Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-09-14
MIR. BONALLPS BARGAIN.
How Grandpa Managed to Get
Rid of His Two Girls.


This must be the house, / think,
said Mr.. Raphael Bonalli, speaking to
himself.
Italian in name only. His fathers
name had been Benoni Bunnell, but he
was OF poetic nature, and preferred
to call himself Raphael Bonalli. He
was bachelor of refined instincts and
cultivated tastes He held snug sine
cure in the Office of the commissioners
of clothes-posts and lived in fiat in
"The Speckington' building. And he
had mania for old furniture, old pic
lures, old books-whatever was far
enough removed from the gloss and
vulgarity of newness
1t was that, as much as the necessity
for fresh air and recuperation, during
his summer vacation, that led him into
the sweet wildernesses OF the Berk-
shire hills He was no artist; he neither
etched, drew nor painted, and he cared
nothing for sunset effects, blossoming
chestnut trees, hidden cataracts nor
forest pools, fringed around with ferns!
But once talk to him of antique fire.
irons, spinning-wheels, old leather bel
lowses or cracked pitchers of the last
generation, and he was all alive.
Yet he was q good soul withal. The
ragged little crossing sweeper was sure
of penny when he came that way;
the beggar instinctively sided up to
him with open palm, and the poor
wretch with the basket of common
wares was always certain of selling to
him at least a card of unbuttonable
buttons or paper OF worthless pins
His soul was full of kindly instincts,
and his nature that of true gentle
man.
And hero he was on dreary mount
ain side in search of the house of one
Hezekiah Hotchkiss. an ancient farmer,
who was .popularly reported to possess
an armchair of cherry-wood, oddly
carved and of great antiquity, as well
as pair of brass flre-dogs, the like
whereof was nowhere else to be found
They were not officially in market
Had this been the case, they would
probably have been snapped up Ions
ago. But whisper had reached Mr.
Bonalli's ears, carelessly waited from
one source to another, that such arti
cles did exist and that they nigh
possibly be purchased by some enter
prsing amateur.
1t was bright, breezy July morn
ing; the sky all dappled with fyini
clouds, the air full of sweet scents o
new-mown hay, when, after a loni
walk, Mr.. Bonalli came to a one
storied farmhouse shaded by hug
maple trees, with well-sweep tower
ering up behind, and stiff pickle
fence inclosing square patch o
garden sass" close by. AS he Opene'
the gate tall. blooming young womal
came around the back of the house
with a basket of ripe strawberries il
her hand.
Are you jerks manP" said she, fix
ing pair of brilliant hazel eyes upol
him. Come for the Strawberries
Because I've only got four quarts here
but my sister is out on Rattlesnake Hill
picking, and she'll be back pretty soon
If you'll come in and wal"
Here was misrepresentation to be
gin with. Mr.. Bonalli took off his hat
and apologetically wiped his streaming
forehead.
II beg your pardon" said he, ''bu
haven the honor Of being Jenks
man."
"Then." said the hazel-eyed lassie
who are youP"
1t sounded like blunt query, but a
she spoke it, it only expressed anatura
curiosity.
my name is Bonalli," he explained
81 was directed to Mr.. HotchkisI
place"
"Oh, that's right" said the girl
IHdb BIduupes anu hSAS AS 40 uV"'
Upon which a knotty-faced, leather
complexioned individual, with only on
leg and cushioned crutch, appeare
at the door, demanding grufiy, "whs
the old boy they was making such
noise aboutr'
Il am told. sir" said Mr.. BOnall
.'that you have very old cherry-woo
chair. with pair of brass fire-ironi
that
"Ohl l see" nodded the leather
faced patriarch. you're one o thel
fellows that collects Well, come in
come in. amt anxious to sell, bs
I'd part with the old truck for a fai
price. Eunice and Sally want som
new parlor cheers and a store carpe
and I told 'em they could have whS
the old things would fetch to spend fC
any gimcracks they liked. just ste
into the wing and look at en-
The wing" a portion Of the houi
otherwise unused, was full Of old reli'
1 = " A.