Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-01

his noisy career at once, as Mrs. JEFF |
ferson breathlessly hailed him from
her little gate.
''DO YOU buy old newspapers"
shrieked our housewife, in the shril-
lest Of trebles.
"Wa'al, yes, onst in 8 WHILE" was
the deliberate answer. SCOT any TO |
seil?''
show much do you give for
themI"
-Four cents a pound, ma'am."
''Well, you just wait half min |
ute; I've got a pretty good mess on |
'em here I'd like to sell ye."
"All right, ma, am, said the trav-
elling merchant, balancing the shafts
Of his wagon against the fence. and !
burying his hands in his pocket.
''Bring 'em on"
And the next minute Agatha was
summoned from her sewing, 10 help
pile Uncle Philemon's dearly below
ed file of ancient newspapers into
the wicker clothes baskets. Agatha
demonstrated no further-perhaps
she had learned the folly of entering
into argument with her mother
She only obeyed Mrs. Jenerson's be-
hest ia silence There wers several
packets of the tine yellOwed old
papers, and more than one journey
back and forth was necessary before
the whole heap lay ON the turf by
the roadside. Mrs. Jefferson looked
on with streaming cap frills and
haw keyed eagerness, te make sure
that no defrauding sleights OF hand
were practieed during the monoto-
nous operation of weighing.
Now mind you," said she 10 the
rag man, al won't be cheated"
"Thirty-nine pOundsp calculated
the hero of the elongated coat
skirts, as he swung the burden high
in the air.
''Call it forty" squeaked Mrs
jefferson, greedily cycling the pile.
"FOrty pounds; yoH don't hitch 'em
on true"
"Wa'aI, We won't quarrel over an
odd pound, ma'am, you and l, any
way" quOth the accommodating
merchant. "Lemme see," closing
one eve in a calculating fashion,
''forty pounds at four cents comes
TO -foar times Ort is ort, four times
four-one dollar and sixty cents.--
Here's your money, ma'am, and no.
ping you'll gin me yOnr custom
agin."
Agatha, what are YOU laughing
at?" demanded her mother as the
bells tangled nOisily away down the
quiet road, over which the NOyeIn-
Der mists broOded like a haze OF
gold. Didn't i see that impudent
rag-man staring at you, and YOU gig
Cling like any schoOl-girlf What do
4 -. a
think If he was 20 hear On'tP Go
back to your work this minute"
And Agatha went, leaving her
mother to count up her gains, like
| feminine style OF miser in calico and
cap border.
il was drawing toward sunset the
| next afternoon; MIR. Jefferson and
Agatha had gone on some errand to
] the village a mile and a half distant
and Mrs. jefferson was alone In the
| kitchen, chopping apples for mince
pies, when Uncle Philemon's weak,
| piping voice made itself heard from
| the chamber above.
"Clarlssy, Clarissy."
| Mrs. Jefferson, with a smOthered
/ exclamation Of impatience, threw
down the chOpping knife, set aside
| the wooden tray, and ran up stairs
"Well," said she, with more ener-
gy than mildness, what's wanting
nOw?"
81 feel very poorly, Clarissy," !"
groaned the old man, who lay among
the white bed-elethes like a dread
yellow effigy. II think I'm draw
ing near to my end"
"Oh, no, you amt, Uncle Phile-
mon." said Mrs. jefferson secretly,
believing that no such good luck
/ was in store for her-"here drink
this"
She held some stimulating cordi-
al to his Tithered lips, but he feebly
shook his old white head.
'I'm a-dyin', Clarissy-medicine
amt no use TO me any longer, and i
want TO see my old newspapers once
again."
Mrs. Jefferson had been prepared
for some such demand. She stole
/ down stairs and brought up a neat
| pile of lIarper's Weeklies that she
! had borrowed sometime since of a
neighbOr 10 read in the evenings,
and study the pictures when she
1 was weary OF knitting.
sIIere they be, Uncle Philemon"
/ she said so0thingly.
The purbliRd old man put out his
| shaking hand, and felt the folds
Mrs. jefferson thought guiltiiy of
Door, old blind Isaac and Rebecca
| who deceived him tor Jacobs sake.
She had no such excuses to plead
Could she, too, hope for blessings.
eyes" mutlered Uncle Philemon,
eyes, take good care Os 'em nice
CIarissy, for there's a bit of paper
like a viii, under my pillow some
where, and Pve left 'em all to little
| Agatha. She's been kind, thought
full child TO the old man, and il will
help her and Hugh toward house
s'What will, uncle:'' eagerly grasp
ed Mrs. jefferson, leaning toward
him, more surely to catch the inco-
herently articulated words.
ssThe money. There's a bill laid
smooth between every fold, for lit
tie Agatha. hadn't no other place
| to put my money, and / knew it
would be safe there. It's for Aggie
and Hugh-that's what the viii
saws.
Mrs. Jefferson sat rigid and aghast.
And she had sold this precious pile
to an itinerant rag-man, for the pet
ty consideration Of four cents a
pound.
The old man, his one haunting
| secret OF his mind, seemed 10 drift
lpeaceably into a quiet sleep. Not
so with his niece by marriage. She
! sat by his bedside, pallid and de-
spairing, rocking herself to and fro
ever and anon, like one lowering on
the verge OF insanity. If she had
oulv been content to take the advice
OF Moses, her husband, or even TO
listen 10 Agatha's innocent plead
ings.
rushing down stairs, when at last
the familiar click of the front gate
latch sounded, announcing the re-
> turn of her daughter and husband
, ssPm worse than Jacob and Rebec'
! "a. Eve thrOwed away yonr birth
, yightl I've sold il for four cents q
/ mound TO q miserable cheating rag
nsu."