The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-02-20
"You sold it2'

old man that's dependent on his rela-
tlves Tor his daily bread hain't no bust
ness with Injuries like tobacco-and
he ii get no more in this house,
Ellen Dennison answered nothing but
she turned and went quietly down
stairs, with her checks flushed an in.
dignant scarlet. Miss Jemima followed
her
"Uncle," said the girl calmly, as the
old man raised his bleared, expectant
eyes toward her, there's no tobacco
there
'Ive sold it," quoth Miss Jcmima,
putting her arms akimbo
You've sold-my tobacco! NV blue
Virginia brandt"
cs, l have and where's the harm,
I'd like to know! l wasn't going to
have it cluttering up my cupboard no
longer! I've sold it for five dollars"
Then, " said Ebenczer, with sort of
stony calmncss, "you've Just cot five
dollars for pack Of the best Blue Viz
ginia tobacco that was ever nut into a
pipc-bowl and $l00 in money. that was
in tin box in the lowest pound parcel
but two. That's where | had stored
away my little savings. l thought they
would be safe thcre-but they wasn't, it
seems. lou have had your own way,
Jemlma, and nope you feel bctterm
Miss Jcmma's lower jaw dropped.
''Sakcs alive! why didn't you tell me
on it, Ebeneier BuXford2"
"Becausc | didn't choose said the
old man, bitterly. "Im sorry on Ellen's
account. | meant she should have a lit.
tie money of her own, but rs for YOU.
Jemimy, I'm free to say that | believe it
serves you rightl'
Miss Jcmima sank, rather than sat
down on a low chair by the table. letting
her head fall into her hands. TO the
gripping, avaricious old woman, to whom
a dollar seemed bright idol to be wor-
SHIPPED and bowed down before, this
loss was most disastrous. and none the
less so, because it had been wrought
through her own secret, spiteful ollicous-
ness. The tears, hard, salt and bitter a
the waters of the Dead sea, ooYed one
10y one down her red eyclids and fell on
the table; low, choking sob broke
from her Inns.
But, alas! her repentance had come
too late.
The autumn wore itself on, and when
the first snowflakes dizzled through the
dull, gray air, they buried old Ebenezer
BuXford under the leafess willows in the
country graveyard.
Aunt Jcmima picked up her belong
ings and went with her niece to a dis
tant State, where they could buy a little
place and try to earn their living by
means of a market garden; and so they
nWplr or
Jcmima BuXford had laid her plans to
keep her niece with her always. Ellen
was so bright and helpful and full of odd,
ever ready resources, but love sprang
into the scale opposite old Jemima, and
love outwcighcd her. Ellen promised
to marry George Stapleton, who had the
largest farm and the most substantial
farmhouse in all the neghborhood.
$50 you are from Millowlicld2 Queer
old place, that said George, one even
ing as he sat on Miss Terminals doorstep,
mcdita'iYely chewing a straw. 81 came
through there once, years ago, when |
drove pedd!crs cart.
"iou" echoed Eilen-''a peddler
cart"
Eyes; that's the way laid the foun-
dation of my fortunes, such as they are.
l didn't always own a farm of four hun
drcd acres. And the oldest thing hap
pened to me there"
Aunt Jcmima put on her spectacles
and stared hard at Mr.. Staplcton, while
Ellen asked:
"What was it,"
"Wcl, stopped at strange little
out -of-the-way house under hin to get
a drink Of water ono morning, and lit
tic old woman with her face tied up
with the toothache, and a sun bonnet
tipped down over her nose, like an old
witch -"
"Hump." interjected Aunt Jemima
Game out" pursued the unconscious
George, 'and wanted me to buy lot of
tobacco. Well, tobacco wasn't exactly
in my line, but the old woman was verv
anxious to be rid of it, so | closed the
bargain at five dollars; cheap enough.
but at the same time as much as could
afford to pay And | pever opened the
packet until month afterward, when |
was going up into the lumber districts,
where | expected to find a good market
for that sort of thing. And here comes
in the queer part of my story. When
was making up my pound packages of
tobacco into small parcels, suitable to
my trade, found in one of them. tied
and papcrcd like the rest, tin box
with
-Four hundred dollars in bills in itm
fairly screamed Aunt Jemima. Eyes,
know. sod you that ar tobacco. An
when you found you'd got what was
never intended for you why didn't you
bring it bAck:'
"Geutly, gently, Miss Buxford," said
George Slarleton. Il did bring it back
my very next trip, for although the
temptation to keep it was very strong,
yet it somehow lay heavy on my con
scichce. And whea | got back the old
house was shat up, and not soul in tho
ncighborhood could tell me where the
family had moved to-
"And that's trucm assented Aunt Je.
NINA, who had never lived on the best
of terms with her neighbors. "WeH,
seem the money to come back to the
family again don't blush so, Ellen,
hain't said no harm But | kind o. wish