Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-11-22

Thursday was Thanksgiving they further
decided to consummate the sale OF the old
bureau he verv next day.
Thereupon Jack laid down Brown Bess
and brought the old violin, his next best
friend, to provide, as it had often done,
consolation in their trouble:
He sways them with harmony merry and loud.
lie fills with his power their hearts to the brim.
Was aught ever heard like his fiddle and him?
Next morning bright and early Jack
fell to. polishing Aunt James bureau.
With a soft rag, 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 We're likely to get for the
bureau.
"Not less than s12," was hopeful Alice's
opinion, land while You are gone after
old Mr.. Myers, who is the most honest of
the second hand furniture dealers, Jack, l
will take out and dust the drawers so
that whoever buys my aunts present will
find it clean inside as well as out"
Il was thinking, my dear, said Jack as
perhaps poor Werner, the trombone
player, will have no place to go to for his
Thanksgiving, and it would be nice If we
could manage to entertain him to-mor
row."
"Just like you, you old darling!" was
added: "Why, of course, we can have
poor Werner, and will enjoy his company.
You might drop round and see him after
you have called on Mr.. Myers"
With a goodby kiss Jack Thornton
went on his way, his errands Of business
and sociability being important enough
to occupy his mind and to cause him to
forget the gloom Of the immediate
future. Alice was not given to repining,
and yet as she began to take out the
drawers OF the old bureau she could not
refrain from a few tears, not, you must
understand, at parting with that piece OF
furniture, but at the dire necessity which
prompted the act.
AS she removed the first drawer her
thoughts went back to t he old farm house,
not many miles north of Cincinnati,
where she had passed her childhood and
received what share of Aunt James love
was not given to her chicken farm, which
occupied the first place in her affec ions.
AS the second drawer was taken out
and carefully busted the little woman
thought of the first meeting with Jack.
He had come from the city in answer to
Uncle Williams advertisement for
boarders for The summer. 1t was case OF
love at first sight. Her guardians had
offered no objections to the match. In
deed Aunt Jane had seemed glad to be
relieved of the charge of the orphan
child.
Then, as she pulled out the third drawer.
Alice recalled the memorable event OF
their wedding, " hen Jack Odeon friends
had come to Elmvil!e and the orchestra
had given a concert in the farmyard to
the delight of the entire neighborhood
and the Consideration of Aunt James
feat hered community. The Odeon people
all brought presents, and Alice VAS richer
that day than she had ever expected to be.
The fourth draw stuck, and after few
hard pulls at the brass knobs, the busy
housewife was about to give it up until
Jack returned, W hen she suddenly remen-
bercd hat on that wedding day she had
been so wildly recalling, her aunt had, at
the dinner which was given In the barn,
made the one speech of her life, an effort
which, by the way, had much amused
and edited he Odeon folk.
You have received so many fine
presents from your husbands friends and
a gold watch and chain from Your uncle,
that my gift must be something to use in
housekeeping. The walnut bureau that
here is the key which opens all the
drawers SO saying, she handed the
bride small brass key and resumed her
seat. not a little clustered with having
made what she afterward declared was
the greatest speech of her life.
Where was this key? Surely in the
lower part of the eight-day clock. In a
minute Alice had recovered the brass key
aud had unlocked the last drawer, which
she pulled out with no little effort, for 1t
was heavy, while the Their three had been
light Another curious thing was that it
was covered with II thin panel of polished
walnut, which bore the inscription in
Uncle Williams handwriting: