Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-08-17
The Chest of Drawers.

Married. p said Mrs. Bubble -
"married And without neither we'd
ding cake or new bonnet, nor so much
as neighbor called in to witness the
ceremony And to Abel Jones, as is
as poor as poverty itself Mary, never
could have believed it of your
Pretty Mary Bubbles brown eyes
sparkled, half with exultation, half
with vague fear.
"It was out in Squire Larkins' gar
den, mother, said she. esquire Lark
ins was there, and Miss Jennie Wyn-
ward, and Mr.. Hall. Abel was shingling
the icehouse roof, and he said it must
be now or never, because he couldn't
endure the suspense. And the squire
is a justice of the peace, and I've got q
certificate, all legal and right-see,
mother And as for being poor, why
Abel has his trade, and no one can deny
that he is an industrious, temperate
young man; and please, mother" fling
ing both arms around the old lady's
neck, I" if You forgive me for disobey-
ing you this once, L never, never will
do it again !"
So Mrs. Bubble-although to use
her own words she never could get
over the modification of having a
daughter married by "justice of the
peace" - finally forgave bright,eyed
Mary, and consented that Abel Jones
should set up his shop at the foot of
the farm lane, there to commence the
conflict of life.
"Though I'm quite sure" said Mrs.
Bubble, "that he never will earn his
living; and I did hope, Mary, you
would have married some one who
could at least have cleared the mort
gage off the old place."
But Abel and Mary were happy.
Where Youth and Love are sitting in
ife's sunshine, old Cresus is one too
many. Let him go his way; who cares
for him +?
"We shall get along" said Abel.
"Of course we shall get along" said
Mary.
And thus matters stood when Mrs.
Squire Larkins, with young friend in
hounced white muslin, stopped at the
Bubble farmhouse to drink q glass of
milk and eat some Of Mrs. Bubbles
cherry shortcake.
"I hope the bride is WE'LL" said Mrs.
Larkins, laughing.
"ToPable, thank you," said Mrs.
Bubble. "She's gone up to Deacon
Faraday's to get their recipe for maxim
soft-soap. Abel's we'll, too, thankee.
He's in the shop, now, at work. His
hammer is sort O. company for me, when
I set here alone. don't deny as he's
= decent young man enough, if he
wasn't as poor as Jobs turkeyl And
with Msry's face, and her term at board
ing-school, she'd ought to done better"
"What beautiful old chest of
drawers" cried Miss Wynward, ecstat-
ically. "Whst lovely brass ornamental
And what picturesque claw legs |"
"Oh, yes" said Mrs. Larkins. "It
is over hundred years old. Every
body has heard of Mrs. Bubbles antique
chest of drawers r.
"Oh, ma'am, 1t amt the same," said
Mrs. Bubble. "It amt the old one at
all. / sold the old one a month ago."
"Sold it r. echoed Mrs. Squire Lark
ins.
ST didn't want to sell it," said Mrs.
Bubble, looking imploringly over the
edge of her spectacle glasses. eft was
given to me, you know, ma'am, when
my fathers estate was settled up, and
the old furnitoor was divided. My
brother Johns wife she wanted The
Death of Jonathan in gilt frame, with
cord and tassels; so she says, says she
" 'Sophiar, you can take the old chist
O. draws
"And I knew I was bein' cheated
then; but, lal what's the use of trouble
among ones relations? So says 1: