The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-11-28

He made another bad day in the
composing room, which seemed to
make the desired dinner more improb-
able than before. At night heroam-
ed through the four rooms of his
little house, hoping to find something
which could be sold, without the
family missing it, for enough money
to buy the dinner the children longed
for. But there was nothing; families
who live in four rooms have no SUI
perfuities; the only thing that he
could see that was not in almost
daily use, was suit of clothes which
had belonged to his namesake, his
first-born, buried two years before.
Could he sell the garments of the
dead to provide food for the living?
AS he wondered, his hand rested on
the jacket collar, over which merry
little face used to laugh at him, and
he choked forth "Nop'
There was nothing-nothing. His
heart was so sore that he could not
unload it upon Bess, for was she not
carrying enough loads of her own?
As already stated, he was an old
fashioned fellow, and for a moment
he wondered to which of his two out
side friends to turn for consolation
his Bible or his Shakespeare?
He handled beth books irresolute-
~ and alternately for q moment or
two, but the Shakespeare contained
pictures, and the Bible did not; in
Toms mood the eye was quicker i'm
pressible than the mind, so he finally
fingered over poet instead ofprophet.
1t was a rare edition, from a printers
point OF view; that was the reason
Fred Trottiper owned it. 1t was
printed from type and wood-cuts, in
stead of plates, the publishers stock
had been consumed by fire after
three or four editions had been sold,
and the work was too expensive to
remake; consequently, it was in de-
mand by dealers in scarce books, as
Fred had often heard. Could he spare
it-for the children sake? Could he
spare an arm or leg-for the chill
dren's sake? Well, yes he thought
so-just then:
The next morning, after breakfast,
Ned sneaked from the house: there
was no other way of avoiding inqui-
ry, for he was carrying a large bun
dle-three volumes, quarto. At
noon he was in the street where all
New York dealers in secondhand
books congregate. There was very
sore spot under his left arm, though
the books did not make it. He
passed several shops before he could
make the flesh equal to the spirit of
the sacrifice. Finally, he dashed in
to one place, and dropped the pre-
cious package upon the counter.
''Old books?" said the dealer.
We're not buying at present.
"Glad of it," said Ned, Selling his
bundle as if it were child he had
been abandoning.
"What is it?' asked the dealer,
carelessly tearing the paper from the
books. "H'm-Smith's Shakespeare?
Don't know but could get rid of
that before long. I'll give you ten
dollars for it,"
do It'll" said Ned.
As the dealer fun bled in his pock-
cts for the money, Ned turned the ia
miliar leaves rapidly; and had to
treat himself terribly to conquer the
desire to seize the books and hurry
away. An old bookworm, who was
rambling about the shop picked up
one of the volumes. stared at Ned
through very convex glasses, and ex-
claimed.
"Well! I don't see how any intelli-
gent man can sell his copy ofSmith's
Shakespeare"
Don't, eh?" growled Ned. go
get married, and you'll find out"
When Ned Trottiper reached home
at night, he was so loaded with bun.
dies that his son Freddie shouted
"Express!" and little Elsie exclaimed
''Christmas!'
"Oh, Ned. what has happened?"
asked Mrs. Trottiper.
Nothing, dear girl; I've brought
the things for Thanksgiving dinner;
that's ALL"
Gracious! How did you pay for
them?"
with pound of flesh-nearest
the heart; the place doesn't hurt,
though"
Farther explanation was prevent
ed by the children, who already had
broken open the packages; the cram
berries were rolling all over the floor,
Elsie had adapted q sprig of celery
as a breast-knot, and Freddie had
placed the pumpkin on the table,
and was penciling eyes, nose, mouth
and hair upon it's rind.
Of course, Mrs. Trottiper would
not go to sleep until she had learned
how her husband had got his money
with which to buy such q bewildering
assortment of luxuries. When at
lastshe extracted the truth from her
reluctant spouse, who refused to tell