The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-06-24
.ng each purple sphere with . re-

piercing each purple sphere with = re-
lentless fork.
Mother" said he, 'rbe I gettin' blind
a. well as deaf, OF be I lSsin' my senses?
II | amt, where's that old shect-iron
stove as used to be in the corner of the
v~Soodhouse?'
Mrs Ralston's guilty conscience sent
the red in a hot food to her checks:
THAT sheet-iron stove, Simeon" said
she. 'Why-I sold it,"
sold it" shouted Ralston. "Wheni
whyg"
Yesterday AFTERNOON" said the old
lady. ITO Nose Minton, as goes around
with the rag-and-bottle wagon. II
wasn't no use standIn- there-snd he
gin me forty-fve cents for it"
"Forty-ive cents" roared Ralston.
'For-ty-fre-oents.'-
And he rushed frantically out of the
house
Mercy on me-" said Mrs. Ralston.
as father crazy"
About that time, Mrs. Ninton, the
tall and gaunt helpmeet of the itinerant
hero, was down in the cellar of her
house. roofing in the ash drawer of the
identical wood stove which her husband
had bought yesternight: while Comfort
Ralston. upstairs, awaited the result of
her Investigations with q palpitatine
heart.
Here II is" said Mrs. Minton. "A
fiat packet o papers, And it's d good
| thtnr rnn sIN,rht ~ - afnra NnSa ha1
carted it off,
Quick, Give il to me-" f1uttered Com
fort. as she caught sight of her fathers
figure t%rudging up the lane. Let me
get away before father comes. Mind.
Mrs. Minton, not a word of this to
himi"
And away she ran. disappearing into
the pine wood before Mrs MintOn could
realize what it all meant.
We'll. | never" said Mrs. Minton.
Then it's true that she and Ben Blifl
are engaged ag'in' her fathers wishes.
And these is love letters. Well, I do
declare, Nobody needn't never tell me
that there amt no romance, even in the
raC-and- bottle business"
Then entered Mr.. Ralston, painting
and perspiring with the haste he had
made.
BE you Mis- Minton?" was his curt
address.
Yes. please, sir" said the old wom-
mn, smoothing her stifly starched white
apron.
Your husband bought a sheet-iron
stove at Our place ycsterday-the Raj
ston farm-didu't he"
Yes, sir" II little timidly. Its in
his way of business, you know, sir"
YES, | know. But there was Il pack
age of papers in the pipc-joint-"
NO, sir. it want" said Mrs. Minton.
temporarily thrown off her guard. at
was in the ash-drawcr, for
And then. remembering herself. she
screwed her lips close together and grew
very red.
Where is the stove?" circulated Raj.
ston.
Down cellar, sir" said Mrs. Minton.
'1ronk for yourself. I'm sure ! don't
want hothin' to do with none of your
papers,"
And down rushed Simeon. In half a
minute he returned. evidently much re-
liered.
They were in the ash-drawer." said
he, land your husband must ha'
changed 'em around, | declare. he.
tween meddling men and mcddling
women. I'm most ruinedr'
Dear me- gaspcd Mrs. Mintnn.
looking fecbly after him as he strobe
away. There amt neither bcginnin'
- end to all this fuss. What will
Moses say when he comes homer
Once in his w room mt home Mr..
Ralston fitted on his spcctaclcS and
hurriedly opened the fatrful package.
"Faugh." he cried. dropping it in dis
may. It's n rack q low letters! My
own love. My dearest trcasurr!' Yours
until DEATH What are these" And
where's my five United States bonds
for a thousand dollars each?"
He was answered sooner than he had
expected. for while the exclamation
yet lowered on his lips comfort rushed
In with clasped hands.
Father" she cried, there is some
thing that belongs TO you. Some gov
.rnmcnt bonds with your name on
them, And, oh, where did YOU get
Ben's lettcrs?"
"Ben's letters, eh?" said the old man,
a slow smile breaking over his face.
We'll. here they be. A fair exchange
amt no robbery"
"Fathcr"-thc girls head dropped on
his shoulder, the tears sparkled in her
eyes-'you know il all now. We love
each other. We shall he wretched TN
less we can be united. Take back what
you said, father. DO not forbid us TO
be happy, dear. lear father"
"Well, we'll" said Ralston. ready to
concole anything in the immense relief
of recovering the treasures that had
Deen well-nigh cost. have it your own
way. if the case is really SO bad as that.
Folks says Ben's business is lookin' up
of late, p'r'aps he'll make a decent sort
o husband for you yet"
"Oh, father. oh, father"
There, there. Comfort. don't squeeze
me 50 everlastin' close" demonstrated
the old farmer. but it's sort o queer,
now. amt it, that we should both hev'
selected the same hidin' place for our
things, eh? Like an old raven and a
young un, eh?"
And Comfort Ralston FASTENED JOY
fully to her mother to impart the glad
tidings.
1T never would have happened.
mother, if You hadn't sold the old stove.
Oh, you should have seer fathers face"
And ever afterward the sound of
Moses Mintons jangling bellsw music
in Comfort Ralston's ears.-Amy Ran,
in n. y. Ledger.
Sold Artificial strawberries.
"In a certain New York town." saws
commercial traveller. II once ran
some artificial wbcrricS.