Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-01-21
He Laughs Best Who Laughs Last.

winch nome Is a mockery, Will as
suredly be yours in the end.
He Laughs Best Who Laughs Last
"The missus says will we be afther
takin' this box of things, here on the
table, home to the by, Misther Brad
ley?"
"What are they, Nora?"
"Shure its some things We used to
play wild whin We was a by yerself
and some traps the aunt left years
ago.
"I'll look at them"
The first articles that met his sight
on looking into the box, was an anci-
ent pair of vases, as ugly as such af-
fairs usually are. He remembered
seeing them filed with dried grasses
on his aunt's mantle. shelf as long ago
as he could remember anything; at
her death they had descended to him,
and been forgotten in his busy life
away from his boyhood's home.
Now Mr.. Bradley cordially detested
bric-a-brac, and Mrs. Bradley adored
it, as Mr.. Bradley's home and purse
could testify. He knew as sure as he
carried those ugly vases home, just so
surely Mrs. Bradley would think they
were eminently fitted to adorn the
parlor, and would take wonderful de-
light in exhibiting them to Mrs. Scott,
who had just bought
Happy thought he would take
the vases home and, without showing
them to his wife, sell them to a man
who dealt in such articles, and who
numbered Mrs. Bradley among his
patrons.
"He shall pay me back some of the
money he has extorted from Nellie
for trash" said Mr. B., chuckling to
himself.
Still smiling, he packed the vases
in separate box, and, taking his
property kissed his mother goodbye,
and started for his heme in a distant
city.
On reaching there two days later,
he took his vases at once to Mr.. Buyd-
sell. The little old mans eyes twink
led at sight of them; but he was pre-
pared to drive sharp bargain: so
was Mr.. Bradley. He was in nc
haste to sell, but since the vases were
so rare, he thought Mr.. Buydsell
might like to see them. The sale for
such articles was small but perhaps
the gentleman-for Mr.. Bradley was
unknown to him-wouldn't expect
great price for them, ETC., ETC.,
After some more of this polite bar
gaining, Mr.. Bradley left the vases
and the store, $50 richer by the trans
action. He laughed to himself all
the way home.
After affectionate greetings from
his wife, the other box was opened /;
and when he saw her JOY over little
mustard-pot which she discovered
among his aunt's bequest, his consci-
ence did prick him trifle; but after
striking his feet against Japanese
jar standing by the table, he felt so
happy to think the vases were out of
his way, that he laughed again. In
the days that followed, he never
thought of the vases and the $50 with
out broad smile or a chuckle.
When the Christmas holidays drew
near, his-Mr. B's-.wife's sister
Laura came to make her permanent
home with them. She was a very
bright, pretty girl, and in Mr.. Brad
ley's eyes had but one fault; that,
however, was serious one. She, too,
adored bric.a-bra
One morning OH his way to the Of
fee, he happened to think it lacked
only day or two of Christmas, and
he must purchase his gifts soon hav-
ing a leisure hour on this particular
morning, as well then as ever.
He finally chose a very handsome
lace fichu for his wife, paying $40 for
it.
THAT seemed pretty extravagant,"
he thought, "but I always meant she
should have the $50, if she didn't
have the vases and $40 more with it
isn'tmuch. How her eyes will sparkle
when she sees itp He added box
of kids for Laura, and then went after
young Jason's toys and bonbons.
Christmas eve, after the gas was lit
in the parlor, Laura wheeled away a
screen behind which stood table
holding the presents. There was one