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

choose to value it at fifty, why it ain't
bad for us in the light Of a pecuniary
transaction, eh, Polly?"
But what will mother say2" pleaded
Mary.
GIVE got another one nearly finished,
said Abel. "I was meaning to sell it
to Mrs. harrington, but I'll just set it
up in the old place, and mother will
never care whether it's number one or
number two that is there"
So that when Mrs. Bubble came HON g
from the sewing society Abel was just
setting up new chest OF drawers, and
Mary eagerly related to her the tale OF
the burglary, for SO she still persisted
in calling it.
"Well, neverF said Mrs. Bubble.
"Fifty and twenty-five makes seventy.
five. I'm glad I didn't take the Death
OF JonathanP"
"This means business" said Abel to
himself. =.
And he set diligently to work to
manufacture still other duplicates OF
the "chist O. draws" staining them a
dark, rich brown, and beating out odd,
shell-shaped decorations to complete
the illusion. And when the curiosity
hunters came up the solitary road, en-
powered in elms, where it required con-
siderable engineering for one load OF
hay to pass another, Abel sat whistling
on his doorstep, ready to drive a bar
gain.
'Any old furniture or antiques to
sell?" the hunter would blandly in.
quire.
I" Not stick p said Abel and then
after minutes blank silence on the
part of the pioneers of the aesthetic, he
would add: "Unless you'd like to look
at this ere chist O. draws as I've just
tinkered up. I can't say up and down,
you know, as it's old; but then it is.
You can look for yourselves. There
amt no date on it. I don't care whether
I sell it or not. Nor yet I don't put
no price on it. I amt none of your bar.
gain drivers. If you like it pay what
you think is right; if you don't, why
there amt no harm doner'
So that no less than seven editions of
the chest of drawers were sold before
the season was over. They became the
fashion. Every person who bought one
had vague hope Of having something
a little different from his neighbors.
And some of them have never yet ceased
looking for hidden treasures, old papers
or outlawed wills among the pigeon
holes and compartments.
And when the season ended and the
city boarders went back to their brick.
and-mortar Wilderness Abel bought
his mother-in-law plethoric pocket
book.
"Three hundred and sixty-fve dol
lars, mother" said he. Enough to
pay off the last installment of the mort
gage on the old farm. We couldn't
have made more money than that if
we'd kept a houseful of boarders, as
Polly wanted to do. But don't mean
Polly to be at the beck and call of a
dozen fine ladies, and work her roses
off, not while I'm able to work for
her,"
And the report of Abel Jones good
luck spread far and wide through all
the country side. Mrs. Hopper, the
" Abigail Ann" OF Mrs. Bubbles leg
endary "reminiscences, heard the great
news and drove down from Plum Hill
TO inquire into it.
eff it's true as you've found five hun
dred dollars" said she, dolefully, in
that old chist O. draws, it's the law as
all the heirs should divide equally,
Sophiar Bubble"
out ~ alu bLuct bdlu MRS. DuDDl0s
"Oh." said Mrs. Hopper, st told my
husband as it was all q made-up storyl"
"Not that exactly, neither, " said Mrs.
laughing.
And then she related the precise cir
cumstances Of the case.
Mrs. Hopper drew long breath.
ST wish I hadn't chose the Death OF
Jonathan" said she, "The cord broke
last week, and it fell down and smashed
my best set of china. never had no
luck with it."
"And served you right for your
greed and rapacity !" said Abel Jones.
soto voce, to Mary, who, in the next
room, was helping him to varnish set
Of hanging shelves,
Hush-sh sh r. whispered Mary.
While old Mrs. Bubble smiled and