Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-07-15

stove out in the shed"
Mother The wood -stove?"
81 got forty-five cents for il, said
Mrs. Ralston. 'fAnd it wasn't no use
to us, all rusting away there. -
''Has he gone, mother?"
"Your father? Why, no, he's busy
with them apricots out by the orchard
wall for"
IN, don't mean father, / mean
Moses Minton! Has he gomez"
more than half an hour ago, said
Mrs. Ralston. scooping the tea out of
little japanned tea-eaddy with leis-
urely composure. Comfort turned
red, then white She made step
toward the door, but almost instantly
checked the movement.
It's no use," she said, to herself
II must wait until tomorrow.
The morrow's sun was well sloping
on toward afternoon, when Mr.. Ralston
hurried into the kitchen where his
wife was pricking plums to preserve,
piercing each purple sphere with
relentless fork.
Mother" said he, ''be l gettin'
blind as well as deaf, or be losin' my
senses? If / amt, where's that old
sheet-iron stove as used to be in the
corner of the wood-house?"
Mrs. Ralston's guilty conscience sent
the red in hot flood to her cheeks.
''That sheet-iron stove, Simeon?"
said she. "Why-I sold it'll"
i. D.1
when? Why?"
Yesterday AFTERNOON" said the old
lady. 40 Nose Milton, as goes around
with the rag-and- bottle wagon. 1t
wasn't no use standin' there-and he
gin me forty-fve cents for it.
"Forty-fve cents !" roared Ralston.
"For -ty-fve-cents !"
And he rushed frantically out of
the house.
Mercy on me p said Mrs. Ralston.
lis father crazy?"
About that time, Mrs. Minton, the
tall and gaunt helpmeet of the itin-
Grant hero, was down in the cellar of
her house, roofing in the ash-drawer
of the identical woo1-stove which her
husband had bought yesternight
while Comfort Ralston, upstairs
awaited the result of her investiga-
tions with palpitating heart.
Here it is" said Mrs. Minto.. GA
flat packet of papers! Andit's good
thing yon thought of it afore Nose had
carted it off ~
"Quick Give it to mel futtered
Comfort, as she caught sight of her
fathers figure trudging up the lane.
'Let me get away before father comes
Mind, Mrs. Minton, not a word of this
to him."
And away she ran, disappearing into
the pine woods before Mrs Minton
could realize what it all meant.
"Well, ] never" said Mrs. Minton.
"Then it's true that she and Ben Blifil
are engaged ag'in her fathers wishes
And these is love-letters. Well, | do
declare! Nobody needn't never tell
me that there amt no romance, even
in the rag-and-bottle business!'
Then entered Mr.. Ralson, painting
and perspiring with the haste he had
made.
''Be you Mis- Minton?" was his curt
address.
eyes, please, sir, said the old wo-
man, smoothing her stifiy starched
white apron.
"'You husbSnd bought sheet.iron
stove at our plnce yesterdny--the
Raston farm--didn't her
eyes, sir, little timidly. "It's in
his way of business, you know, sir y
eyes, know. But there was a pack
age Of papers in the pipe-joint-"
No, sir, it wa MT, said Mrs. Min.
ton, temporarily thrown off her guard.
at was in the ash-drawer, for"
And then, remembering herself. she
screwed her lips close together and
grew very red.
where is the stove?" CIRCULATED
Ralston.
"Down cellar, sir, said Mrs. Min
ton. "Look for yourself. I'm sure I
don't want nothir' to do with none Of
your pspers!"
And down rushed Simeon. In half
aminute he returned, evidently M UGH
relieved.
"They were in the ash-drawer, said
he, "and your husband must ha'
changed EN- around ] declare, be-
tween meddling men and meddling
women, I'm most ruined I"
Dear met gasped Mrs Minton.
looking feebly after him as he strobe
away. There amt neither beginnin'
nor end to all this fuss. What will
Moses say when he comes home !"
Once safe in his own room at home,
Mr.. Ralston fitted on sspectacles and
hurriedly opened the fateful package
taught he cried, dropping it in
dismay Its a pack O love-lettersl
My own love = Ny dearest treasure E
Yours until DEATH What are these2
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, ''here is some
thing that belongs to you'll Some
government bonds with your name on
them And, oh, where did you get
Ben's letters?"
"Ben's letters, eh?' said the old
man, slow smile breaking over his
face. well, here they be. A fair
exchange amt no robbery"
Father girls head dropped
on his shoulder, the tears sparkled in
her eyes-''you. know it all now. We
love each other. We shall be wretehed
unless we can be united. Take back
what you said, father, Do not forbid
us to be happy, dear, dear father
well, well, l." said Ralston, ready to
concede anything in the immense relief
of recovering the treasures that had
been well-nigh lost, "haye it your own
way, if the case is really so bad as that
| Folks says Ben's business is lookin' up