National Republican., 1885-09-26
DUMBLR's WINDOW.



pastime. AS he stood beside the bier, or at
the grave among the mourning relatives
and friends, in his long black coat and white
tic, with large handkerchief effectively
displayed, he looked like one Of the mutes.
Though without doubt and full Of sympathy
ana spiritual consolation for all, Mr.. Dunn
blc's grief was noticed to be always little
MOI marked at the funeral Of those gentle
men who departed for better world leav-
ing widow to mourn their loss, and who
were known to have had good balance at
their bankers
Mr.. Dumblc was thought TO have quito
supposed himself In tender and pruyerful
solicitudeat the funeral Of the late iamented
Silas BufIum, the well-known pastry cook,
who left behind him n young and rather
pretty widow, q thriving business, and
large sum In Understanding securities
Better thar all, there were no children, and
everything wGs left to the widow.
Soon after this Mr.. Dumble developed n
remarkable fondness for sweets, and was to
be seen at all hours Of the day and evening
leaning across the counter Of the store,
talking to the disconsolatc widow.
Things went on this way for about year,
during which period Mrs. Butfum began to
blossom out once more into colored cap and
bonrot ribbons, and Mr.. Dumble had been
obliged TO eat so many sweet things, owing,
Of course, to his being so constantly In tho
shop, as TO seriously impair his digestion.
One morning Mr.. Dumble, apparently
dressed with little more care than usual,
walked down the main street OF Freeport,
and pausng for a moment before the store
which bore the sign, "silas Bufrnm, Pastry
Cook,n and looking In through the window
to see II the fair widow was cnsconced inh her
favoiitc seat behind the coun ter. he opened
the door and went in.
"Good morning, Mrs. Bufrum; fine
day." said Mr.. Dumble, as he deposited
couple of chocolate creams within his capa-
cious mouth. ~ hope you were spiritually
refreshed by my discourse last evening"
"Oh, yes, indeed, Mr.. Dumble; you were
indeed Inspiring, so prayerful Such elo-
quonce Such flow Of spirit ] am sure
everybody was as upliftcd as | was"
"Deur Mrs. Buffum, you are too kind,
too good TO my humble efforts in the way
Of grace. You are n noble woman,
ma'am," said Mr.. Dnmble, helping himself
TO some marshmallow drops.
"No, indeed" Mr.. Dumble, ''you are too
good to mc,n murmurcd Mrs. Buffum in
sweetest tones. al only wish knew some
way OF rewnrding you for all your goodness
to me and to the many families to whom
you have been like an angel of consolation
In their sorrow.n
"Oh, ma'am, my Christian sister, my
dear Sophia, II | may be permitted to 80 adj
dress you," said Mr.. Dumble, pulling out
his handkerchief and slipping In behind
the counter, ''you ovcrwhelm me, you do,
indced But you talk Of rewarding my
humble efforts. You can reward them.
Be mine, Sophia, be mine. BE Mrs. Dunn
bic. Let me be the partner OF your joys as
/ have comforted you in sorrow. BE mine,
he mine;n and Mr.. Dumble, suiting his ac
ton to his words, pressed his arm around
Nl. 1t.N, 20
the late Buffum, and possessed himself OF
her hand without meeting with the slightest
resistance. "Jonas, | am thine,n said Mrs.
b, rising suddenly aud throwing her.
self with such violence into the arms Of the
jubilant Dumble rs to precipitate that gen
tlemGn, who was not prepared for such
weighty demonstration of affection, head
long into the showcase, whence he emerged
covered with pie crust and various sorts Of
jGm.
Before finally leaving her In the evening
Mr.. Dumblc had prevailed upon the widow
to lay entirely aside her mourning for Buff
fun, whom lie represented rs no longer
needing her tears, and to become Mrs. Dunn
BILE the following week. After much per-
suasion and many inquiries on the part of
the widow as to Dumble's worthy position
and possessions, which he averred were
great, she finally consented and named the
happy day.
In pursuance with this decision the mar
rage was celebrated the following week
with much splendor, and the resources of
the store were drawn upon to supply fit
ting breakfast for the happy pair and their
| numerous friends.
Another week passed by, and Mr.. and
| Mrs. Dumble returned from their wedding
| tour, ard settled down in the rooms over
the shop. Mr.. Dumbe, having now gotten
the wife Of the late Bufrum, endcavored In
way to put himself into his skin by learn
ing the pastry-cook business, but his efforts
were not crowned with success to any
marked degree; in fact, he wasted in his
experiments in pies and cakes during the
first week Of his apprenticeship as much
material as Mrs. D. said would have suf-
feed to keep the shop going for month.
| Consequently his better half advised Jonas
| to leave cooking alone, and to confine his
attention to tending the shop, where his
eminently sympathetic manner much
pleased the lady patrons of the establish
| ment.
One evening Mrs. Dumble came in, and,
sinking into an armchair, remarked to her
lord that she was very tired.
"Why, my dear ~ said the ever-attentive
Jones.
~ have been packing up oil day." replied
his lndy-love, 'and am that tired can't stir
finger"
"Packingr' said Mr.. Dumble; "what
| forgn
"whOt for ~ returned Mrs. D.; why, to
go away, to be sure.h
"Go awayln said the astonished Jonas
'what forS Wherc2 Surely you are not
tired Of me, my own, my love"
''Tired Of you,n retorted Mrs. Dumble
"Stuff nothing OF the sort But as my
cousin BufIum has written TO me TO say that
he was coming to take possession xtweek
it's about time for us to think of getting
out"
"Your cousin coming to take possession !'
gasped Jonas. "Why, what on earth do you
mean2 Surely this store and everything else
belongs to you. know II does. l saw the
will Of the late lamented Mr.. Buffum.n
~ can't help what you saw,n wearily re
turned his wife, 'go we must. Buffum, the
brute, added a codicil TO the will whereby
everything he left TO me went to his cousin
In case / should marry within two years
Still, that don't matter, dear Jonas, as you
said you h;d ample for us both. | suppose
We can go to your house at any time-well
why don't you answerH'
The unhappy Jonas sat In his chair fairly
gasping for breath. His rage, disappoint
ment, and the thought Of the way he had
been finally taken in after all his scheming
fairly took away his power OF speech and
thought. Finally he rose from his chair
fairly quivering with excitement and rage
and said, in sepulchral tones "Why was
not told Of thisS"
"Oh, suppose you knew IL all the time
said Mrs. D., carelessly; "every one elsC
in town did. Besides, as you said you were
well of, did not care to trouble you just
then. Now, dear Jonas don't be angry
wen still be happy together won't we
dear"
"IIappy-togetherI yelled Jonas, fairly
gnGshing his teeth In his rage. "lIappy
with your Do you suppose would have
ever married an ugly old fat thing like yor
II had known that you hadn't penny
No, I've been sold, taken in, deceived, and
most abominably put upon, and won't