Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-06-30
GRAYLING

has gone to my head. It Is Fourth OF
July but once year."
Yes, thank goodnessl" he muttered,
pulling away at his pipe.
Next mornings mail brought a couple
of letters and the local paper. This once
the Guide seemed the center Of attrac-
ton to both Mr.. and Mrs. j.
Lets see about the celebration.
she said. eagerly. DO read aloud,
WILL"
Haven't time. II wonld take me all
the afternoon. Here are columns and
columns, but not about me. Oh, yes,
sure enough. They are In hopes Mr..
Jeffrey's corn crop will turn out a great
er success than his oration.' Well, !
don't care what they say" He laughed
good-naturedly, for he had gotten over
his modification. Here is Judge Burns
speech; nearly all Of it, it seems, and
half a column OF eulogy on 1t. Just lis
ten what they say: "A perfect jewel Of
poetic expression-a chaste pearl OF ora
tory-dewy freshness-a Lightning flash
of patriotic eloquence.' Are you chok-
ing, Molly?" She was as red as q berry.
coughed and laughed alternately.
We'll, / must cay II was a first-rate
speech, but no more than might be ex-
pected Of lawyer who has The gift OF
CAB. He is an old hand at that sort of
thing. Why, he has spoken in public
these last thirty years. It's his business
to talk, Just as it is mine to raise corn
and wheat. How did you like his speech,
Molly?"
Il can't say 1 thought IL so very won
derful. she said. 1T was nice enough,
and short. He was through before his
time was up. noticed that more than
anything else"
"You don't mean TO say so? Why, I
thought of you while he spoke-how you
would appreciate him. They were all
wild about that speech, both men and
women. 1t was full of fun and fire and
enthusiasm. Choking again. Molly?
Shall slap you on your back?" She
shook her head. yes, he understands
his business, that's certain. What's
that2 Looks very much like Burns
handwriting. What can he have to write
about?"
Mrs. Molly flushed to the very roots of
her wavy hair, while Mr.. jeffrey cut the
envelope with a table-knife, and fell
into brown-study over his letter. His
wife watched him with roguish twinkle
in her eyes. He looked as II he was
reading the will a maiden aunt whose
inheritance he had been sure Of, and
who had suddenly died after changing
her will in favor Of the Hottentot mis-
sion.
The letter really was from Judge
Burns, and read as follows:
MY DEAR Mr. JEFFREY: Excuse an old
friend who gladly took what you had de-
clined the Grafton / delivered yesterday,
literally after the manuscript was the
work of Mrs jeffrey. While she wrote that
very excellent speech. which l sccepted as
a godsend, took her place at the churn.
and spent one of the most labOrlous hours
OF my life making butter. The transac-
tion being altogether in my favor, l feel
very much indebted TO Mrs jeffrey, and
hope she will accept n token OF my sincere
regard in the shape of a new patented
cLurn, which, as the manufacturers claim,
will make churning a mere child's play.
NV dear Mr.. Jeffrey, your narfner in mar
riage has more brains, heart, and energy
than you and taken together. Sincerely
your friend, HEZEKIAH f BURNS.
Molly, did-did you really write that
speech?"
Yes, sir" said Mrs. Molly. And II
came off inside of five minutes, sir.
Your coffee is cold. Let me give you
another cup, Willie, dear. Cecil Gohl,
in Harper's Bazaar.