Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-07-31
A LONG COURTSHIP.

s." and worn thin with much usage.
1t did not take Emma Smith very long
to clear away her breakfast-tabe.
at does SEEM" said she. speaking
aloud presumably to the cat '.as If
grew poorer and poorer every day!
had little butter with my oatmeal
yesterday. To-day | haven't any.
There's only handful of potatoes left
In the bin, and four apples and a few
carrots; and I've no money. Yes, it's
come to that. I've got to sell Aunt
Desires old blue Canton chinal"
As she uttered -hese words, moist
Are came into her eyes which made the
white crocuses along the garden walk
waver as if high wind had swept over
them.
No one would have believed that
Emma Smith had once been the
prettiest girl in Norvalton. Now and
lhen blue light would sparkle in her
eyes faint flush of color would rise
to her withetsd cheeks, which might
recall the day9 of yore, but these came
seldom. She was dressmaker by
trade, but she had somehow gone out
OF fashion. People looked askance at
her Paris plates. and doubted her
ability to hang skirt or cut "sur-
plice waist The dashng Madame"
from London got all the local custom.
And there were times when Emma
heartily wished that she had accepted
Asa Hopper, instead of jeering at his
suit.
She had scarcely packed up the blue
II n ~
splint basket, when the sound of crealS-
ing wheels was heard, and Old Maam
Perkins, seated on an aerial perch
amid Il bristling array of crockery aud
tinware, driving patient old horse
who paid no sort of attention to shaken
reins or belaboring whip came into
view. Emma ran out to intercept her.
want to buy anything, Emmap"
Emma Smith shook her head. MRS.
Perkins" said she. "Tm wantin' tc
sell"
TO SELL To sell what EmmaP"
Aunt Desires old set o china.
Real Canton. Flown blue. The hull
set perfect, and not II chip nor crack
M it,"
What We want for itpn
II haint no idea what it's wuth,
sighed Emma. Anything it'll bring"
''Wal hand it up here. an I'll dew
my level best for yc,' said old Ma'am
Perkins
I'm goin' down Bedford way this
trip, and some one may take n fancy to
it,
Ii was late in the April twilight wher
the crockery cart once more stopped
at the door. Emma ran out To greet
the cheerful old woman who set on it.
Nv al cried Old Ma'nm, II sold itv
did you?n Emma had cherished
an illogical, lingering sort of hope
that the blue china might prove un>
saleable, and thus come back to her
after all.
And who dye guess bought itp Asa
Hopper, up to the Brook Farm
ASA Hopperm
Folks say he's going to be married. :"
said Old Ma'am Perkins. Anyhow,
he's furnished up the house splendid,
with a new red carpet in the best room,
and new wall paper and Nottingham
lace curtains Had property left him
from the Fairfield Hoppers," added
Old Ma'am. Says he: Seems to me
that china looks sort o. naturalr And
says |: Il wouldn't wonder if you'd
took tea off it before now. 1t belongs
to Emma Smith, the dressmaker down
in Norvalton,' says |, and she amt so
well off as she was-and she wants to
sell it. Says he: How much I'll you take
for itP Says |: Five pounds (for |
thought there w'n't no use a-sellin' it
for nothing.) Says he, ri take it!'
An here's the money all in gold, in a
shammy leather purse
And away she drove. ohuckling to
herself
Emma Smith went back into the
dreary room, lighted her candle, and
set herself to work to apportion this
unexpected windfall to her various
debts and deficiencies; and though il
oil her heart was as heavy as lead.
tits nothing to me that Asa Hopper
is going to DO married. said she to
herself. Hes real good fellow. and
I'm sure hope he'll do we'll. But
but didn't s'pose he'd have forgo,
me so soou.h
And big round tear, like minia-
tuio sphp '"''tc' t's''iiVN WV IL tu we
little heap of gold pieces.
As Miss Emma Smith reached up to
put the money away in cracked tum.
bier. at the back of the dresser shelf
she saw, standing there, a little cream
pitcher with the Inevitable Chinese or
the badly iore-shortened bridge traced
in flowing lines on its apoplectic sides.
"There!" said she, II forgot to seuC
that cream pitcher with the rest. In
sure don't know how it ever cam,
here"
Just then there came knock at tn,
door. Miss Smith had nearly dropped
the pitcher in the start she gave. Sh,
went to the door, and there stood Ass
Hopper, himself.
Good evening Emma! said he. jus
exactly as if ten years had not elapsed
since their last meeting.
Good evening, Asam said the dress
maker. Il know what you come for
Sit down"