The Van Buren press., 1894-08-18
SILY'S INVESTMENT.
A Pretty Romance and o Glad
Home Coming.


ketch. It's cold ternight. Who'd think
twas the middler May. F didn't
know better, l sh'd say thar was snow
In the air."
''That would be the beatinest, 1'low,"
said Silas Baldwin, giving the door an
extra push behind him to ensure its
frmness, "but It's downright chilly,
and no mistake. This must be the tail
end er the back bum er winter. Reckon
he's wavin' his tail as sorter parttn'
s'loot, and coolin' Of the air." and
Silas, smiling broadly at his own wit,
gave look with his deep-set twink
ling eyes, at Agatha his wife. to see II
she felt like smiling tonight. But
Agatha only drew the small black and
white checked shawl over her shoul-
ders, then held her knitting up be-
tween her eyes and the light and.
from beneath her glasses. picked up q
stitch. When that was done, she in
quired Of Silas. who had subsidized, and
who sat In q corner grunting, as he
pulled of his boots with some diff
Guilty, II he had "ben to the corner"
'Yes-er," Is the boot came.
ANY msil?' with more interest
than before manifested.
''Soon's l git this blamed thing off,"
jerked Silas. There! l swow II I'll
never git Nose Bean afoul er my foot
ag'in. told him they were Cinderillys
when he got 'em finished, but he
lowed ez how they's big enough for
two er me. Well, one er mes all
want sez, and it's no recommend
sez, to your cobblerin' to stamp
yer beots by sich remarks 'Ohr ser
he, .'Silas, was a-foolin,' n low
now es how think he was" and Silas
flung the scorned footgear behind the
stove with such force that Agatha
started. However, when she saw the
homespun socks incssed in easy carpet
slippers she continued-years Of ex-
perience having taught her, as she
told her friends, that what was her
haste was Silases leesure."
"D'you say there was any mail?"
"Seems ter me there was, said Silas,
calmly, as he spread the newspaper
across his knee and felt for his glasses.
He found the letter first. but It was
not until his glasses were discovered
and established, and he had spent
some minutes on the address. that he
looked over the envelope at Agatha,
who sat knitting still, apparently un-
concerned. but whose repression
showed itself in the short rocking Of
her chair and her pursed lips. Silas'
small eyes twinkled. Seems to me-"
he said at length, this is for-why!
it's for You, Agathy, arter all. Bless
me, how dull ! bel 1 was trying to
make a missus into q esquare;" and
coming over to Agatha with his clumsy
tread, he dropped the letter in her
lap, and then pulled the little curl
that hung in front of her ear, as he
had done in counting days, the curl
which from a rich brown had grown
thin and gray. "Your mans a boSn
tease, Agathy-can't help it-born SO;
but for better or wuss, you know,
Agathy, especially when the letters
from silly boy" and Silas' hand An
gered the gray curl.
From Sily?" Agatha had controlled
her eagerness until now. Then she
lifted her faded eyes and gave Silas
one long affectionate look before she
opened it. The boys name hedged
out all feeling ofeven slight annoyance.
"Set here, Silas," she said in softer
tone, as she pointed TO chair beside
her; ''well read it to onct. Then we'll
know together the good or the bad of
it. How long sence together came?"
she went on, as she inserted q knitting
needle in one corner; and her hand and
her voice both trembled.
'To-day's thirteenth er May, 1
reckonz how't was right after Christ
mas, sayin' as he'd got our things"
""Twas January sevenat 'leven in the
mornin'," said Agatha, excitedly, as
she extracted the letter and blew up
the envelope to see If it was empty. 81
was maxim thoroughwort tea for Mis-
Sawteile, and Eph Rowell brung it in.
You'll scuse me- says, rs polite as
was necessary, while read my letter.
4 sh' think, she snapped, shorter'n
piecrust, the letter might wait fifteen
minutes 'Itwon't, says, and that's
the last thoroughwort tea Lie Saw
telle ever got made in this house.
Nov, pa, can you see?" she con-
tinued in altered tones" somehow
my specs amt as good at writing Is At
sows thingA"