Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-10-19

oFer AGAIN u uhe w keep cauQy 6nOp.
And can soon convince her that my hap
piness depends on starting one at once. It
would never do-her head being SO queer
at times-to let her know am obliged to
do So"
Which you are not" interpolated MIR.
Wilmartin.
For if did, she'd begin, dear old soul,
to prepare for the poor-house immediate
And when are you going to marry me?"-
asked Aleck.
"As soon as have proved that I can sup
pert myself; something that every girl as
old as am-severteen last week-should
be able to do.
And if you should fail?"
a.'In the bright lexicon of youth there's
no such word as fail" quoted little Miss
Jems.
"You are mistaken; Richelieu was mis-
taken; there is" persisted the lover ION
the last page Of the book"
well, then, If fail, I'll marry you all
the same. And now you may kiss me
once and then run away; for since we have
decided what is best to be done, must SET
about doing it without delay"
1--WE have decided" echoed Mr.. Wilmar-
tin; and multiplying by six, he kissed little
Miss Jems accordingly, and rushed around
the corner to half finished building, be-
fore which half dozen workmen were
lounging, waiting for the boss"
And the store was hired and stocked, and
the rooms above it furnished with part Of
the furniture from the cottage-the rest was
to remain there until new tenant took pos
session-and everything was in apple-pie
order when it was opened on Christmas eve.
1t had only one window, and not a very
large one at that, but little Miss Jems had
made the most of it. Cats, dogs, monkeys,
elephants, horses, COWS, lambs, snakes,
lions, tigers-in fact, whole Dienagerie of
parley-s sugar was installed therein, and
g!owed red and yellow beneath the brilliant
gas jet. Sparkling glass jars filed with
lemon drops, gum drops, Glove drops, and
peppermint sticks, cream sticks, birch
sticks, and all sorts of sticks were ranged
on the store shelves, and the counter
was almost covered vita brand-new tin
pans containing peanut, cocoa-nut, wal
nut, and cinnamon taffy, and enticing
CHUNKS of old-fashioned molasses candy,
and from the ceiling hung some wreaths Of
Christmas green; and, taken altogether, with
little Miss Jems in a large snowy white
apron behind the money drawer, it would
have been hard to have found more at
tractive small establishment for sweets any
where. And grandmamma seeing the
great delight of her hearts treasure, was
| proportionally delighted and softly muir
INJURED to herself. every five minutes, She
shall play it as long as she wants to, the
dearie, and I'll help her."
But just as little Miss Jems was serving
her first customer-a very small boy, who
! bought, after long deliberation, camel
and a chicken carriage stopped before
the door, and a handsomely dressed lady
| descended from it, and entered the store in
| great haste.
| Are you Miss Jems?" she asked.
II am" Miss Jems.
I'm glad to hear it, for nice time I've
had looking for you. Your fathers uncle
the gentleman from whom your mother
used to receive a yearly allowance-is in
the city, and wishes to see you Immediate
ly, as he will be obliged to leave again to
night. I am his step daughter. Please
come at once. You will not be detained
for more than an hour"
Little Miss Jems stared helplessly at her
visitor moment then she stared help
lessly around her, then she collected her
scattered senses, and called, Grand
mammal" The old lady came out of the
back room. II must go away, granny dear.
for a little WHILE" she said. "Do you
think you can take care of the store until
come back?'
Il am sure I can," said grandmamma,
proudly.
And dropping the white apron and don
ming her cloak and hat away went little
Miss Jems with the step daughter of her
| fathers uncle.
1t was two hours before she got back, and
when she stepped from the carriage crowd
of children, evidently in the very highest
! glee, laughing and singing and shouting,
| ff,11 of alS
out of the little shop. She glanced in the
window as she opened the door; not one
animal of the whole menagerie remained.
| She looked at the shelves when she entered;
the glass jars, less sparkling than when she
left, were empty. Her eyes fell to the
counter; not bit Of tafy or old-fashioned
molasses candy chung to the pans.
why, grandmamma, she cried, her
whole face beaming with satisfaction, "what
business you have done, to be sure! The
money drawer must be nearly full. And
I don't believe you sold anything in all your
life before"
'Sold?" repeated the dear old lady, her
smile OF welcome fading. Were the things
| to be sold on Christmas eve, my dearie,
wien we're only keeping store for fun? I
hadn't it in my heart to take the little ones
pennies. Merry Christmas, says they so
prettily; and Help yourselves, says I. And
I never see such lot of childr N as did
help themselves in all my life before"
| Goodness gracious sakes alive!" ex-
| claimed little Miss Jems; what shall I do
now? haven't another dollar in all the
| wide world"
| you'll have to marry me right off, pigeon.
| Remember your promise" said a manly
voice; and pair of manly arms encircled
her. ''The wedding ring is in my pocket"
| Little Miss Jems, tossing her hat in one
| corner and her cloak in another, burst into
wild fit of laughter. ooh dear! shall
die-I know I shall! Its too-too-too
funny!" she gasped. "After all the trouble
I had teaching grandmamma the prices of
things this morning! And papa's uncle
such an old gruffy as he is!-wan.e me to
send her to some charitable ins,i ution to
| be taken care Of; said he d take care of me
if would. I'd like to see myself, and so
I told him. I'D ten thousand times rather
keep-oh, dear! oh dear oh dear!- store
said I. Aleck, why don't you stop laugh
ing, and why ou-make-me-
stop laughing? Was there ever anything
so ridiculous? Did you ever since YOU
| we're born hear of business begun and
| ended in three hoursP"
"Twas short and sweet, like little Miss
Jems," said Aleck. BY George! here's
| three peppermint drops left! One for you,
one Tor grandmamma, and one for me.
Keep your mouth open and shut your ewes,
pigeon"
-S--R
Virginia's Prodigy in Arithmetic.