Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-03-31
ONLY ON THE BOX.
" ANY one got a light ?"

"ANY one got a lightp
Here, my boy; 1 have. The best
matches III the world. Safest thing you
can"
What, those thiugsl Won't let them
near me. I'd have the patentees burnt
with fsgots of 'em. Why, l paid for
box of them, and Jessie paid, too, how
much much do ,y'u suppose' Out of a shop,
al can't tell, I'm sure; some fancy
price"
"Only fifty thousand pounds. I'll tell
you how. Wait, | can't give up my
smoke, even to crafty so Just a vendetta.
So for onceI'll use the ill-omened thing
remember the lost time used, or tried
TO use them-but you shall hear
You remember at the time when / and
Jessie were going on together, old Fox
berry, the millionaire; so he enjoyed the
credit of being called, though
without any claim to the title, as it proved,
for he had but seventy thousand pounds,
and millionaire, even by courtesy, ought
to show at least two or three hundred
thousand pounds. However, he took all
the airs, and enjoyed all the respect of
one, and, so far as he was concerned, it
came to the same thing, He really showed
great interest in our cooling and wooing
quite beyond what might be expected from
money grubber, such as he had been all
his life. The VIKING began on his side,
through my presenting him with pound
of the very choicest Turkish, which had
been sent. me as a present. He smoked
smoked. day and night, not like a chimney
which often has its fires banked up, but
like mountain of fire.
"Give me my pipe," he would say, TAX
ing rather selfish view of the cosmog
ony, and I don't care if the world turns
upside-down."
A rather weak logician once retorted on
him, But, my dear Mr.. Foxberry, if the
pipe must turn upside down with it,"
But Mr.. Foxberry had him in q mo-
ment.
say, sir" he roared, "if you had
taken the trouble to attend-I stipulate
for the quiet enjoyment of my pipe. You
like splitting hairs, sir, see"
could see that this old gentleman took
kindly interest in my love for Jessie.
Between huge clouds of smoke he grunted
out his appreciation.
Z" like you," he said, "Bob, and that's a
great deal Not SO well as my pipe, of
course; but more than my money. l like
you better than the greedy crew who are
hunting me for it, and who will find them
selves disappointed"
Every one, of course, good -naturedly
said that 1 was hunting him, which was
Tar from the truth, though own had the
air of it, and liked listening to his stories,
his grim remarks, and, l own, the
smoking some rare old cigars that he had
got from sea captain. / visited him
often when it suited me, took little
trouble about him, and at last got hint
from friendly solicitors clerk that my
name figured in Large caps" and in large
figures, too, in his testament The next
time old Foxberry was smoking hard, he
said to me:
"Why don't you name day9 Be bold
man alive. Pluck up, and don't stand
ehlllyshallying. You won't lose by 1t in
the end" he said significantly. 81 tell
you what" he said, I've got new box
of cigars over. Wen make little party
for drive to Three.cross Abbey. Get hel
to meet you there. Settle it all off youl
with it."
was enchanted. This, indeed, looked
like business. l wrote off hasty note tC
Jessie and her aunt telling them how
mach depended on their coming, and i'm
ploring them to attend. wrote also to 8
jeweler for a couple of little lockets, as
wanted to make a tender offering. / was
very happy and excited, Mr.. Foxberry
grew mere and more benignant.
There are pipes" he said, "that
knock about any way, and throw down
after l have smoked them. There art
others 1 take care of and put by carefully
You are good fellow, Bob. Will be {
capital smoker one of these days, and III
take care of you"
l thanked him cordially.
Well, the morning came, and the car
riage was actually at the door. Just then
the postman came in with two letters anC
little registered card dboard box. One
was from Jessie, saying that she was de
lighted to come. The other was from the
jeweler, saying that he sent me two
lockets, but that he wanted one back, " fol
a bridemaid's ordeI." The lockets wert
very pretty, and | admired them greatly
1t was hard to choose between them.
was in difficulty when Mr.. FoXberry de
cided me by roaring out from below thai
he was ready, that the cigars were in, anC
that we were losing the fine day. | haC
thus TO make hasty choice. So chose
one that seemed the most elegant, rolled i
up in silver paper, and packed it up in {
neat cardboard box. But how was | tC
send back the other locket? A capita
ideal There was matchbox on the
chimney piece which / emptied, packed
away the locket in it, and sealed the box
in white notepaper, tying 1t round will
tape.
"You," / said to a handful of thu
matches "must not set the house on fire
and will be of use in my waistcoat pocket.
And there deposited them.
My reverend friend, little out OF hu
NOR, was still calling for me- l CAM
down with many apologies, and away VI
Rafora pTa had 0nf a quarter 0f
mile, he called out:
"Hallol just like me. Forgotten m.
fusee-bOx. Drive back at once"
"Stop, sir" / said, smiling, u hay
thought of that !" and pulled out mattel
from my pocket. He would have hugge,
me for this foTethOught. He said
showed such a true smoking instinct
certainly did.
tJust fancy" he said, holding up hi
cigar; 81 should have let this out, an
where should have been then? We don
pass village or even cottage on the roa
TO Three.crJss Abbey; and there's not
house within miles of it, Or else" h
added, rehectively, must have gone o.
ner. tell you solemnly, think / shoHl
die il | lost my after-dinner smoke"
l was a little facetious on this, maxim
imaginary plans as to how the sacred fiji
might have been kept in, or propagated
making the coachman keep 1t alive durin
dinner, and the man servant during th
coac hman's dinner, and | relieving both
But only think of the risk" he sale
Suppose the cigar got choked. or the fe
low got drunk, and let it go out. VIII
would become OF me thenY declare"
said, with ferocity, "Pd have the fsllo
broke and dismissed I'd work hesve
and earth to punish him"
"Quite right" said, laughing. Z" Bl
am happy TO save the poor fellow fro
such fate"