The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-06-04
FOUND:

A trim New England kitchen, with it's
door Of knotty pine boards secured
TO- 4 snowy Wilderness; the red brick
hearth rejecting back the CLEAN of the
orackling hickory logs and the dresser
full of gl,ttering tins put mathemati:
cal1j straight, after the oomming meal
this was the scene upon which the au-
tumn sun glowed redly for an instant
through the narrow window panes, ere
II went down behind . bank of slate
colored clouds in the west-and Miss
Jemima Buxford, glancing up at the
clock on the wooden shelf between the
windows saw that it was half past five:
Bless me how the time does 20 on, I"
said Miss Jemima. "And It don't seem
~ It I accomplished nuthin'. what
with runnin'arter your everlastin' whims,
Ebenezer:
Ebenezef Buxford, his autocratic
sisters senior by twenty good years,
looked deprecatingly up from his cush-
toned nook in the chimney corner-a
weak, teeble-kneed old man, with scanty
gray hairs brushed into a meek little
whisp on the top of his head, watery
blue eyes and a complexion like we'll
cured pa rchment.
II know I'm d deal o'trouble, Jemi-
N.Y." said the old man, apologetically,
but try not to make any more than I
can help"
mo, you don't nelther!" snapped
Jemima. II hain't no patience with
your old pipe and your everlastln' smoke,
smoke, smokin', till We all smell like an
old bar-room, and there amt curtain
in the house that don't tell its own story.
tell ye what, Ebenezer Buxford,
you've got to leave off that mis'able
habit"
Ebenezer shrank instinctively at the
hard, cruel tone.
"But-Jemimy-"
I'm in earnest, Ebenezer."
But Ellen Dennison says"
II don't care two snaps O. my finger
what Ellen Dennison says-a pert mink,
just as full O airs aud graces as her
mother was afore her, though she was
my own sister. If Ellen chooses to
make fuss over you and indulge you
in every whim, I don't-that's all there
is to it! I amt going to have this smok.
in; IN going on You've just got to quit
Il might just as we'll quit livin', Je-
mimy. For forty seven year"
Miss Jemima, however, did not stay
to hear the end If the speech, but
burst out of the room, muttering to her.
self sentences of which the import
boded little good.
He'll be right down vexed, though, -
thought the spinster, when he knows
I've sold them there packets of Virgin
ny tobacco he brought home on his last
sea voyage. It's odd man can keep
voyagin' to furrin parts all his life and
not lay up no money. after all. But
Ebenezer never was savin' like the rest
O the Buxfords."
mage in an old red chest where she
kept her treasures for hank of mixed
yarn to finish pair of socks she had
on hand.
Old Ebenezer waited patiently BY thu
kitchen fire the while, until he heard 8
light footstep on the doorstone without
and his face frightened as Ellen Den
nison came in.
She was tall, fresh-complexioned
girl, with face Which, if not absolutely
pretty, was pleasing, and light figure
whose grace was patterned after the
waving rushes by the riverside and the
tall young elms in the meadows below
'Well, uncle" she said, cheerily.
Tive been waitin for you, Ellen, the
old man whispered, beckonlng to her rc
come close to him. "She-she won't
bring me no more 'baccy, and haven't
had q Whit since O'clock
Ellen bit her lip.
III bring you some at once, Uncle
Eben.
"There amt none left in the tin box 7
went on the old man, OBTAINING he,
with grip of her neat calico dress
You'll have to go to the packet o'blut
paper in the corner cupboard up stairs
the genuine stuff I brought from old
Virginny years and years ago, when
warn't the old wreck I am now! Ge
the top package, Nell-the top one, re
memberw
Eyes, Uncle"
And away tripped Ellen, carrying
her lighted candle through the gloomy
entries, like rustic embodiment O
Dawn bearing her herald star.
Miss Jemima met her at the head O
the first fight of wooden uncarpetet
steps.
where are you going, Ellen Den
nison?"
ITO get some tobacco for Uncle Eb
"There amt none left."
Eyes, there is, in the packet h
brought from Norfolk in the Livel,
Sally"
but tell you there aint!' reiterat
ed Miss Jemlma. Il sold it yesterda,
to pedler that came along. He CAV
me IS for it,"
''You sold it,"
Miss Jemima nodded her head def
sntly.
Eyes, sold it; and you needn't star
ut me as if I'd committed state prisol
offence, miss. I'd do the same thinl
over again. mean to break up Eben
ezer's miserable trick of smokin'. Al
old man that's dependent on his rela
tives for his daily bread hain't no bust
ness with luxuries like tobacco-an<
he'll get no more in this house."
Ellen Dennison answered nothing
but she turned and went quietly dow
stairs, with her cheeks flushed an in
dignant scarlet. Miss Jemima followe'
her.
"Uncle," said the girl calmly, as til
old man raised his bleared, expectan
eyes toward her, there is no Tobacco
there"
Tive sold it!'' quoth Miss Jemima
putting her arms akimbo.
you've sold my tobacco! My blu
Virginia brandt"
Eyes, I have; and where's the harm
I'd like to know? I wasn't goin' to hav
it clutterin' up my cupboard no longer
I've sold it for S."
"Then said Ebepezer, with sort G