The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-03-14

| OF the SpeClaCleQ OlQ COnnOlSSeur III dll-
tiques, came up to look at the clock,
and pronounced it genuine curiosity
in its way.
"You ought to get hundred dollars
for it," said he; "but I don't know
whether you will. Times are dull just
now, but I'll do the best can for you,
Miss Jewett."
cit seems almost like selling one of
the family" said Bessy, with tears in
her eyes, 'I can remember this clock
ever since was baby"
Fred Byington's handsome face be-
came intensely sympathetic. "It does
seem cruel, doesn't it ?" said he. And
am so sorry that it should be neces-
sary to part with it. But I'll send over
our wagon for it this afternoon, and
you may depend on your pet receiving
the most careful treatment.
elbow kind he was," said Bessy,
gratefully, after Mr.. Byington was gone.
81 didn't know that it was usual for
dec.ers to send their own wagons after
isthese things
While old Mr.. Byington shook his
head at his son.
"Fred Fred !" said he. "Take
care that you don't get too much inter-
ested in your customers ~
But Fred only smiled.
The clock had scarcely occupied the
post of honor in Byington & Co.'S i'm
mense warerooms for three days when
Mr.. Fred Byington sent note up to
Bessy:
"MY DEAR Miss JEwETr Il have an
offer of hundred dollars for the old
clock. What shall l do? F. B."
And Bessy wrote back:
"MY DEAR Mr.. BYINGTON Sell it.
BEssY JEwETT.
And then Bessy cried little over her
stocking mending. She could not help
it.
Fred Byington came up that evening
with a check for a hundred dollars,
having the firm signature of "Byington
& Co."
81 have sold the clock" said he.
81 am very glad," said Bessy, who
had decided that it was best to put
away all vain repinings. "It was very
kind of you to take SO much pains about
it. Who did you sell it to ?''
"To Mrs. Ebenezer Fanting," said
Fred. 81 believe if had asked hun
dred and fifty for it she would scarcely
have hesitated. She declared it was
the finest specimen of the antique she
had ever beheld. I sent it home this
afternoon. She is to have a grand
party tonight, and was kind enough to
honor me with an invitation
care you going7" Bessy involunta-
rily asked.
"Not if you will allow me spend an
hour with you," said Fred, little tim
idly.
Mrs. Fanting came the next day.
"Well," said she, "I've bought a
beauty of an old clock; far handsomer
than that of yours, Cousin Jewett.
And"
"Wait, wait! !" said Bessy, with
sparkling eyes. "Don't be too precip-
itate Mrs. Fanting. You have bought
our very old clock. We sent it to By
ington's to be sold.'
"What?' cried Mrs. Fanting.
And then Bessy explained not with
out thrill of mischievous exultation.
And Mrs. Fanting went home in rage.
But she was still more indignant when
she learned that Mr.. Fred Byington
was becoming regular visitant at the
Jewett house.
"And he never accepted any of my
invitations" said she, wrathfully, "be
cause, forsooth, he couldn't leave his
business.
Nevertheless, Maddalena and Geor-
gietta Fanting, her two hard-favored
daughters, went to the wedding, all
smiles.
"The Byingtons are rich,' said they,
"and move in excellent society. It's
a great deal more sensible for us to be
good friends with Fred and Bessy than
to quarrel with them. And after all,
it IVES your own fault mamma. If you
had paid Cousin Jewett decent price
for her old clock it never would have
been sent to Byington's, and ten to one
Fred never would have seen that girl" "
Mrs. Fanting burst into tears.
81 am the most miserable mother in
the world" said she. GAS if it wasn't
bad enough to be disappointed in the
dearest hopes of ones life without be-
ing reproached by ones own migrate
full daughters.
For the old clock had proved rather
an expensive bargain after all.