Passaic City record., 1892-12-10


she. "Jest dump 'em on the roadside
and let the neighbor's hogs eat 'em up
as quick as they canl"
But Mr.. Ellis took advantage of a tin
peddler coming along on the other side
of the street and engaging his hclpmate' q
attention to smuggle in the load oi
pumpkins.
II won't waste 'em, anyway" said
he. ssIf anybody's hogs to eat 'em, it
may as well be my own."
That afternoon when he came in to
supper a thing happened which had
never before befallen him in his married
life. He found the tea-kettle cold, the
graham gems unbaked, the table un
spread and his wife crying piteously.
ssEhl" said Eliakim, blankly. "What
in all creations the matter nowa YOU
amt sick, be you, Loisy2"
Eyes, I bel" sobbed Mrs. Ellis.
"Heartsick, 'Liakim. Oh, what hev ]
donea I've sold them old gray pants O.
yourn to the tin peddler, and never re.
membered how I'd put that hundred
dollar coupon bond you gave me to
keep, in the pocket, because I calcu-
lated no burglar would take a pair O.
ragged old pants. Oh, dearl oh,
dear!"
For one minute Eliakim Ellis stood
silent. A hundred dollars was hun.
dred dollars to this rd-working man,
who could only save and scrape by
Titles. But he looked at Louisa's pale.
woe-begone face, and his great, tender
heart rose up within him like the bill
lows of the sea.
sDon't fret, Loisy, my gal, " he said
cheerfully. 'sIt was only an accident.
'Taint wuth frettin' about" And he
bent down and kissed her forehead-a
rare occurrence in their undemonstrative
household, "We'll go to work and
make it up as fast as possible, my
dear"
.sOh. 'Liakim," sobbed the poor wife,
81 don't deserve that you should be 80
good to me. I'm cross, ,scoldin' creetur,
and"
sTut, tut, tut" good-humoredly in
terrupted her husband. .sGuess ! amt
goin' to hev my wife abused this way"
"And I'm sorry spoke so short about
them pumpkins added Louisa, dole
fully.
Mr.. Ellis whistled under his breath.
He was almost disposed now to regret
that he had paid out that dollar for the
Widow Hepsy's pumpkins.
"However, it's done, " he said to him.
self, ssand it can't be undone. Loisy'd
best be left in the dark, guess, about
it.
He was alertly kindling the fire, while
Mrs. Ellis moved sadly about making
for the evening meal, when
there was very lively tattoo, played by
an energetic pair Of knuckles on the
door outside.
.sCome mi" shouted he. And who
should make his appearance but the tin
pedler himself.
'sHello, squirrel" said he. "Guess
there's been mistake somewhere. l
amt buyin' up Government coupon
bonds. I'm in the tin trade. found
this ERE in your old pockets. So / al
lowed it was best to bring it back right
away"
He held out the folded slip of parch-
nent. Eliakim looked oddly at it.
s.Fetch on Diogenes and his lantern!"
said he, II calc'late here's the honest
man at last!'
ssGet outp said the peddler. ~
don't want none o. your four-syllabled
fun poked at me. But I tell you what |
dew want. Them there pumpkins that
you was cartin' in when I exchanged
sauce pan and two dippers for them
gray pants with your good lady, I'll give
you FIVE cents apiece for 'em."
.sDonel" cried Farmer Ellis, joyfully.
ssThere's to be q big dinner up to
Stapleses Hill," went on the TIN peddler.
"And they're goin' to bake two hundred
pies, and all the pork and
beans that's to be had. And there's
goin' to be corner in pumpkins. I've
got my wagon out here, so I guess we'll
load up right away.
And thus the hundred-dollar coupon
bond was returned, all safe and sound,
by the tin peddler, who was as honest
as he was shrewd2 and the Widow Hep
sy Halls pumpkins were satisfactorily
marketed. So much so, indeed, that
Eliakim even purchased out of the pro-
fits snuff f-colored merino gown, which
he left at the widows door the very
next time he drove past.
s.It's pity she can't share more OF
the good luck" said he.
Mrs. Hall found the gown, neatly
wrapped up in paper, at her door when
she came home from cranberrying in
the swamp, and she never knew where
it came from. But she made it up and,
wore it to her daughter Belinda's in
the city.
But honest Eliakim has not yet told
Louisa. his wife, that he bought the
Widow Hepsy's pumpkins, and paid .
dollar for them in good hard cash.
A Roasting" Under Fire.
.Talking about war stories reminds
L. L.