The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-08-06
DEAR TOBACCO.
The Package Sold by ~ emmy
to Spite Ebenezer.

A trim New England kitchen. with
its floor of knotty pine boards secured
to snowy wilderness, the red brick hearth
rejecting back the gieam of the crack
ling hickory logs and the dresser full
OF glittcring tin put mathematically
straight after the coming meal-th;s was
the scene upon which the autumn glow
cred rcdly for an instant, through the
narrow window pancs, ere it went down
behind bank of slate-colored clouds in
s. the west, and Miss Jemima Buxford,
glancing up at a clock on little wood.
-en shelf between the windows, saw
$3.50 clock.
"Bless me, how the time does 90 onr'
said Miss Jemima. land It don't seem
As If | accomplished nothin' with run
min. arter your everlastin' whims, Eben-
ezer.'
Ebenezer Buxford. his autocratic sis
tcr's senior by twenty good years.
looked depreciatingiy up from his cush-
toned nook in the chimney corner-a
weak. feeble-kneed old man, with
,scanty gray hairs brushed into meek
little wisp on the top of his head, wa
terry blue eyes and complexion like
well-cured parchment.
Il know I'm Il deal of trouble, Je-
mimy,' said the old man, apologet cal
", ''but try not to make any more
than l can help"
mo YOU don't, neither" snapped
JENNY. Il hain't no patience with
your everlastin' smokin' till We all
smell like an old bar-room, and there
amt curtain in the whole house that
don't tell its own story. l tell YOU
what. Ebenezcr BuNford. you've just
got to leave off that mis- able habit"
Ebenezcr shrank instinctively from
the hard, cruel tone.
but Jemimy-"
"Tm in earnest. Ebenezer"
''But Ellen Dennison says
Il don't care two snaps o my finger
what Ellen Denn!son says-a pert mink,
Just as full o airs and graces as her
mother was before her. though she was
my own sister. If Ellen chooses to
make a fuss over You and indulge YOU
in every within, don't-that's all there
is to it! l amt going to have this
smokin' going on. You've just got to
quit il"
81 might as we'll quit Twin. JENNY.
For forty-seven years
~ Miss Jemima, however. did not STAY
TO hear the end of the speech. but burst
out of the room muttering to herself
sentences of which the import boded
little good.
Hell be right down vexed, though"
thought the spinster. ''whcn he knows
I've sold them three packets of Virginny
tobacco he brought home on his last sea
voyage. It's odd man can keep yoy-
agin' to furrin parts all his life and NOT
lay up no money arter all. But Ebene-
ger was never sayin like the rest o the
Buxfords"
And Jemima went up stairs to rum
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 the kitchen fire until he heard light
footstep on the doorstone without, and
his face frightened as Ellen Dennison
came in. She was q tall, fresh-com-
plexioned girl, with face which, if not
absolutely pretty, was pleasing, and q
slight. graceful figure.
aWeI. uncler She said, cheeriiv.
''rve been waitin' for you Ellen. the
old man whispered, reckoning. her 70
come close to him. .She-she won't
bring me no more 'baccy, and haven't
had whiH since four o'clock"
Ellen bit her lip.
':I'n bring you some at once, Uncae
Eben."
There amt none left in the tin box
went ON the old man, OBTAINING -
with grip of her neat calico drea.
You'll have to 60 to the packet o. blue,
paper in the corner cupboard up-s taiEsl
the genuine stuff brought from Oh
virginny years and years ago, VIZ 1
Waren't the old wreck am now! Get
the top package, Nell. remember" 7
s.Xes, uncle. 4