Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1870-12-21
for Aggie and Hugh--that's what the

for Aggie and Hugh--that's what the
will says
Mrs. Jefferson sat rigid and aghast.-
And she had sold this precious pile to an
itinerant Tagman for the petty consider
alton of four cents a pound!
The old man, the one haunting secret
off his mind, seemed to drift peacsably
into a quiet sleep. Not so, his niece by
marriage. She sat by his bedside 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 Mos
es, her husband, or even listened 10
Agatha's innocent pleadingsi
'Oh, my poor girl" she walled rushing
down stairs, when at last the familiar
click of the froht-gate latch sounded,
announcing the return of her daughter
and husband. I'ms worse than Jacob
Und Rehecca I've thrOwed away your
birthTight. I've sold it for four cents a
pound to a miserable cheating Tagman!
What do you mean, Clarissy2 de-
manded her husband, staring at her in
open-mouthed establishment.
She wTung her hands hysterically to-
gether as she related the story.
4 could tear my hair out by the roots
when l think of my mad, selfish Jolly y
she cried.
Moses Jefferson looked gravely at his
daughter, who had stood listening in
perfect silence.
Take your mother into the house, my
dear" he said. Ill go over and see
Hugh Darwin about this business
Half an hour later, as Mrs. Jefferson
sat by the kitchen fire, still wringing
her hands and bemoaning herself, Mos
es walked in, escorting a figure in a
long-skirted coat, with q NANCY fur cap
tilted over its eyes, and its mouth tied
up in a red cotton pOcket-handkerchief.
why it's the Tagman = she ejaculat-
ed, springing to her feet with a little
cry.
And all of sudden the disguises drop
ped off and Hugh Darwin stood laugh
ing before her.
No, it amt the ragman, Mrs. Jeffer-
son, it's mep he cried, jovially. Aga
tha and l, we thought it was a shame
to sell the poor old mans boarded pa
pers, and he dyin' by inches, so I turn
ed ragman with Squire Jones's hand
barrow and the sleigh bells, and bought
'em myself, and they're all safe in the
garret chamber over home
And the money! gasped Mrs. Jeifer-
son.
The moneys all there-seven hundred
dollars cbimed in honest Moses, who
stood by, beaming with satisfaetion.-
And our little Aggie can get married
now whenever she likes. Hey, mother!
We Outwitted you arter all, didn't we?'
I never was so thankful for anything
in all my born daysp calculated Mrs.
Jefferson clasping his hands and sink
ing back into the cushioned rocker.
Uncle Philemon died very peacefully
that same night; in fact, he never en-
tirely wakened from the sleep into
which he had fallen when Mrs. Jeffer-
son sat by his side; and consequently
he never knew that his beloved treas
ures, with their precious incIosuTe of
bank-bills, had been bought and sold.
4 plain white head-stoDe Jeans above
his last Testing-palce now. Hugh and
Agatha Darwin are keeping house, as
happy as any crowned king and queen,
albeit their palace is nothing but little
brown cottage under the hill, and their
royal robes are but of calico and holden
gray. And Mrs. jefferson, the domes-
tic autocrat, is forced to admit that just
once in her life she was wrong.