Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-06-22

no other friend In all the vide world,
and now that he is sick and bed-rid-
den
'Haint he no money to leavel" ask
ed Hugh. "Seems to me I've heard
folks say that old Philemon Smith was
pretty middlin well off,
Agatha shook her head.
"Dear me, no! You forgot how long
he has been sick and helpless under the
doctors hands, Hugh. And-I
wouldn't tell any one but you, dear
but l think mother hasn't been near so
kind and forbearing with him since she
has 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-i1l-
arm, and took Moses Jefferson into
their confidence, as he wrestled with a
huge log of wood on the wood-pile at
the west end of the house.
Father, Hugh has thought of some
thing" chirped Agatha, as exultantly
as if thought were quite novelty to
Hugh Darwin.
GIVE got plan, SIR" said Hugh,
and straightway proceeded to unfold
it to him.
"We1l doit I" roared Moses, shifting
his thigh with prodigious laugh,
which echoed through the frosty twi-
light like war-whoop. Eyes, Hugh,
Wen do it sure as the worle. -
Mrs. Moses Jefferson was busy skim
ming her cream the next day, in the
clean cool little milk room, whose WIN
dows were netted with wire work, and
shaded with the yellow vine leaves
which yet hung to their stems, when
there was shrill jingle-jangle of dis
cordant bells in the road beyond She
dropped her skinner into the golden
depth of the jar of cream, and darted
bonnetless, and with her sleeves rolled
up above the elbow, across the door
yard.
cts rag man, or my name amt
Clarissa Jefferson - she thought exult-
antly.
And, sure enough there was portly
parsonage, with huge fur cap tipped
over his eyes, coarse, red pocket
handkerchief tied around the lower
part of his chin, and, furthermore, at
tired in long, rusty overcoat, whose
ragged skirts extended nearly to his
feet. He was propelling, by means of
his vigorous arms, little hand wagon,
surmounted with bells, and partly filled
with rags, bottles, cast off clothing, and
crumpled papers, and checked his
noisy career at once, as Mrs. Jefferson
breathlessly hailed him from her little
gate.
"D'ye buy old newspapers 2"
our housewife, in the shrillest
treble,
"Wa'al yes, onstin while, was the
deliberate answer "Have you got any
to sell ?"
Chow much dye give for 'em ?"
"Four cents a pound, ma'am."
"Well, lyon just wait half minute
I've got 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 emerged
from her sewing to help pile uncle
Philemon's dearly beloved file of an
cient newspapers into the wicker
clothes basket. Agatha demonstrated
no further-perhaps she had learned
the folly of entering into argument
with her mother; she only obeyed Mrs.
Jefferson's behest in silence. There
were several packets of 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 Oh with
streaming cap-frills and hawk-eyed
eagerness, to make sure that no sleight
of hand were practiced during the
momentous operation of weighing"
Now mind YOU" said she to the
ragman, 81 won't be cheated. u"
"Thirty nine pounds" ejaculared
the hero of the elongated coat-skirts,
as he swung the burden high in the air.
"call it forty' squeaked Mrs. JEFF
ferson, greedily eying the pile. " Forty
pound you didn't hitch 'em on true. ]"
"Wa'al we won't quarrel over an odd
pound, ma'am, you and | any way"
quoth the accommodating merchant,
"Lemme see," closing one eye in cal
culating manner, "forty pounds at four
cents comes to, four times ort is ont,
four times four-one dollar and sixty
cents. Here's your money, ma'am, and
hopin' you will gin me your custom
again" 49,.
agatha, what are you laughing at 2"
inquired her mother, as the bells
tangled noisily away down the quiet
road, over which the November mists
brooded ike haze of gold. Didn't
| see that impudent ragman a starin
at you, and you gigglin like any
school girl2 What do you s'pose Hugh
Darwin wonld think ont! Go back
This very mint