The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-06-24
THE OLD 0 STOVE.
By Selling 1t Mrs.. Ralston Got a
Sop-in-Law:

ana fOntlDe Marshes. YET IL Eau a
CHEEKY echo under the hite-biossomed
elderbushes and rlose to the old farm,
even though II wat only a string of
bells stretched across n wagon and
agitated by the jog-iog of an ancient
white horse, that ras as blind As the
little god of lc-.c. while a shrewd old
man trudged beside him, guiding his
devious way.
'Tink,e. tinkle. tinkle."
Anything in nv line to-day. squire?'
asked Moses Minton, checking his march
as he caught sight of Mr.. Ralston gath
ering the early apricots from the sunny
side of the wall.
Git ont" was the tcrse reply.
Rags" Suavely added Moses. stretch
ing his neck to look at the red-cheeked
beauties whose subtle fragrance filled
the air. BOTTLES? Old iron? Nnospa-
pers?'
lit out. | say" srowltd Ralstoh.
never oncc glancing mp from his occu
patton. II hain't no time to bother"
NO %oircnse, Ihope?" said the indom-
itably cheerful it~inerant. Il seen an
old wood stove in the shed as I came
by"
Well. and if You did. what business
was il Of yours" rctortcd Halston.
Wal, none, not if you look at it that
ar way" said Moses. But il 81 he as
we could drive a trade"
I'VE can't then. and there's an end
ont" answered Ralston.
And after one or two seconds further
waiting. Moses Minton chirrupcd to
Old Gray. and once more the bells
tangled merrily on the air Indicative of
u move.
"Stranee how persistent them mis-
cradle creatures is" thought Farmer
Ralston.
Strange how Grabbed Simeon Raj
ston gets. as he gets older" meditated
Moses. IF that ar's what money
brings with it. I. for one. don't want
to he rich. Get up, Old tray"
Farther down tn" lane. however.
where the ripcning blackbcrries hung
their knobs of jet on every hough and
spray and the sound of a little brook
in the distance made a
dreamy gurgling. Moses Minton came
across Mrs. Ralston, a fat, comfortable
old dame. as unlike her husband ~ the
motherly barn-door hen is unlike the
gaunt, high-shouldered came-ccck.
We'll, | { declare" said Mrs. Ralston.
"if ! wasn't jest a-thinking about ynu,
Nose Minton."
Was you, thought" chucklpd the old
man. Anything in my line to-day
Who-oa. Gray. | sw'ar to gooiness"
las the old horse contentedly buried his
nose in a green bank that there crit
ter couldn't find out where the clover
clumps grow no better. not if he had
forty pair of eyes, inste'd q being stun
blind.'
me and Comfort, we was a-sayin',"
purred on Mrs. Ralston.
who was in full pursuit of a flock of
ducklings who were evad-
ing her guardianship in every direction.
that you hadn't been along in quite a
spell. And the bag of mixed rags is
quite full, and there's a lot of old num-
bcrs of the Missionary Review, and
But don't speak so loud. kind o don't
want father to hear. he's so mortal set
Hg'in' partin' with anything. Its kind
o second nature Ia him to hoard up
things; and as he gets further on in
years he's more set in his ways than
Jest you come round the back
door. Hes out and Comfort is out, and
a first-rate chance to get rid of
the old wood-stove as has been rustin'
in the shed for a hull year"
Moses Minton's eyes twinkled. It
was not the first time he had become
an accessory to just such harmless do
nestle plots as this
I'm at your orders. num-" said he.
'And prices warn't never better for you
nor wuss for me. Half a cent a pound
is what we're a-givin' for old iron now"
faint much" said Mrs. Ralston.
ats better than nothing" argued
Moses And really, now. amt it wuth
that to get a lot of old truck out Of the
well, / dunno but what you're
said Mrs. Ralston.
And while Mr.. Ralston was yet Gull
ing out the ripest and deepest-colored
Of the apricots for an especial order for
a dinner party at DIR. Jessup's on the
hill, old Moses loaded up his cart. with
rusty wood-stove in the center of
the bags of rags and bundles of old
newspapers. and drove away. juggling
bells through the purple twilight,
the infinite disgust of the gray horse
who knew an Eden of clover and daisies
when he found it and was correspond
reluctant to leave it.
Presently Comfort Ralston came in: a
tall, rosy girl with limpid brown eyes
and luxuriant auburn locks pushed off
her fair, freckled brow.
Am I late, mother" said she. But
kept me longer than | expected"
LA, child. no." Mrs. Ralston re-
sponded. Il hain't but jest hung the
over. I'm sort o behiudhand to-
night. Old Nose Minton has been he.e, f.,
but don't, for goodness sake, tell your
And I've sold the rags and all
them old papers and the wood stove
put in the she'd"
Mother The wood stove?"
81 got forty-fve cents for IT," said
Mrs. Ralston. And it wasn't no use
to us, all rusting away there"
HAS he gone. mother?'
"iour father? Why. no. he's busy
with them apricots out by the orchard
wall for"
NO, ! don't mea father. I mean
Moses Minton! Has he gomez