The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1870-12-22

was necessary before the whole heap lay
on the turf Ivy the roadside. Mrs Jeil
erson looked on with streaming cap,
frills aud hawk eyed earnestness, 10
make sure that no defrauding sleighis
Of hand were practiced during the mo-
mentous operation of "weighing.',
Now mind said she to the rag man
II won't be cheated
Thirty nine pound" calculated the
Of the elongated coat-skirt, as he
nx the burden high In the mir
all it forty squeaksd Mrsl Jetier-
W greedily .yeing the pile. "Forty
ss1sr nj; you didn't hitch 'em on true
al si' g Na'al we won't quarrel over an odd
'al e hd, ma am, you and l, any way,'
mis-, h the accommodating merchant
nine see,' closing one eye ~ cal
a.en. jug fashion, forty pounds at four
cents comes to four times ort Is ort, four
times rour-one dollar and sixty cents.
Hers's your money, ma'am, and hoping /
you will give your custom again.
Agatha, what are you laughing a.:'
demanded her mother, as the bells jan
gled noisily down the quiet road over
which the November m;sts brooded like
a haze of gold. Didn't l see that impu-
dent ragman a starin' at you and you |
giglin 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 minnt!'
And Agatha went, leaving her mother
to connt up her gains, like feminine
style Of n.ser, in calico and cape borders.
1t was drawing toward sunset the
next afternoon; Mr.. Jefferson and
Agatha had gone on some errand to the
village, n mile and a half distant, and
Mrs. Jefferson was alone in the kitchen
choppiny apples for mince pies, when
Uncle Philemon's weak, piping voice
made itself heard from the cham Der
above.
"Clari.sy, Clarissy!"
Mrs. Jefferson, with smothered ex-
clamation of Impotence threw down tho
choppiug knife, set aside the wooden
! Tray aui TAU
We'll" said she, with more energy
than mi!dncss, "whats wantin' now?'
81 feel very poorly, Clarissa,' 'groaned
the old man, who lay among the white
bed clothes like dried yellow ctligy.
II think I'm drawin' near my end.'
"Oh. no. you amt Uncle Philemon,'
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 wi,hered lips, but he feebly shook
his old white head.
I'm dyin, ClaIissy amt
no use TO me any longer, aud want I"
see my old newspapers once again y
Mrs. jefferson had been prepared for
some such demand. She stole down
stairs and brought up pile OF HdrpcT $
T,eIiies that she had borrowed some
time since of IA neighbor to read in tn"
evenings and study the pictures when
she was weary of knitting;
"Here they be, Uncle Philemon she
said, soo,hingly.
The purblind old man put out his sha-
king hand, and felt the folds, Mrs.
Jefferson thought gultily % poor old
hind Isaac. and who deceived him lor
Jacobs sake. She had no such excuse
to plead. Could she, too hope for a
blessing?
"Yes," muttered Uncle Philemon:
"vcs. take good care OF 'cm niece Clar'
is,y, for-there's bit OF paper like a
will under my pillow somewhere, ana
I've left 'em all to little Agatha. She :
been kind, thoughtful child to the old
man, and it ill help: her and Hugh
toward housekeepin':'
"What will, Uncle?' eagerly gasped
Mrs. jefferson, leaning toward him,
more surely to catch tho incoherently
ar,icuIated words.
"rhe money, There's will laid
smooth between every fold for little
agatha. | han't no other place t.
keep my money, and l knew it would
be safe there. rs for A5yle ano hugh
that's what the VIII says.
Mrs. Jefferson sat rigid and nghast
And she had sold this precious pile te
an i,inerant ragman for the petty con-
) sideration of four cent. a pound!
, The old man, his one haunting secre
> off hi. mind, seemed to drift peaceaD'y
, into a quiet sleep. Not SO bis niece D'
marriage. She sat by his bedside. pal
lid and despuiring, rocking herself t
I and fro ever and anon, like one hover
, ing on the verge of insanity. II sh'
lad only been content &c. take the advic
d of Moses her husband, or even isteh
>. Aga.ha's innocent p!eadings!
Q "Oh, my poor girl" she walled rush
, ing down stairs, when ut last the faml