The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-03-04

we uhfu AhbOr " nouant w yS.sN'
There Is little margin Of absolute profit
To your New England farmer. Sometimes
q lifetime viii ebb by. and the time for
beginning TO save" will never coma
But he looked at Louisa's pale. vcs-be-
gone face and bis great. tender heart
rose up within him like tho biliovs cf the
sea
Don't fret, Loisy, my gal, b said.
cheerfully. II was only an accident
'Tain't wuth frettin' about. And hs bent
down and kissed her forehead = rare oc-
cnrrence in their undemonstrative house.
hold Well 20 to work. and make u mp
as fast as possible, my dear.
Oh, Liakim. sobbed tho good wife.
/ don't deserve you should be 20 good
to me. I'm such cross, scoldin' crestur.
and
Tut, tut. tutl good humorsdly inter.
rnpted her husband. Guess amt goin'
TO hev my wife abused this away.
And I'm sorry spoke so short about
them pumpkins. added Louisa, dole
fully
Mr.. Ellis whistled under his breath.
He was almost disposed, now, TO regres
that be had paid out that dollar for the
Widow Hepsy's pumpkins.
However. it's done, he said to himself.
and it cant be undone. Loisy'd best be
left in the dark, guess, about it.
He was alertly kiudling the FIRE. while
Mrs. Ellis moved sadly about, making
preparations for the evening meal, when
there was lively tattoo, played by very
energetic pair Of knuckles, on the door
outside.
Come inl shouted he.
And who should make his appearance
but the tin peddler himself!
Halo, squire! said be. Guess there's
been some mistake somewhere I amt
buyin' up government coupon bonds.
I'm in the tin trade. found this ere 10
your old pockets. So l allowed it was
best to bring it back right away.
He held out the folded slip Of parch-
ment. Eliakim looked oddly at 1t.
Fetch on Diogenes and his lanternl said
he. calc late here's the honest man at
last.
Get outl said the tin peddler, l don't
want none O. your four-syllabled fun
poked at me. But III tell you what l
dew want. Them there pumpkins that
you was cartin' in when / exchanged .
sauce pan and two dippers for them gray
pants with your good lady. Eli give you
cents apiece for EN-.
Done! cried Farmer Ellis, joyfully.
There's to be big New England dinner
up to Stapleses Hill, went on the tin ped
dler. And they're going to bake two hun
dred pumpkin pies and all the pork and
beans that's to be had And there's goin
to be corner in pumpkins. I've got my
wagon out here; SO l guess we'll load up
right away.
And thus the hundred dollar coupon
bond was returned oil safe and sound, by
the tin peddler. who, being genuine
Yankee at heart, was as honest as he was
shrewd, and the Widow Hepsy Halls
pumpkins we're satisfactorially marketed.
So much so, indeed. that Eliskim even
purchased out OF the profits a snuf-col-
ored merino gown, which he left ct the
widows door the. very aext time he drove
past.
It's pity she cant share more o the
good luck, said he.
Mrs. Hall found the gown. neatly wrap
ped in paper, at her door when she came
home from cranberrying in the swamp,
and she never knew where it came from.
But she made it up, and wore it to her
daughter Belindas in the city.
But honest Eliakim has not yet told
Louisa, his wife, that he bought Widow
Hepsy's pumpkins, and paid for them in
good hard cash.
1t aint best to tell women everthingl
'aid he.