" said Miss
Agnew, shortly. "The Bible talks about
the "deceitfulness of riches" and I'm sure
deceitfulness isn't the only drawback. I dc
declare, I'm sometimes tempted to put ii
all in the fire p
"You had a great deal better put it into
my pockets, Aunt Hetty."
"You see" went on Miss Agnew, with.
out needing her nephew's iareverent inter.
ruption, 81 took 'em down to the bank to
deposit--I thought there would be an END
of all care for me-and, don't you believe
they wouldn't give me the signof receipt
OF course wasn't going to leave my
bonds there for the benefit of The first de
faulting clerk that chose to cut and run. Sc
brought 'em home, and put 'em in box
under the garret floor, between the eros,
beams. And then thought of the rats
just suppose they shonld take my bonds fol
supper Gracious you may guess jump
ed out off bed pretty quick, midnight
though it was, when the idea popped int
my head. ThenI sewed 'em into an ole
stocking, and put 'em in my linen-chest
and couldn't rest night nor day, for fear
of fire.