The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-07-28
A MODERN ANTIQUE.

"Ten poundsr' repeated Mr.. Robin
son, lazily lifting his hand from the pill
| lows that were piled at the proper end
| of the sofa, and holding his cigar sus-
pended in one hand. my darling Nab,
what can you possibly want with ten
pounds?
Mr.. and Mrs. Robinson were on their
wedding trip in Cornwall. The first
furnishing was not yet off the wedding
| ring-the honeymoon was still glitter
ing ut its full. and consequently Mr..
Robinson, when he asked his wife what
she could possibly want with ten pounds,
spoke without the animus which might
probably attend a corresponding query
ten years later.
The hotel Stood on an overhanging
plateau of rock, which commanded q
view of sea, hills, dale, and glen,-the
soft, August breeze stirred the scented
evergreen bonghs with fingers of balm,
and MIR. Robinson dangerously reclin-
ing on the sofa, was almost asleep over
his novel when the voice of his wife in
terrupted his doze.
"Oh, Charleyr' breathlessly cried the
little bride, who was round and dim
pied, with hair of pale German gold.
and sparkling blue eyes, "we've had
such an adventure, Mrs. Simpson and
l."
IAN adventure, eh?" said Charley,
looking admiringly at his wife's rosy
cheeks.
We've found the darlingest little one
stored farmhouse up on the hills"
went on Mabel, with such love Of an
old man in knee-breeches and blue knit
ted stockings. and on old woman in
white cap frills, and as deaf as q post.
We walked six miles and went in for q
glass Of water. And we had some such
delicious home-brewed cider and SAT-
from cake. And, oh, Charley, there
was the sweetest old-fashioned spinning
wheel in the corner, and an old arm
chair which had the date 1858 carved
on its bottom, and a perfectly exquisite
shovel and tongs Of wroug ht brass.
Such set of antiques! Mrs. Hunter
will die of envy at the mere sight of
them in my drawing-rOOm."
I'm your drawing-roomr' repeated
Mr.. Robinson, with al amazed air.
Because, my DEAR" Mabel, valiant
ly, "Pve bought 'em. The three for ten
pounds. The darling old creature didn't
want to part with them, but her hus-
band represented to her how many nice
things she could buy for the money,
and so, finally. she gave in. But all the
time was waiting in a trembling lest
shouldn't be able to get the things.
And Mrs. Simpson was ready to cry be-
cause sho couldn't afford 'em.
but, Mabel" said Mr.. Robinson,
IN tan
Il pretty round price to pay for two "
three old rattle-traps?"
Mrs. Robinson's rosy mouth quivered
her eyes filled with tears.
Charles" said she. "yOu don't love
me. or you never would speak in that
heartlesS manner"
Mr.. Robinson jumped up from the
sofa, and put his arms carelessly round
his brides neck.
Don't fret, Nab" said he. with the
coaxing air which one would use to
gricved child. "We'll go up to the
farm together, you and /, in the morn
ing. and buy the things. If you want
ed the Roc's Egg itself, sweetheart you
should have it, -.
..Oh, but ! don't care for eggs. you
KNOW" said Mabel. Frightening mp.
She was not a student of the Arabian
Nights" and the Roc's Egg had no par
ticular meaning to her. And she i'm
mediately fell to work making a dia-
gram of her pretty little new drawing
room at home to decide where She
should put the spinning-wheel, and
whether the antique armchair was to
stand in the recess between the win
dOws, or opposite the Queen Anne fire.
place.
IF it rains tomorrow morning shall
| be in despair" said Mrs. Robinson.
But it didn't rain; there was not
| cloud in the sky. The thermometer
was at ninety in the shade. and soft
blue mist brooded over the valley be-
low. Mr.. and Mrs. Robinson had de-
lightful pilgrimage up the hillside.
| Mrs. Robinson had box OF sweetmeats
in her pocket, and Mr.. Robinson car
| ried q volume of Tennyson, out OF
which he read melodiOus extracts to his
Mabel when they sat down on old stone
walls and under the shadow OF umbra-
geous hedges of blackberries and wild
| fuschias to rest; while Mabel sat and
looked enchanted. and exclaimed "De-
| lightfulr' and "How sweet!' at every
pause; while, in reality, her mind was
wandering far away over the pattern OF
Mrs. Hunters lace fiOunces, and the
probability of there being carpet
dance in the hotel dining-room the next
evening.
At last they reached the one-storied
farmhouse with its windows covered
with blue-capped convolvulus, and the
patch of cabbages in the rear. Mr..
Robinson inspected the spinning-wheel
and pronounced it "a rum concern"
nodded wisely ut the arm chair. and
suggested that the shovel and tongs
would look little better for polishing
up,-and then he handed over the mon
ey which made them his absolute prop
erty.
..Send the things up to the Cliff Ho-
tel" he said, land I'll have them pack
ed and sent to London from there"
And when they were safe in the wood
land path once more, Mabel stood up
on the tips of her little French boots to
kiss her husband over and over again.
you're such a darling, Charley"
said she, '.to think Of everything. Be-
: cause, of course, the things will be ruin
ed, if they're not nicely packed"
81 want 'em to come all right, OF
course" said Mr.. Robinson. "NOt that
care much for such old trash myself
~
.Oh, Charley" pleaded his wife,
"don't say old trash" Say antiques"
"Well, antiques, them" Charley cor
rected himself, with a grimace. but
since we've paid such price for them,
it's we'll to have 'em delivered all sound
and ship-shape."
81 wish, Charley" breathed the bride,
Il HAr aYsft