Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-11-29
AUNT JAMES BUREAU.


been married about six months, and. as
he told his 'old bach" friends, the
honeymoon had never ceased And this
was the more remarkable because soon
after they wer8 married Jack struck a
streak of bad luck which eliminated
about 4 week before the Thanksgiving
festival Of the year 1889. You remember
the old proyorb, When poverty comes
in at the door, love flies out at the win
dow. . We'll, this was one of the true
love matches which proved that this,
like many Of those old chestnuts, is
sad libel on the fair SEX
II have bad news for my little wom-
an tonight, : said Jack as Alice was
clearing away the supper things and
tidying up the little sitting room, while
Jack got ont his pipe and she produced
the tobacco jar preparatory to the post
prandial smoke,
Alice took 10 lid off the jar, and
with her own fingers filled up the meer-
schaum bowl, for Jack, the sybarite,
= always declared that made his pipe
taste swecter,
A4lBOt Ht, ttNaI CdDhf NaH LNihRi hNNst
as If IN sclaber mood, and when Brown
Bess Il going full speed you can tell me
all about it "
Thoreupon Mira. Thornton brought
neat wurkbasllet filed to the brim
with all sorts of things in white muslin
and flannel, the beginnings Of garments
intended for o small person indeed. As
She sat under the lamphght husily plying
her needle the brown cnrls falling over
her brow she made q very charming
picture At any rate, Jack Thornton
must have Thought so, for he said, when
Brown Bless had got under such good
Roadway that thick, blue cloud was
settling around tho ceiling:
~ feel as If had done Il very cruel
thing in taking you away from q COM
Portable homo to share the bad luck Of q
second rate fiddler in third rate thea
Ter =
Jack Thornton, I'm ashamed of
you, replied Alice with energy.
"What was it the parson made mo say
after him--'for richer, for poorer
Eyes, dear said Jack, "but you
have got al the poorer and so far none
Of the richer of the bargain -
THAT will come in good time, I" she
answered cheerily, and rs a seal of the
augury she rose from her chair, threw
one arm around his neck and kissed
him.
Thus encouraged, Jack poured out his
latest misfortune. Tho prevalent hard
times he'd struck the Odeon, and the
manager was obliged to dispense with
three OF four members Of tho orchestra
of that third rate theater, as Jack
had termed it. OF course the first to
be released was the latest addition,
and that was tho hero Of the story. 1t
was true that Mr.. Mabley had promised
90 give Thornton 4 call as soon as times
grew better; but said Jack
with the winter coming right fast
and coal not IN yet, the prospect, you
must admit little wife, is blue
Alice, stubborn creature that she was,
would not admit that there was any.
thing unusual about this condition Of
things and declared that it might have
been worse
And l'yo been thinking. dear, that
there are one on two things we might
sell SO A. t. buy coal enough to last Us
till the Odeon me- wants you again.
What things, for instance, asked
Jack. would you sell?"
well there's my watch. You know
never even wind it mp, and I'm sure
I should lyer miss it.
mo, = Jack said decidedly, The
watch is ont If tho question. What
would your Uncle William say if he
should find out that you had sold the
only present no ever gave you?"
1T viii serve him right Tor being So
mean 60 lis since we have been mar.
ried replied Alice, las never to have
called to ask how we were getting ON
But, after o pause, suppose we sell
that old bureau, which was the only
present ms other rich relative gave me
for wedding gift?"
Jack Thornton pondered and blew q
prodigious cloud before he replied IF
we have to part with anything, he
said, suppose wo can better do with.
out that numbering article Of furniture. =
This, after some further deliberation,
the Young couple decided to do, and rs
Thursday was Thanksgiving they fur.
Their decided to consummate the sale III
the old bureau the very next day.
Thereupon Jack laid down Brown
Bess and brought tho old violin his next
best friend 70 provide, as il had often
done, consolation III their trouble.
H. ways themwith harmony merry and loud.
tx ills with hls power their hearts ta tho
hrim,
Was anght ever heard like his fiddle and HIM
Next morning bright ana early jack
fell to polishing Aunt James bureau
With soft rag a little oil and fair
share of "elbow grease the old walnut
sides Of the relic fairly shone Over the
breakfast table Jack began specializing
how much they were likely to get for
ais hnraan