The Portland daily press., 1882-08-04

Re. G. Gardner in Our CoRtinentl
When Bessie saw the old well sweep, which
for some unaccountable reason had not been
swept away by modern pump, she exclaimed
in stage whisper: f'Wouldn't it be glorious
if we could carrS it homer"
Jim found the cool water most refreshing,
and thought he would rather carry home the
well.
"What an enormous wood pile" Bessie con-
tinued aloud in a desperate endeayor to lead
up to andirons by an unsuspicious route. do
you burn wood?"
"Not SO much as we used to. The women
folks think they must have it to cook with, but
we use coal good deal in the winter"
'Don't you have fireplaees?" was the next
innocent question.
"Plenty of em in the house, but they'r re
mostly bricked up. 1t takes too big wood
pile to keep EN- going"
$50 you use stoves instead. suppose it is
less trouble oh, and that reminds me, have
you any old andirons anywhere around?'
ssshouldn't be surprised if there was. Yes,
there's one now, hangin' on the gate right be-
hind you.'
Bessie, as she afterward declared, was al
most ready to faint at this announcement, but
on turning to look she saw indeed, hanging by
chain to keep the gate closed, dumpy, rusty,
cast-iron andiron.
"Should you be willing to sell it for old
brass? isn't there mate to it somewhere?
They generally go in pairs, don't they?'
mo, shouldn't want to sell it for old brass,
because you see it's iron. 1dost likely there
was pair of EN- once, but there's no tellin'
where t'other one is now. Maybe in the sui
Ter and maybe in the garnet"
"Pease could We go up in the garnet and
look for it? We will be very careful"
The worthy man, considerably puzzled to
know what sort of angels he was entertaining
unawares obtained permission from the "wom-
en- folks" sent boy off with the jug of drink
and showed his callers to the topmost floor OF
the house.
"Oh, oh! If there isn't a real spinning
wheel. This passes my widest anticipRtions, y
murmured Bessie to jim then restraining her
enthusiasm for fear of spelling bargain she
inquired aloud: "Do any of your family
"No. no; not nowadays. My old mother
used to get the wheel out now and then, when
was youngster, but it's broke now aud part
of it is lost"
'sWould you sell it?"
"If it isn't all here"-Jim began, but Bes-
sic checked him and eagerly accepted the old
wheel, which had lost its head and TIVE or
three spokes, for the moderate sum of one dol
lar.
Rummaging among barrels, Jim found the
missing half of the pair of andirons. One
broken leg seemed to add to its value in Bes-
sizes eyes, and she quickly closed bargain for
them at fifteen cents, which their owner, after
"hefting'' them, "guessed" would be about
their value for old iron. One old chair, minus
back and extremely shaky as to its legs, and
another that had lost a rocker and never had
any arms, were secured for nominal price,
and Bessie's attention was then attracted to a
ia n hnrr Init
more slender, "big at the bottom and small at
the top" which proved to be an old churn
Jim objected to this until his companion ex-
planned how it could be transformed by judi
cious application of old gold and crimson into
most artistic umbrella stand, while the
9sdasber'' would make striking ornament for
the hall chimney-piece. As they were about
to depart with their treasures, the honest farm
er invitedthem to look at ponderous machine
five or six feet high and nearly as broad-a
horrid monster, misshaPen and huge, that
stood in the back chamber over the wood-shed.
It was cheese-press. "How magnificent
WHISPERED Bessie, and then, turning to their
host inquired-"Do you use it every day."
"Oh, law, no! Hain't used it this twenty
years. Make all the cheese at the factory. It's
kind of queer old thing and 1 thought maybe
you would like to see it. 'Tain't likely you'd
ever see another Just like it"
"WouId you be willing to sell it?"
"Of course, I'd be willing enough, only it
don't seem just rlght 10 sen q bning lhat an y
good for anything but frewood However, ii
You really want it you may have it for dollar
and half, and I'll have the hired men load it
up for you"
"NoH, really, Miss Bessie" said Jim, when
the farmer mad Como to-eall thu man. ndon't
you think IL rabiror clumsy AFFAIR." We can
hardly get it into the express wagon, and l
don't see where they can put it If we carry it
home"
"Clumsy no, indeed, it's neasStoe, it's grd'sdl
There will be plenty of room in the new house.
They will have one entire room for bric-a-
brac."
"But what can they do with it? They won't
make cheese"
"Can't you see what a delicious cabinet it
| will make? These posts and things can all be
| carved and decorated, and 1t will be perfectly
unique. There isn't such another cabinet in
| the whole city of New York Oh, think our
| trip has been an immense success already. l
| shall always believe in horseshoes after this;
| but isn't it pity we can't carry home the well
sweep?"-"The House that Jill Built