The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-08-11

If | amt, where's that old sheet-iron
stove as used to be in the corner of the
woodhouse?"
Mrs. Ralston's guilty conscience sent
the red in a hot flood to her cheeks.
'"That sheet-iron stove, Simeon" said
she. "Why-I sold it!''
''Sold It'll" shouted Ralston. "When?
Why?"
Yesterday AFTERNOON" said the old
lady. 'To Nose Minton, as goes around
with the rag -and-bottle wagon. 1t
wasn't no use stand1n' there-and he
gin me forty-fve cents for it,
''Forty-fve cents" roared Ralston.
'For-ty-,fge-centsP'
And he rushed frantically out of the
house.
"Mercy on mel" said Mrs. Ralston.
''Is father crazy?"
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 the
identical wood stove which her husband
had bought yesternight; while Comfort
Ralston, upstairs, awaited the result of
her Investigations with palpitating
heart.
''Here it isl" said Mrs. Minton. IA
fiat packet O papers! And it's good
thing you thought of it afore Nose had
carted it off,
"Quick! Give it to me!' futtered Com
fort, as she caught sight of her fathers
figure trudging up the lane. 'Let me
get away before father comes Mind,
Mrs. Minton, not word of this to
him!''
And away she ran, disappearing into
the pine wood 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, l do
declare! Nobody needn't never tell me
that there amt no romance, even in the
rag-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-
an, smoothing her stiffiy starched white
apron.
''Your husband bought a sheet-iron
stove at our place yesterday-the Raj
ston farm-didn't hep"
"Yes, SIR" little timidly. ''It's in
his way of business, you know, SIR"
"Yes, know. But there was pack
age of papers in the pipe-joint-"
..'No, sir, it WANT" said Mrs. Minton.
temporarily thrown off her guard. ''It
was in the ash-drawer, for"
And then, remembering herself, she
screwed her lips close together and grew
very red.
"Where is the stove?" calculated Raj
ston.
Down cellar, SIR" said Mrs. Minton.
'Look for yourself. Pm sure don't
want nothin' to do with none of your
papers!"
And down rushed Simeon. In half
minute he returned, evidently much re-
lieved.
''They were in the ash-drawer," said
he, land your husband must ha'
changed 'em around! 1 declare, be-
tween meddling men and meddling
women, L m most cu1neQ!
Dear mel" 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 in his own room at home Mr..
Ralston fitted on his spectacles and
hurriedly opened the fateful package.
''Faugh'' he cried, dropping it in dis
may. Its pack O love letters! My
own love-! My dearest treasurer Yours
until deathn What are these? And
where's my five United States bonds
for thousand dollars each?"
He was answered sooner than he had
expected, for while the exclamation
yet hov cred on his lips Comfort rushed
in with clasped hands.
Father" she cried, ''here is some
thing that belongs to you! Some gov
ernment bonds with your name on
them! And, oh! where did you get
Ben's letters?"
'Ben's letters, eh?' said the old man,
a 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 wretched un-
less we can be united. Take back what
you said, father. Do not forbid us to
lie happy, dear, dear fatherp'
"Well, well,' said Ralston, ready to
concede anything in the immense relief
,,f racouarinr +ba traaCuraS that bad
been well-n::gh lost, "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 decent sort
o husband for you yet"
"Oh, father! Oh, father!"
There, there, Comfort, don't squeeze
ne so 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 q
young un, eh?''
And Comfort Ralston hastened joy
fully to her mother to impart the glad
tidings.
sit never would have happened,
mother, if you hadn't sold the old stove
Oh, you should have seen fathers face!'
And ever afterward the sound of
Moses Minton's jangling bells was music
in Comfort Ralston's ears.-Amy Ran
dolph, in N. Y. Ledger.
An Unnecessary Coinage.-Wash-
-ngton society last winter knew a very
self-sufficient bachelor, who was con-
l,,n