McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-03-05

hldlT5 Will IuctE LuOtucl " NC tuChCu
away for the night.
Then hush fell on the household,
and Mr.. Ruther lit his pipe, and drew
the evening paper from his pocket.
When his wife came down again and
took the seat on the other side of the Ia
BILE with hersewing, he laid the newspa-
per down, and looked up with the air
of man who has important news to
tell. What do you think, Nellp" he
said, "Tom Whittemore is going out
to St. Paul.
$50 far?" she answered. "lle will
be quite loss to you, won't he?"
.''Well, yes, l shall miss HIM; we
have always been good friends, you
know, but I'm not sure that his going
won't be a rather good thing for us,
as it is for him. lie has good offer
out there. good salary, and the chance
of an interest in the business-an offer
he can't afford to refuse. The thing
that concerns us most, however, is that
he wants me to take his place in Tho
Building Fund-at just what it cost
him, $500, and SIS month to the
Fund"
81 don't quite understand
go yes, you do, if you will think Il
moment. Don't you know he got his
house by joining a building associa-
ton, and the rent of the house goes to
the purchase money. He has paid five
hundred on it, and the rent now is $15
a month. -
Is that so P Why, it is a better one
than this, which costs us $40 more"
(Which goes into our landlord s
pocket-yes. 1t really is a wonderful
chance for us, because the property
has advanced in value since he bought
it, and is certain to increase in the flu
ture, but he wants ready money to
move with. and SO offers to let us have
it at cost. He gives me the refusal for
week, which is very good of him."
''And you are going to take it?" she
asked eagerly.
81 think can,'' he replied. ''Our
Mr.. Barker is the president of the
Building Fund, So there won't be any
trouble about my taking Whittemore' s
place. Then, have $400 in bank,
and | think in week or two can
manage to raise the rest. By the way,
have the bills come in, and how much
are they P''
There was no help for it, the dreaded
moment had come, with a fresh bitter
ness added thereto. She brought out
the pile of envelopes, and handing
them to him sat down in calm despera-
ton, while he examined them-the
fact that she was only indirectly re-
sponsible for the size of the bills in no
wise tending to make her feel less like
a criminal.
'.Whewn' he said, as he took them.
"Plenty of them, at all events-Doc-
tor S95, Draper & De Lane $11O. Jones
$50, Brown S35, rent $25, gas $50, coal
SIS. Well, that pretty nearly sweeps
my bank account"
John, dear John, don't look so mis-
erable--I couldn't help i'll am so
sorry! You can return my cloak, l
havn't worn it!''
800 l hold you responsible, my
dear? Who bought the cloak, you or
l? If. that were all, l could manage.
AS it is, can pay the bills, but the
house must be given up, and it really
is such chance us comes once in a
lifetime.
Mrs. Ruther made no answer, she
was crying quietly behind the news
paper which she had picked UP and
was holding in front of her to hide her
tears.
Her husband began figuring on the
back of one of the envelopes; it was a
way he had when worried.
Presently she let fall the paper, with
half smothered exclamation, and
rushed out of the room and upstairs.
He scarcely noticed the circumstance
1t was common one--probably she
imagined she heard the baby cry Or
Johnnie cough. In very few min
utes she came back, laughing and cry
ing all together, and flung herself on
his shoulder, holding out a silver coin.
Take it, John! take it! it really is!
now you can pay the bills and take
the house too!--oh, [ am so glad! so
gladr' she sobbed incoherently.
MIR. Ruther was no numismatist, and
for one terrible moment he actually
feared that his wife had lost her mind.
1t cost him no small effort at self-cOn-
troll to draw her gently to him, and
ask in tones whose very quietness told
of his effort-''What do you mean, my
darling?''
"Why, John, don't you understand?
This is the silver dollar Grandpa gave
me when l was a baby, and it is an
1904 dollar-it really is-and perfect,
don't you see? Now what do you
1, r Sc p11
He took the coin and examined it
critically.
81 don't know" he said doubtfully,
''ten dollars, perhaps"
"Ten dollars! oh, John, you dear
old goose! ten hundred would be
nearer to it. Just listen" and she
ran for the evening paper, which in
her hurry she had left lying where
she had dropped it, on the floor.
.:Listen," and in tones that quivered
with excitement, she read:
ga VALUABLE COIN.
"sMr. Robert Smith, of Blank
county, has in his possession agenuine
silver dollar of the coinage of 1904,
which he recently purchased of an
old colored woman, to whom he paid
S1O for If NJ, Smith has been offered