Connecticut western news., 1886-10-27
VOL. XVI.

aud let the neighbors' hogs eat lem up as quick as they cant"
 But Mir. Ellis took advantage of tin peddler coming along on the other side of the street, and engaging his help meets attention, to smuggle in the load of pumpkins,
 ''I won't waste lem anyway" said he. eff anybody's hogs is to cat lem, it may as we'll be minc."
 That afternoon, when he came in to supper, thing happened which had never before befallen him in all his mar ried life.
 He found the tea-kettle cold, the Ora ham gems unbaked, tho tdbie unspread and his wife crying piteously.
 "Eh!" said Eliakim, blankly. "What in-all-creation' 's-the matter now2 You ain't sick, be you, Loisy?'
 ''Yes, I bel" sobbed Mrs. Ellis. "Heartsick, Liakim. Oh, what heo done9 rve sold them old gray pants o'yourn to the tin peddler, and never re. membered how I'd put that there hundred dollar. coupon bond you gave me to keep, in the pocket, because I calculated no burglars would take a pair o'raggcd old panst. Oh, dear oh, dear!"
 For one minute Eliakim Ellis stood silent. A hundred dollars was a hundred dollars to this hard-workine man, who could only save and scrape by littles.
 But he looked at Louisa's pale, woe begone face, and his great, tender heart rose up within him like the pillows of the sea.
 ''Don't fret, Loisy, my gal" he said, cheerfully. ''It was only an accident. 'Tain't wuth frettin' about" And he bent down and kissed her forehead--a rare occurrence in their undemonstrativc household. "We'll go to work and make it up as fast as possible, my dear"
 "Oh, 'Liakim!" sobbcd the good wife, '1 don't deserve you should be so good to me. Pm cross, sco.din' creetur, and"
 ''Tut. tut, tut" spontaneously inter- rupped her husband. 'Guess I ain't goin' to hev my wife abused this a-way.' J
 "And Pm sorry spoke so short about them pumpkins" added Louisa, dole fully.
 Mir. Ellis whistled under his breath. He was almost disposed now, to regret that he had paid out that dollar for the Widow Hepsy's pumpkins.
 However, it's done," he said to him. self, 'tand it can't be undone. Loisy'd best be left in the dark, I guess, about it."
 He was alertly kindling the fire, while Mrs. Ellis moved sadly about, making pre-. parations for the evening meal, wher there was lively tattoo, played by { very energetic pair of knuckles on tho door outside.
 "Come in 1" shouted he.
 And who should make his appearance but the tin-peddler himself.
 "Hello, squirrel" said he. "Gues. there's been a mistake somewhere. ain't buyin' up Government coupor bonds. Pm in the tin trade. found this ere in your old pockets. So I al lowed it was best to bring it back righ away"
 He held out the folded slip of parch ment. Eiakim looked oddly at it.
 'fFetch on Diogenes and his lantern ? said he, 'I calc'late here's the homes man at lastp
 'Get out!" said the tin-pcddler. |" don't want none O your four-syllablet fun poked at me. But I tell you what dew want. Them there pumpkins tha you was cartin' in when l exchanged saucepan and two dippers for them gra pants with your good lady, I'll give yo' five cents apiece for 'em."
 "Donem cried Farmer Ellis, joyfully
 ''There's to. be big dinner up t Stapleses Hill" went on the tin-peddler "And they're goin' to bake two hundre' pumpkins-pies, and all the pork an' beans that's to be had. And there goin' to be corner in pumpkins. pv got my wagon out here, so guess wei load up right away" And thus the hundred dollar coupo bond was returned, all safe and sound by the tin-peddler, who, was. as homes as he was shrewd, and the Wido' Hepsy Halls pumpkins were satisfacte rily marketed. So much so, indeed, ths Eliaklm even purchased out of tt profits a snuff-colored merino gown which he left at the widows door tt very next time he drove past.
 ''It's pity she can't share more the good luck" said he.
 Mrs. Hall found the gown, neatl wrapped in paper, at he door when sl came home from cranberrying in tl swamp, and she never knew where came from. But she made it up, an wore it to her daughter Belinda's in tf city.
 But honest Eliakim has not yet to Louisa, his wife, that he bought Wido Hepsy's pumpkins, and paid dollar f them in good hard cash.
 'It amt best to tell women ever thing!" said he.-Helen Forrest Graces
 Quicker Than Wall Street.
 s'No, I wasn't cleaned out in W. street," he replied. as he choked back heavy siph. "Wall street was too slo