Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-07-20
THE OLD WOOD STOVE.
BY Selling 1t Mrs. kalston Got a
Son-in-Law.
"Tinlle. tinkle. tinl,lc!n


even though IL was only u string of
bells stretched across wagon and
agitated by the jog-jog of an ancient
white horse, that was as blind as the
little god of love. while shrcwd old
man trudged beside him, guiding his
devious way.
"rinklc, tinlsle, tinlsle"
Anything In my line to-day, squirrel"
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 QUIT" was the tcrsc reply
"Rags?" suavely added Moses, stretch
ing his neck TO look at the rcd-chcclscd
beauties whose subtle fragrance filed
the air. BOTTLES? Old iron? Noospa-
pers?"
"Git out, sayr growlcd Ralston,
never once glancing up from his occu
patton. 81 hain't no time TO bother
"No ofrense, / hope?" said the indom-
itably cheerful itincrant II seen an
old wood stove in the shed MS | came
by"
"Wcll, and II you did, what business
y
oval, none, not II you look at 1t that
ar way said Moses. But II 50 be as
we could drive trade"
1--WE 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
"A move.
strange how persistent them mis-.
cradle creatures is" thought Farmer
Ralston.
STRANGE how grabbed Simeon Raj
ston gets, as he gets Older mcditatcd
Moses "If that ar's what money
brings with 1t, !, for one, don't want
to he rich. Get up, Old Gray"
Farther down the lane, however,
where tho ripcning blackhcrrics hung
their knobs Of jet ON every bough and
spray and the sound of little brook
somewhere in the distance made u
dreamy gurglinP, Moses Miuton came
across Mrs. Ralston, u fat, comfortable
old dame, as unlike her husband rs the
mothrrlv baru-door hen /, unlike the
gauut. hiCh-shoudcrcd gamc-cock
well, declare" said Mrs Ealston,
"if wasn't Jest a-thinking about you,
Nose Minton'"
WAS you, though?' chucl,lcl the old
man. Anything In my line to-day?
Nho-oa, Gray ] sw'nr 60 goodness
las the old horse contcntedly buried his
nose in a green banls) that there crit
ter couldn't find out where the clover
cluInps grow no better not II he had
forty pair Of eyes, inste'd o being stun
blind.'
"Ale and Comfort, we was a-sayin,"
contcntedly purrcd ON Mrs. Ralston,
who was lin full pursuit OF Il ilock of
lemon-ycllow ducklings who were cvad-
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 lot OF old num-
bers of the Missionary Review, and
But don't speak 81 loud, | kind q don't
want father 10 hear, he's so mortal set
ag'in' partin' with anything. It's kind
o. second nature 10 him to hoard up
| things; and as he gets further ON In
years he's more set In his ways than
ever. Jest You come round tho back
door. He's out and Comfort Is out, and
now's first-rnte chance 10 get rid of
the old wood-stovc as has been rustin'
In the shed for hull year
Moses Minton's eyes twinklcd. II
was not the first time he had become
an accessory to just such harmless do-
nestle plots as this
"l'm at your orders, num-" said he,
"And prices wnrn't never better for you
nor wuss for mo. Half a cent n pound
il what we're a-giyin' for old iron now"
faint much" said Mrs Ralston.
tits better than nothing" argued
Moses. "And really, now, amt IL wuth
that TO get a lot Of old truck out Of tho
house?"
"Well, | dunno but what you're
right" said Mrs. Rnlston
And while Mr.. Ralston was yet Gull
ing out the ripcst and dccpest-colOred
| OF the apricots for an especial order for
a dinner party at DR., Jcssup's on the
hill, old Moses loaded up his east, with
| the rusty wood stoso IN the center of
the bags OF rags and bundles Of old
newspapers, and drove away, juggling
his bells through the purple twilight,
TO the infinite disgust Of the gray horse
who knew an Eden Of clo'ora and daisies
when he found II and was correspond
ingly reluctant 70 leave H.
Presently Comfort liulston came in; n
tall, rosy girl with limpid brown eyes
and luxuriant auburn locks pushed off
her fair, frcclSlcd brow.
"Am late, mothcr?' said sbH nut
they kept me longer than ! expected. I"
fla, child, no. Mrs. Ralston re-
sponded II hain't but jest hung the
ldttlo over. I'm sort o bchindhand to-
night Old Nose Mintup has been he'e,
hut don't, for goodness sake, tell your
father! And I've sold the rags and all
them old papers and the wood stove
out In the she'd"
"Mother The wood stoyc?"
II got forty-hvo cents for IT," said
Mrs. Ralston. "And It wasn't no use
10 us, all rusting away there"
"Ilas he gone, mothcr?'
your fathcr2 Why, no, he's busy
with them aprtots out by the orchard
wall for"
"No, | don't mean father, / mean
Moses Minton! Has he gomez"
"MOre than half an hour ago" said
Mrs. Ralston, scooping the tea out Of a
little japsnned tca-caddy with leisurely
composure.
Comfort turned red, then white. She
made step toward the door, but al
most instantly checked the movement,
"lts no use. 4" she snid to herself ~
must wait until tomorrow"