The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-12-12

Charlie Orioa hsd admIred bic friend
Heaion's splendid mAnsion. he bad
Robe Into eeslaoles over many Of The ar
rangsments and bad more thAa once said
tO himseli, What luckY dog Hessou is
--is be bosl But when be came again TO
tbs cosy siady or library, quietly seated
10 40 ample arm chair and took an inven'
tory Of The appointments Of the gorgeous
rocm, be Epied IN one corner, 10 little
pleasant nook, an old sofa, and wonder.
cd Got little At its presenoe there. Jusl
thea bis friend Heaion returned, aud
looking up to bic host, orton exclaimed /:
I What ON earth, HeAton, makes you
keep that old thing therei Il looks like
tbe last relic Of deoayed merchant
4 Why, Charlie, that old sofa cost me too
much to part with Il, sal Heaton.
Tbs cost Of s thing is poor reason for
keeping Il, Isughingly replied Orton; or
else should have kept many a piece Of
property ! have been glad TO get rid Of.
That may be, answered Heston, but
that sofa cost me over ten thousand dol-
lsrsl
Nonsense! nonsense exclaimed Orton
As be jumped up, thrnsting his hands into
his pantaIoons pockets and striding over
the aoor In merry mood.
own to you, Charlie, said Heaton, II
was nonsense. but IL 10 nevertheless true
lien thousand dollars went by that sofa.
Why, did you make It safe, and some
body find the thousands hid there, for
which the sofa--poor innocent thing
was not TO bIsmel merrily responded bis
guest.
No, no, wa. the reply; but the cost Of
that sois 10 not all that makes me retain
Il. IL defeated my fondest plan; 1t was
the scene OF my happiest success, aud
every wrinkle In Il has memory for me.
Why, really, Iieaton, said Orton, ,you'll
have TO celebrate the oil sofa in q song,
and rival The Old Arm Chsir
II were poet, said Heaton, I'm sure
could do it. An arm chair is only for
one, but only think OF sofa-the poetry
Of two, three, or even four, aud then,
too, the felicity OF a full length stretch on
one ~
Come, then, let's Try, Heaton, and see,
said Ortou, II we can't get up some poet
ry; aud then pausing iu front OF that
7 "a Bta Of fnr nd FIu uafT
himself In most tragic attitude, he be-
gan
o Sofa In that cosy nook,
How Oft have with news or book,
Sunk down my weight upon Jour springs,
Aud at full length made strife with kings,
Fought desperate battles gained them all,
And noted stocks-the tise and fall
Get out, CLarliel stop your nonsense
exclaimed Heaton; you may have the
freedom Of the house, but that sofa is too
good for you.
Please veil Il then, Orton replied, and
let the eye ofno infdel pollute the sacred
ness Of your precious darling-sofa.
But nonsenae apart now, let me tell
you something OF the history of that sofa,
said Heaton.
SO do--l'm all attention, replied Orton
a. be sunk himsclf down again into the
ample armchair, with his LETT hand still
In bis pocket, and bis head resting most
comfortably on his. right hand, the palm
pressing his chin up In manner that
made him look as though his teeth were
set.
All ears, Heaton--talk on. This is q
day of wonderful revelations, and now
for the story of the ten.thousand.d d.dollar
sofa Whewi
You remember, Charlie, said Heaton,
where | was when we became acquaint-
ed
Yes, doing first-rate business, aud
thought you = lucky fellow, as have
ever since, said 0rton.
True, Charlie, replied HeaIon; and il
was then that resolved on the kind of
house | would build to suit my own fan.
cy and TO surprise my wife by having
everything 10 her liking. iostered dili-
gently my means wiih this intent, | was
economical aud sparing. treasured up
the memory OF every observation heard
Mrs. Heaton make about what suited her
10 this house and that, wherever we
visited, and my ideal grew every month
more definite aud more beautiful. For.
tunes Isvors had their best charms in the
fact that they gave me more means for
my favorite project; aud though business
smbition was one Of my leading traits,
yet ! sincerely believe that 1t was this
isvoriie notion thai made me ambitious,
OF at least gave Il the true fire. Well
malters were going on finely. whea one
day Mrs. Heaton told me at tea, that she
bad seen that day love OF . sofa, an ex-
quisite thing, and she must have Il. She
bad never said must before, aud then
saw Il was said only 10 let tne know how
much her heart wsa put upon IL. tried
to seem indifferent to the matter, bat thai
you'd no, do, seeing she wSs 50 earnest
ab0nt II. fonnd fault with ihe style she
described A. sbe teld what kind OF sn ap-
pearance The sofa had. ! called II old
fAshiobed. odd, qnfzz iesl, some easl-off
fancy varBisbed up; but made no bead.
way st all. | could do Bolhing to pre-
vent the purchase without telling my
darling project, and Couidn't afford 10
do that l saw what iroubie would come
10 my way should that soiA come into The
house; yet il would not do for me to tell
my iorbodinss lest ! sbonld seem 10 be
set against any improvements iR the Ap-