The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-11-05


had got at Wisc's-every day some lit.
tie thing served to cement the friend
ship which gave to each companion
who did not mortify him: and they be-
came inseparable, Joe taking Kiah to
the little shed where he spent his nights
and making him an equal partner in
business during the day.
The next time Joe came to be set up
he gave Mr.. Wise knowing wink and
said mystcriously: tDon't you 90 buy
in no bres' pin to wa'ar to dc weddin',
Mas Tom
"Why not, Joe =
s'Cos amt no use in two bres' pins,an
dar amt no tellin' what mout happen
fore dat weddin' come off,
Mr.. Wise laughed, but he had no
! premonition that Joe had entered into
a successful negotiation for the grocer
execrable crescent, and the shock was
therefore unbroken when on the even
ing of his marriage Joe entered his
dressing room and presented it to him
with an air Of pride so pitiful that it
would have made woman cry.
Tom was fully as much surprised as
Joe had anticipated, and affected TO be
as greatly delighted and when he .had
completed his toilet of faaltlessly quiet
tone he pinned the horrible thing in
his shirt bosom, and thanked Little Joe
for the gift with all the gracious cour-
tesy of his fine nature.
Mr.. Wise was to s'stand" with a
friend of his sisters who was a guest in
the house, and, as they fancied them
selves very much in love with each
other, they had agreed to meet in, the
parlor an hour before that appointed
for the ceremony. that they might en-
ioy a quiet tete-d-tete before the assem-
bling Of the guests. Having finished
his toilet, he accordingly went down,
and was soon joined by the lady.
| They lromenaded up and down the
parlors, and again and again her eyes
rested curiously on the pin, but she
made no allusion to it till her feelings
had become entirely irresponsible,
when she interrupted him in the mid
die of sentence to inquire what on
earth it was, and where he got it, and
why he wore it.
Then he sat down by her side, with
lace curtains shimmering in the twi-
light, and long mirrors rejecting ala
baster vases and oil paintings, and the
air heavy with the perfume of flowers.
and told her about Little Joe-of his
shapeless feet and forlorn life, his
empty pocket and grateful heart. And
she agreed that it must be dreadful to
be so poor and deformed, and all that.
and of course he ought to be grateful,
but really she thought Mr.. Wise rather
morbid in his philanthropy when he
could wear that brass moon before five
hundred people only to please little
deformed negro.
"Perhaps you do not understand,
said Tom, gently, shat l have giver
Joe permission to witness tie ceremony
Il believe told you that he was the
personal property of my mother. ane
a favorite with herr and he will Ger
tainly know whether | wear this pir
that his has worked for, and gone il
debt for, and probably starved himsel
for. Will there be any one here---sav'
yourseif-whose laugh dread enough
to induce me to mortify and disappoini
him -
SIT will make us both ridiculous,
said she, haughtily.
Tom quietly unfastened the pin ant
placed it in his vest pocket, and with i
. disappeared Miss Annans prospect o
becoming Mrs. Wise, enviable as sh
deemed the position.
II have no right to include you il
my sacrifice, if sacrifice there be, sail
he with grave courtesy, and referred
no more to the matter but as soon a
he could leave her he sought his sister
and requested that, the honor OF stand
ing with Miss Amman might be confer
red on Mr.. Marshall, and himself allow
ed to take Mr.. Marshall's partner, sh
being little girl on whose pluck an
good nature he could alike rely. Hi
sister had no time to enter into partic
ulars, but made the desired change, an
Mr.. Wise said to Miss AMMAN, 81 coult
not sacrifice you, SO l have sacrificed
myself, and am volunteer in the nosl
army Of martyrs.
When, however, as the bridal corteg
passed through thu hall, he saw 10
nudge a fellow-servant with his elbo,
and point out the pin, he felt repaid
though Miss Amman was holding he
head very high, indeed.
The next morning Little Joe came b
the office: ssWhat did de folks So
bout yo' bres'pin, Mas Tom?''
"Say! Why they did not kno'
what to say, Joe. They coul,
not take their eyes of me. That pi'
knocked the black out of everythin
there. The bridegroom couldn't boil
a candle to me-" said Mr. Wise; an
! Joe laughed aloud with delight. 'Di
they give you your support"
=, did dat, Mas Tom; an / TUX HON
= SNOWFALL an orange to Kiah." sal
!, Little Joe.
a Late on the evening Of the same da
d Nj. Wise was about leaving his oftit
d when Little Joe himself appeared. sol
It bing bitterly, tears streaming down b
Y face: "Oh, Lordy. Mas Tom! u
It Lordyr'
Laps