The Cecil Whig., 1882-11-25
THE CHEST OF DRAWERS.

~
the peace, and I've got certiti ate, all
legal and right-see, mother, And as for
bein. poor, why Abel has his trade. and
no one can deny that he is an Industrious
temperate young man: please, mother -
tlingirg both arms around the old lady $
neck. "if you forgive me for disobcying
you this once, never, never will do it
again?''
SO Mrs. Bubble-althoug to use her
own words she never could get over the
modification Of having a daughter mar
ried bya Justice of the peace finally
iorsave bright-eyed Mary, and consented
that Abel Jones should set up his shop
ut 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 liv-
ing: and did hope, Mary, you would at
| least have cleared the mortgage off the
old place.
But Abel and Mary were happy
Where Youth and Love are sitting in
| life's sunshine, old Crnsus is one too
many. Let him go his way; who cares
| for him?
1--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
| tlounced white muslin, stopped at the
| Bubble farmhouse to drink glass Of
milk and eat some of Mrs. Bubble 5
cherry shortcake.
Il hope the bride is weli,'' said Mrs.
Larkins, laughing.
"Torhle, thank YOU said Mrs. Bub-
be. Shes gone up to Deacon Fara-
day s to get their recipe for maxim soft
soap. Abel's well, too, thankee. Hes
in the shop, now at work. His hammer
is sort o company for me, when | set
here alone. ! don't deny as he a decent
young man enough. if he wasn't as poor
as Jobs turkey! And with Marys face,
and her term at boarding school, she'd
ought to have done better
What beautiful old chest of draw
ers. cried Miss Wynward, ecstatically.
What lovely brass ornaments. And
what picturesque claw legs
"Oh yes,' said Mrs. Larkins. " 1t is
over IA hundred years old. Everybody
has heard of Mrs. Bubble antique chest
Of drawers
.Oh. ma am, ii amt the same" said
! Mrs. Bubble. 1T amt the old one at
ali. | sold the old one a month ago"
"Sold it, echoed Mrs. Squire Lar
kins.
Il didn't want to sell it, said Mrs.
Bubble, looking imploringly over the
edge of her spectacle glasses. .lt was
given t. me, you know, ma am, when
my father estate was settled up and the
old furntoor was divided. My brother
Johns wife she wanted The Death of
Jonathan, in gilt frame, with cord ard
tassels; SD she says. she:
{" 'Sophiar. you can take the old chst
O. draws.
And knew was Eein' cheated then:
but, la. what the use of trouble among
one S relations? So says |:
"'llave it Your own way, Abigail
Ann.
And she took home The Death of
Jonathan. and took the chst of draw s.
with IA little sandpaper and varnish, ana
is was hlndy to keep old letters and Sa NJ
Piles of patchwork and paper patterns in.
But wen that fine Young lady from the
city, as is boarding at Doctor Holloway S
offered me twenty-five dollars for it, it
seemed wicked sin to refuse So much
money. so | sold it. Johns wife, she
couldn't hardly believe her ears when
she heard tell of it, And she says, says
she:
"'Sophiar, don't you suppose Sou could
sell The Death of Jonathan - for the
same money!
And | knew just how she felt, and
Il wasn't a bit sorry for her, for she al
ways was graspin' thing. But after it
: had gone away in Doctor Holloway S
!. wagon | began to miss it, and | fairly
:. sat down and cried. And Abel he says:
). "'Cheer up, mother says he. I'll
make you another one just like it.
! And so he did And there it is. -
added Mrs. Bubble, with honest pride,
land You never know but it was the
I same old chist O draws. He's darkened
it down, and lied it up. and turned ont
claw legs, and beat out set of old brass
es to cover tie keyholes, until you never
: would know the difference. And I'm
+ Just as well satisfied as | was before
SO Mrs. Bubble put on her things and
j went 10 the sewing society when Mrs.
Larkins and Miss Wynward were gone,
. SO that there was no one in the big. airy
4, kitchen when Professor Eldred and his
two arghters-maiden ladies of an I'M
chronicied ase-aliehted from their open
box wagon and stopped in there for a
drink of water.
= There was the well, under the bowery
apple blossoms at the back: and there
was the gourdshel lying in the grass be-
side the sweep; and the cleanly scrubbed
kitchen floor. with its rag rugs at the
loors; and the ancient clock ticking away
e N its corner; and the old chest of draw
BIS between the two windows.
Pa cried Miss Ethedreda Eldred,
putting up her eyeglasses, what love-
iy piece of workmanship"
"Qute medieval" sighed Miss Ermen-
garde. I'VE must have this old Revo-
iutonary relic in our drawing-room, pa
7 The professor stared around him.
"Taercs nobody To ask the prize Of.
my dear" said he
That just like pa said Ethcldreda.
Don't You hear somebody hammerirg &
some where? There's a carpenter-shop
Just down the lane. Go and inquire
dos'
hbel Jones was working diligently
away at stepladder, when the profess
sor's bald head was thrust into his shop.
"Eh >" said Abel, looking very hand
some in his shrtsleeyes and scarlet
necktie.
Il wish you a good morning, sir
said the professor, politely.
f., Won W said \ hel