Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-04-10
THE LOST RECEIPT.
by n. A. DENIsON.

"And So" said Aunt Annice, "t:la
receipt was never found"
Debby was putting at the fire, an
We girls were half blinded by smoke
but Aunt Annice mamdered sOftl,
on. 49,
II really believe that's the hundretl
time she's told thai story since cam
from school," said little Beck, winkin,
as she passed me. "POOr old allnty
Oh, you careless ancestor Of -O,lrs!
continued Beck, shaking her clenclie<
fist at the portrait of an ancient gentle
man in q wig that decorated our ives
wall, over whose Roman nose tn
paint had been cracking for over fort,
years; what did you go and lose il
fort" s~.
Sure enough, what did lie 60 an(
lose it for!
Aunt Annicc, absorbed in molrnfu
recOllectiOns, shook her head over the
fire, and as the little pug at the back
Of her head, which generally did duty
for chigson, had uncOiled itself, and
her dear old nose was very Roman in
deed, the effect was uncOmmOllly fun
ny. Little Beck caught sight of il
and laughed in hearty pantOmime.
l think Aunt Annice felt the loss OF
the property and the consequent pow.
erty that had come upon US more than
we did. She had harped upon it ever
since we children had been old enough
to listen.
"Catcll me to blow the old fire after
this fashion if that money could he
found!" cried Debby, springing to her
feet, her face decorated with several
small patches of SCOT. II think it's
downright ilorrid to be poor, therc!"
stamping her little foot, which was
pretty, even in it's patched shoe.
"We'd order palace at once, }" little
Beck said, s0othingly; "and wouldn't
every room be warm! Don't talk to
me about cold rooms bein., best for
ones health. and all that. Don't l
know how it isl Did we ever have a
scant supply Of pudding but .dear
mamma said 7Pudlling isn't healthyT"
"Well, sire meant too much of It,"
responded Debby, in whose presence
it was not safe to cast the most limo
cent aspersion upon the darling head
of the house hold.
Zig there such thing as having too
much OF what one needs Z" 'murmured
little Beck, DREAMY. III tell you
what, girls, 1nf going to write a poem
one OF these days, and it won't be Oh
the blessings of adversely"
lit does tend to make people unset,
fish, l think" echoed Debby.
"Make! Who wants to be made to |
dc things!" and little Beck tossed her
cnrls till the sun seemed to burn it's
gold into them.
"We're all miserable creatures
muttered Aunt Annice, as she folded
her thin hands one over the other and
looked from the window. "Girls,
haven't You got smoke here {"
''Havc had" said Debby; "butr-
otis taken itself wings, as our for.
tune did," laughed little Beck
"It was the last thing your poor
grandfather said on his dying bed,n
and Aunt Annice took up the thread
bare old theme; 'Annicc, I'm so glad
that mortgage is all paid up! every
cent, every CENT? And lie wasn't a
man to say thing was done if it
wasn't. l always declared that John
Nudge would git come up with fort,
but he don't seem tO-nOt vet. Meb.
by he thought he was doing right
"Dont say that, Aunt Annice; don't
make the least allowance for that :
wicked man. 10 sec him living in our
dear old home!" Is
Debby laughed. Little Beck turned
round sharply and looked at her.
"ltS so c0mical to hear YOU saw !.
that when we never lived in it," was
the explanatory answer.
"No matter, it ought to be ours, and
the Mudges know it. Dick Nudge
you needn't look that way, Miss Deb 3
by, you know he'd give the whole farm =
or a smile from yOll-hc always looks :,
'hcepish when he sees lis, and it's a !
'ity, for Dick is handsome. a
81 wouldn't mind going to singing IL
'clool with him if it wasn't for the old p
'rldge. AS it is, they're quite out Of a
'ur circle; but do have the sweet op-
.crtunity Of looking them sauarcly III III
he face in church, if nowhere else. and 10
my eyes don't tell them what think ~
I them, then one might as we'll he -
'lin.l.' 81
30 little Beck; in churcl!n cried q
)cbby, with all the vigUr Of an italic
reclamation point. GLOW you do run !,
ny" Il
"We1!, don't Dick look at other III
Olks in chIlch?" m
This Was turning the tables. Debby =
remembered that it was al 81
iost time to get dinner, and, frown- g
ig and laughing went out of the I'll
)Om. th
It was not far from New Years Day. y
o Snow had fallen, and the old vii uC
&c gossips predicted an open winter. al
We had tried to lay III full supply
coal, but, as usual, the money was SO
ctdcd for something else, and we tel
ere burning sore green wood. Of al
hicl we had bought a few feet. OF I'M
'ursc, being girls, VIC were always iel
nvising ways and means ALWAYS III
aking crOchet-work to sell, orlknit. re
Dg tides, or doing machine Sc wing. ~
= Debby and had bought a mach. go
c together, but 10 all We could We ~
l!y kept the wolf from the door. 4
Added to this, Aunt Annicc hail IA. gu
entity instilled into our souls that we ~,
VI been wrongcd. Grandfather Bar OF