Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-11-11

. WlLD
no other friend in all this wide world,
and now that he is sick and bedrid-
den"
ssHain't he no money to leave?', ask
ed Hugh. ''Se6ms to me I've heard
folks say that old Philomen Smith was
pretty middlin' well off,
Agatha shook her head.
"Dear me no! You forget how LONG
he has been sick and helpless under
the doctors hands, Hugh And-I
wouldn't tell any one but YOU. dear
but think mother hasn't been nearly
so kind and forbearing with him since
she made up her mind that his little
store of money was all spent,
Hugh and Agatha talked together
long and earnestly, and then they
strolled across the quiet fields, arm-in-
arm, and took Noses Jefferson into
their confidence, as he wrestled with a
huge log of wood on the wood-piIe, at
the west end of the house.
Father, Hugh-has thought of some
thing!'' chiEped Agatha, as exuItantIy
as if thought were quite a novelty to
Hugh Darwin.
I've got a plan, Sir" said Hugh,
and straightway proceeded to unfold
it.
.'We'n do it ~ roared Moses. shifting
his thigh, with a prodigfous laugh,
which echoed through the frosty tWi-
light like war hoop. eyes, Hugh,
Wen do it, sure's the world -
Mrs. Moses Jefferson was busy skim
ming her cream The next day, in the
clear, cool little miIkroOm, whose win
dows were netted with wire-work, and
and shaded with the yellow vine leaves
which vet hung % their stems, when
there was a shrill jingle-jangle of dis
cordant bells in the road beyond. Mrs.
jefferson dropped her skinner into
the golden depths of the jar of cream,
RI fnd hrNv ~ Z, h,
sleeves rolled up above the elbow,
across the doOr-yard.
'It's a ragman, or my name amt
CIar1ssa Jefferson ~ she thought, exul-
family.
And, sure enough, there was a portly
parsonage with a huge fur cap tipped
over his eyes, a coarse red pocket
handkerchief tied round the lower part
of his chin, and furthermore attired in
a long rusty overcOat, whose ragged
skirts extended nearly to his feet. He
was propelling, by means of his vigor-
GUS arms, a little hand-wagon, sur
mounted with bells, and partially fill
ed with rags, bottles, cast-of clothing,
and erumpled papers, and checked his
noisy career at once, as Mrs. Jefferson
breathlessly hailed him from her little
gate.
"D'ye buy old newspapers ?'' shrek
ed cur housewife, in the shrillest of
trebles.
"Wa'al, yes, onst in a WHILE" was
the deliberate answer. SCOT any to
sell ?''
Glow much dye give for 'em ?"
''Four cents pound, ma'am."
"Well, you jest wait half minnit;
I've got a pretty good mess on 'em here
I'd like to sell ye.'
''All right, ma'am," said the travel
ing merchant, balancing the shafts of
his wagon against the fence, and bury
ing his hands in his pockets. 'Bring
'em on"
And the next minute Agatha was
summoned from her sewing to help
pile Uncle Philemon's dearly beloved
file of anciet newspapers into the wick
er clothes basket. Agatha remOnstra-
ted no farther-perhaps she had learn
ed the folly of entering into argument
with her mother; she only obeyed Mrs.
J Jederson's behest in silence. There were
several 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
road side. Mrs. Jefferson looked on
with streaming cap-frills and hawk
eyed eagerness, to make sure that no
defrauding sleights of hand were prac-
ticed during the momentous opera
ton of weighing"
'fNow mind you,'' said she to the
=
. t'IhiTty-nine pNund 20 calculated the
hero of the eIo1gated coat-skfrts. as he
swung the burden high in air.
''Call it forty ~ squeaked Mrs. JEFF
ferson, greedIly eying the pile. "Forty
pound you didn't hitch 'em on true"
t'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, na'am
and hopin' you'll gin me your custom
agin."
s'Agatha, what are you laughing at?''
demanded her mother, as the bells jan
gled noisily away down the quiet road,
over which the November mists brood
ed like haze of gold. "Didn't 1 see
that impudent ragman a-starin' at you,
and you gigglin' like any schoolgirl?
What do you s'pose Hugh Darwin
would think if he was to hear ont ?
Go back to your work this very min
nit !"
And Agatha went, leaving her moth
er to count up her gains, like femin-
inc style of nliser, in calico and cap
borders.
1t was drawing toward sunset the
next afternoon; Mr.. Jefferson and
Agatha had gone on some errand to the
village, a mile and half distant, and
Mrs. Jefferson was alone in the kitchen,
apples for mince-pies, when
Uncle Philemon's weak, piping voice
made itself heard from the chamber
above.
''Clarissy, Clarissy -
Mrs. Jefferson, with a smothered
ofimpatienee. threw down
the chopping knife, set aside the wood
en- tray, and ran up stairs.
ftVVa1l - said she. with more 6n6F0V
than mildness, whats wantin' now?''
81 feel very poorly, Clarissy,'' groan-
ed the old man, who lay among the
white bed-clothes like a dried yellow
efigy. 81 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 withered lips, but he feebly shook
his old white head.
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
HdTpeF'S WeekLieS that she had borrow
ed some time since of neighbor to
read in the evenings, and study the
pictures when she was weary of knit
ting.
s'Here they be, Uncle Philemon"
she said, soothingly.
The purblind old man put out his
shaking hand, and felt the folds. Mrs.
jefferson thought guiltily of poor old
blind Isaac, and Rebecca VINO deceived
him for Jacobs sake. She had no such
excuse to plead. Could she, too, hope
for a blessing?
- eyes" muttered Uncle Philemon
eyes, take good care of 'en, niece CIar-
issa, for-there's bit of paper like a
will under my pillow somewhere, and
I've left 'em all to little Agatha. She's
been a kind, thoughtful child to the
ola man, and it IL help her and Hugh
toward housekeepin'!
g What will, uncle ?'' eagerly gasped
Mrs. Jefferson, leaning toward him,
more surely to catch the incoherently
articulated words.
1.-THE money. There's a bill laid
smooth between every fold for little
Agatha, 1 hadn't no other place to keep
my money, and I knew it would be
safe there. It's for Aggie and Hugh
that's what the will says"
Mrs. Jefferson sat rigid and aghast.
And she had sold this precious pile to