Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-24
A LONG COURTSHIP.

10 cleaf away neF DfeaKIaSC-tdDle.
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 a 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 chinan'
AS she uttered these words, a moist
ure 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 NOryalton. Now and
then a blue light would sparkle in her
eyes, faint flush of color would rise
to her Withered cheeks, which might
recall the days 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 a skirt or cut sur
plice waist The dashing Madame"
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
Canton China set, in a dilapidated
splint basket when the sound of creak-
inc wheels was heard, and Old Ma'am
Perkins, seated on an aerial perch
amid a bristling array of crockery and
tinware, driving Il patient old horse
who paid no sort of attention to shaken
reins or helaboring whip came into
view. Emma ran out to intercept her.
''Want to buy anything, Emma?"
Emma Smith shook her head. Mrs.
Perkins,, y said she. I'm wantin' to
sell"
TO sell. To sell what Emma?n
Aunt Desires old set o china
Real Canton. Flown blue The hull
set perfect and not chip nor crack
in it.'
What We want for it?"
Il haint no idea what it's with"
sighed Emma. '.Anything it'll bring"
WAL, hand it up here, an I'll dew
my level best for We, " said old Ma'am
Perkins.
I'm goin' down Bedford way, this
trip, and some one may take a 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.
w al, y cried Old Ma'am, Il sold it!'
Did you?" Emma had cherished
ri Of
that the blue china might prove ur-
saleable and thus come back to her
after all.
And who dye guess bought it? Asa
Hopper, up to the Brook Farm"
ASA Hopper!'
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 SAYS he: Seems to me
that china looks sort o naturaln And
says |: i 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 III YOU take
for it? Says |: Five pounds (for l
thought there w'n't no use a-sellin' it
for nothing.) Says he, I'll take it!'
An here's the money all in gold, in a
shammy leather purse
And away she drove, chuckling to
herself.
|, a. ,,,+@ 81
dreary room, lighted her candle, and
set herself to work to apportion this
unexpected windfall to her various
debts and deficiencies; and though it
all her heart was as heavy as lead.
its nothing to me that Asa Hopper
is going to be married. said she to
herself He's a real good fellow. and
I'm sure hope he'll do we'll. But
but didn't s'pose he'd have forgot
me. SO soou.n
And big round tear, like a minia-
ture soap bubble, FLASHED down on the
little heap of gold pieces.
As Miss Emma Smith reached up to
put the money away in a cracked tum-
bier at the back of the dresser shelf,
she saw, standing there, a little cream
pitcher with the inevitable Chinese on
the badly fore-shortened bridge traced
in flowing lines on its apoplectic sides.
"Therer' said she, Il forgot to send
that cream pitcher with the rest. I'm
sure l don't know how it ever came
here"
Just then there came knock at the
door. Miss Smith had nearly dropped
the pitcher il the start she gave. She
went to the door, and there stood Asa
Hopper himself.
Good evening Emma!' said he, just
exactly as if ten years had not elapsed
since their last meeting.
Good evening" Asan said the dress
maker. 81 know what you come for.
Sit down."
You do, eh?n Asa turned very red
and diligently busted the inside of his
hat with his silk handkerchief.
You've come for that blue pitcher
that belongs to your set, and here il
isl
mo. l haint." said Asa Hopper. pay
ing no attention to the article of house
hold ware extended to him. ''I'v'
come for you, Emmar'
.'For-mer'
Yes, just that Asa Hopper laie
his hat on the table and pat his hand
kerchief' back into his pocket in
business-like way. Nov look here
You're alone in the wolAd-so be
And all these years siIlce we wer