Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-07-20


wasn't no use standin' there-and he
gin me forty-fivc cents for it."
"Forty-iive ccntsr roared Ralston.
'For-ty-fre--cents"
And he rushed frantically out of tho
house
"Mercy on mel" said Mrs. Ralston.
as father crazyp"
About that time, Mrs. Minton, the
tall and gaunt helpmeet of the itinerant
hero, was down in the cellar of her
house, roofing in the ash drawer Of tho
identical wood stove which her husband
had bought yesterniRht; while Comfort
Ralston, upstairs, awaited the result OF
her investigations with a FACILITATING
heart
Here II Isl" said Mrs. Minton. "a
fat packet o. papersl And it's a good
thing you thought of II afore Nose had
carted II OFT"
"Quickl Give II to me-" fluttered Com
fort, rs she caught sight OF her fathers
figure trudging up the lane. Let me
get away before father comesl Mind,
Mrs. Minton, not n word of this to
hint"
And away she ran, disappearing into
the pine wood before Mrs Minton could
realize what It all meant
Well nevcrl" said Mrs. Minton.
Then it's true that she and Ben Bliiil
are engaged ag'in' her fathers wishcsl
And these is love letters. Well, | do
declared Nobody needn't never tell me
that there amt no romance, even In the
rag-aud- bottle business"
Then entered Mr.. Rnlston, painting
and perspiring with the haste he had
made.
"Be you Mis- Minton?" was his curt
address.
"Ics, please, sir" said the old wom-
an, smoothing her stiiiiy starched white
apron.
"Your husband bought sheet-iron
stove at our place yestorday-the Raj
ston farm-didn't hep"
"Ycs, sir" little timidly. "Its In
his way OF business, you know, sir"
YES, know. But there was pacls-
age Of papers in the pipe joint"
"No, sir, 1t want" said Mrs. Minton,
temporarily thrown off her guard. at
was in the ash-drawer, for"
And thon, remembering herself, she
screwed her lips close together and grew
very red.
where is the stoveP" calculated Raj
ston.
down cellar, sir" said Mrs. Minton
Look for yourself. I'm sure don't
want nothin' to do with none OF your
papersl"
And down rushed Simeon In half a
minute he returned, evidently much re-
lieved
"They were In the ash-drawcr,' said
he, and your husband must ha'
changed 'em around! | declare be.
tween meddling men and meddling
women, I'm most ruined"
Dear mel" gaspcd Mrs. Minton,
looking feebly after him as he strobe
away. There amt neither bcginnip'
nor end to all this fuss. What will
Moses say when he comes home2"
Once in his own room at home Mr..
Ralston fitted ON his spectacles aud
burriedly opened the fateful package.
"Faughl" he cried, dropping II In dis
may. Its pack o love lettersl My
own lover My dearest treasured Yours
until DEATH What are these? And
where's my five United States bonds
for thousand dollars each?"
lie was answered soonon than he had
expected, for while the exclamation
yet lowered ON his lips Comfort rushed
in with claspcd hands
Father she cried, "here IL some.
thing that belongs To you'll Some gov
trnment honda with your name ON
them And, oh! where did you got
Bcn's lcttcrs?'
"Bcn's letters, eh?' said the old man,
II slow smile breaking over his face,
"Wcll, here they be- A fair exchange
amt no robbery"
Father the girls head dropped on
his shoulder, tho tears sparlSlcd Ia her
eyes-''you know II all now. We love
each other We shall be wretchcd un-
less we can be united Take back what
you said, father. DO not forbid us ~
he happy, dear, dear father"
"Well, we'll" said Ralstop, ready 10
conccdc anything ~ the immense relief
Of recovering the treasures that had
been woll'nigh lost, "havo II your own
way II the case II really so bad IN that
Folks says Bcn's business is loolsin' up
Of late, p'raps he'll make decent sort
o husband for you yet"
"Oh, fathcrl Oh, father"
There, thoro, Comfort, don't squeeze
me 90 eVorlastin' close" demonstrated
the old farmer But it's sort q queer,
now, amt 1t, that we should both hey'
selected the same hidin' place for our
things, eh2 Like ~ old raven and u
young pn. ehp'
And Comfort Ralston hastoned joy
fully 10 her mother 10 impart the glad
| tldingA.
ut never would have happened,
mother, II you hadn't sold the old stovei
Oh, you should have seen fathers facet
And ever Ritcrward the sound of
Mpscs Minton's junRling bells was music
in Comfort Ralston's ears, Amy Ran.
dolph, In n. Y. Ledger.
| ===a=====-a==a==--=
An Unnecessary Coinage. Wash
inPton society last winter knew u very
sclf-suilicicnt bachelor, who was a con
gresham. In certain lines he was
smart enough, but generally speaking