Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-10-24

it, and seeing what we have, and what it's
worth urged, loath to give up any ghost
of a chance. I'VE may do that, mayn't
we. John 2"
"Of course. That is thing YOU must
do sooner or later. Look over the house.
and make list carefully, and wen consult
and fix on approximate values Don't hurry
about it, though. Next week is time enough,
and ] know you need rest"
" Rest is the very thing / don't need and
can't take" | cried. impetuousy. "Some-
thing TO fiji up the long days and keep US
from thinking and getting blue is what we
want. Wen make the list tomorrow, John"
A little more talk and he arose to go.
" Did you stop at the post-ofIice, John ?"
" Yes. There was nothing for YOU"
"Not even the Inteliqencer ?" asked Sue.
al forgot TO tell you. There has been
great fire in New York, and the Tnteiiiqencer
is burned out Abner brought the news
over it was telegraphed to the junction.
They say the building is total loss, so !
suppose there won't be any publication fora
Wholesome days at least"
Poor aunty now sorry she would be !"
bed Sue. "Aunty took the paper ever
e it began, forty-five years ago. She
Ter missed a number. There il all is up
s1airs-stacks and stacks Of it. She was so
proud of her file. It's no use at all now,
suppose, is it, John ?'
"The ragman will give penny pound
forit," suggested chats something"
"We'll weigh the lot one of these DAYS,
and see what we can realize" said John.
" Goodnight, children
II was ghostly task which we set out tn
do next day. The past ITSELF the faint, frag-
mentary past seems to be wrapped up and
=. :.
cles with which elderly people cucumber
their store-rooms and closet shelves. Some
air of antiquity exhales as you open then,
and, minging with our modern air, produce,
an impression half laughabe. half sad. Aunt
Priscilla had been a born collector. She
loved old things because tncy were old
apart from use or value, and instinct AID
principle combined had kept her from ever
throwing away any thing in her life. Had
she been richer, her garret would indeed
have proved a mine of treasures for the brio
a-brac hunters No tin ped1lr would have
laid'eyes on her audirons; her '.aw-legged
tables would have held their place. her Spod
aud Worcester wares sat undisturbed upln
their upper shelf. ceululy in and out. Bu
Aunt Priscilla had n0 claw-legged tables
no brasses or old china. Instead, we foun
vast stores Of odds and ends-bit5 of b.
gone dresses, rolls of faded chintZ, paper.
yellow with age, pamphlets which no NOR
tai had ever read or would read, old books,
coverless or with pages torn away, scraps of
rusty iron, screws without heads, and nails
without points. The furniture, though neat
aud whole, was of the plainest Even our
unpracticed eyes could see its lack of value.
Who would want to buy the old-tme dimity
curtains, with ball fringes sewed along their
ndges. or the counterpaues. made by Aunt
Prscias own hands out of the calicoes OF
her youth Our list was very short one.
\ few chairs and tables, dozen thin spoons
and small teapot in silver, the huge news
paper heap which had appraised at apenny
the pound-these seemed the only salable
things; and we looked comcaly and grimly
nto each other faces as we set them down.
81 wish it were possible to eat Infeiiigen-
GERS, said |.
"They say newspapers make excellent
counterpanes, replied Sue" warmer than
blankets"
Yes and they say that tea-spoonful
of Liebig's Extract gives as much nourish-
ment as ever so much roast beef, retorted
|. But it seemed to me- when tried it,
That except for taste in my mouth as if |
mad swallowed an old shoe | shouldn't have
known that had eaten anything at all
John came as usual in the evening.
Here's enterprisel' he called out as he
came in.
"What is enterprise 2"
"The hteligencer! Behold it, large as
life, and looking just as usual, only forty
eight hours after the fire That's what
call pluck"
Isn't it ?" cried Sue, admringly, as she
drew the paper from its wrapper. and held
=, 4k 5b., tba
lar page. Meanwhile took from my pocket
our melancholy little list.
" You were right, John. Sue and have
searched the house over to-day, and this is
all there is of any value-the furniture,
little silver, and those wretched InteHi-
gencejT."
| was interrupted by a startled cry. Sue
was gazing at the newspaper in her hand
with large, dIlated eyes. Her checks had
| flushed pink.
What is it? What is the matter ?" both
OF rs cried il a breath.
"Just read this On, John, don't believe
it! Read"
She thrust the paper into his hand, and he
read:
SlOO0--The office file of our paper having been
| destroyed by fire on the evening of the 18th IN
sulnt we offer the above price for a complete auD
perfect set OF the htehigaHcer from it, first uun
! Der, March t. 1880 to present date. Any perso
| able Ia supply set as stated will please comniu-
nicate with the publisher. Box 235l New York
"A thousand dollars Oh. Sl oh, John
what a piece of good fortune! Dear aunty
think of her file turning out such treas
ure 1t is too wonderful to be true. feel
as though it We're dream - aud danced
up and down the kitchen floor.
John and Sue were equally ey ted.
"a - 1 Al.
not forget that some one el e may have +,
file OF the InfeHigeacer aud get ahead of US.
This wet blanket o q suggestion kept me
awake all night. My thoughts kept ilyin
to New York, anticipating the letter whi,
we had written, aud John posted overnigD
for the early stage. If it should be lost in
the mails When morning came | was too
weary and too tidgety to employ myself in
any way. But about noon John walked in,
comfort in his eyes
"Why, John, how funny to see you here
at this hour Why do you look so You
haven't heard yet you can't, for the letter is
only halfway there
"But hare heard got ahead of the let.
ter-drove over to the junction, telegraphed
paid for the answer. and here it is
Blessed John This was the telegram
"Send file at once. Check ready to your order
"P. HALLIpAN.'
- How we cried aud laughed and kissed
each other How much that message meant
70 John aud Sue, the satisfaction of their
love, life spent together the fruition of de
ferred hopes to me, the lifting of a heavy
weight, home, security, the shelter of my
sisters wing the added riches OF a brother
who was orotherly in very deed, And al
this for thousand dollars Oh, how mucl
money can do sometimes, aud at other time
how little We had grown somewhat calmer
though Sue still kept her sweet, wet face hid
den on Johns shoulder, aud quivered an,
sobbed now and then, when ] turned emo
tion into new channel 10y selzing a tumble
of water aud proposing this toast, - To tn,
memory OF the late Samuel +. Morse"
John seized another, and added, The In
ieHigencer-may it rise like phosuix from
its ashes"
| leave you to guess if we did not drinl
this heartily.-Hdrper's Bdsar.
AN old negro named Pete was very mucl
troubled about his sins 90, massa, l'ln sicl
a great sinner l' But, Pete" said his mas
! ter, "you are foolish to take it so much l.
heart" know de reason, massa," sal,
! Pete, "when you go duck-shootng and xii
one duck aud wound another, don't you rul
after de wounded duck ?" Yes, Pete,