Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-12-24

Dy SuJUS UndG were given IN exchange
for fresh tinware and crockery, and
presided over the sort of second hand
store, which, after awhile, Hezekiah
set up by way of disposing Of his sur
plus wares. And in time people got
into the way of going to KNOTS
place" for cheap goods, second hand
articles, and all manner of odds and
] ends. Prices were always reasonable
there-the articles were varied and
unique-and there is no one who
likes better to save money than your
average country farmer.
The Baptist minister had sur
rounded himself with the lam
holier-than-thou" atmosphere, the
storekeeper had undoubtedly the adj
vantage of gentility, but it is ques-
tionable whether, after all, old Heze-
kiah was not the happier OF the
three. Day after day he was on the
road. He knew the orchard where
the reddest apples grew, the copses
where dubbed out the clearest
springs, the shadowy thickets where
the brown-coated chestnuts ratified
down at the touch of the earliest
frosts.
In his quaint way he studied Ma
ture, and rejoiced in her mysteries,
and cared little that he was outlawed
by his kith and kin. And those were
not altogether wrong who declared
that he shouted "Ra-a-gs-old Rags
bottles and tin-a-a-ware!" all the
louder when he came past the stiff
lilac bushes Of the parsonage garden,
and trudged beneath the shadow OF
the country store where his brother
practiced the great principles Of eek
change and barter"
But Jonathan, the only son Of the
old mans only sister, had always sur
reptitiously delighted in the mystic
rious contents of the basement where
these secondhand goods were packed
away. Hehad helped his uncle tinker
up the old clocks, mend the battered
tea-kettles and saucepans, and sort
out from the rag-heap all that prom
ised to be capable of some rejuvena-
ton. When he married the district
school teacher, however, Hezekiah
shook his head doubtfully.
"We've seen the last of Jonathan
now," says he. "Mary Mix'll be deal
too genteel to let him associate long
of us any more"
But here on the top of all this came
the invitation to the first Christmas
dinner in the young couples new
home.
1t had not, however, been sent
without some discussion.
"What!" Mary had exclaimed. "In-
vite the old rag-and-bottle MANI"
Hes the jolliest old chap you ever
knew, Mate" pleaded the bridegroom.
"And Aunt Viney's regular brick.
I wish you could see the big ginger
cookies she used to bake for me-"
"But if they come, Uncle William
and Uncle John will keep away"
argued Mary.
aLet 'em," was the curt reply.
"Uncle Kiah's the best of the lot, &C
cordin' to my way of thinkin'."
So Mary acQuiesced in her hus-
bands wishes, and the invitation was
duly written and dispatched.
"It's rayther joke, you an me
bein' invited out, old woman" said
Hezekiah. We'll 60, sha'n't US?
Hev' we anything fit to wear?"
II guess we can make OUT" said
Mrs. Knott.
"And I'll tell We what" said Heze-
kiah, 1--WE won't be beat in manners,
not by nobody. Well send Christ
mas present to the bride. There's
that old cast-iron wood-stove that /
bought at Hounds Hollow, with the
punches of grapes on the door. She
shall have that"
LA, Hezekiah:" said Mrs. Knott,
"what do you suppose she cares for an
old secondhand rattle-trap like that?
It's morn likely she's got all the
stoves that she wants."
"A stoves stove, anyhow" said
Hezekiah. "And 1 mean to send it
to her, so you may just stop your
clack, old woman"
Mrs. Knott only smiled. She was
used to the bertinacity of her
spouse, and she gave way with a good
grace.
"Oh, what pretty little stove!"
said Mrs. Jonathan, when it was car
ried into the neat best parlor on
Christmas morning. And how
brightly it is blacked!"
aJust like Uncle Kiah!" said Jona-
than, who was polishing red apples,
sorting out the latest and largest
nuts, and sharpening the carving
knife for the coming feast. Might
ha' known he'd send something diff
ferent from anybody else. But, since
it's here, 1 guess I'll put it up at
once. It's prettier to look at than
that air-tight thing; and we can
start a fire right Off"
@But he sent word" interrupted
Mary, that we weren't to light the
fire till he came. He wanted to show
us the valves and hampers and
things"
Does he think nobody knows how
to start fire but him?" said Jona-