Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-11-28
AUNT JAMES BUREAU

Jack Thornton believed he had the
best little wife in the world. He had
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 were married Jack struck
streak of bad luck which eliminated
about week before the Thanksgiving
festival of the year 1889. You remember
the old proverb, when poverty comes
in at the door, love flies out at the win
dow" Well, 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.
81 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 out his pipe and she produced
the tobacco jar preparatory to the post
prandial smoke.
Alice took the 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 sweeter.
'.Light up, dear Jack, she remarked,
as if in solnber mood, ''and when Brown
Bess is going full speed you can tell me
all about it. !"
Thereupon Mrs. Thornton brought
neat workbasket filed to the brim
with all sorts of things in white muslin
and flannel, the beginnings of garments
intended for small person indeed AS
she sat under the lamplight busily plying
her needle, the brown curls falling over
her brow, she made very charming
picture. At any rate, Jack Thornton
must have thought so, for he said, when
Brown Bess had got under such good
headway that thick, blue cloud was
settling around the ceiling:
81 feel as if had done very cruel
thing in taking you away from COM
Portable home to share the bad luck of
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 me say
after him--'for richer, for poerer'--
eyes, DEAR" said Jack, ''but you
have got ali the poorer and so far none
of the richer of tho bargain. :"
'That will come in good time, she
answered chee1ily and as 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 The prevalent hard
times had struck the Odeon, and the
manager was obliged to dispense with
three Or four members of the 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 the hero of the story. It
was true that Mr.. Mabley had promised
to give Thornton 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.
there are one or two things we might
sell so as to buy coal enough to last US
till the Odeon man wants you again. %
''What things, for instance" asked
Jack, ''would you sell?'
''Well, there's my watch. You know
never even wind it up, and I'm sure
I should never miss it. F"
"No," Jack said decidedly. '"The
watch is out of the question. What
would your Uncle William say if he
should find out that you had sold the
only present he ever gave you?'
''It will serve him right for being so
mean to US since we have been mar
ried," replied Alice, 'as never to have
called to ask how we were getting on.
But" after pause, suppose we sell
that old bureau, which was the only
present my other rich relative gave me
for wedding gift?''
Jack Thornton pondered and blew
prodigious cloud before he replied. eff
we have to part with anything" he
said, II suppose we can better do with
out that numbering article of furniture. y
This, after some further deliberation,
the young couple decided to do, and as
Thursday was Thanksgiving they fur
ther decided to consummate the sale of
the old bureau the very 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.
He 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 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 speculating
how much they were likely to- get for
the bureau.
"Not less than $12," was hopeful
Alice's opinion, "and while you are
gone after old Mr. Myers, who is the
most honest Of the secondhand furniture
dealers, Jack, I will take out and dust
the drawers so that whoever buys my
aunt's present will find it clean inside
as well as out.
ST was thinking, my DEAR, " said Jack
as he put on his well worn overcoat,
"that perhaps poor Werner. the from
bone player, will have no place to go to
for his Thanksgiving, and it would be
nice if we could manage to entertain
him tomorrow.
9'Just like you, you old darling"
was the little woman's comment, and
she 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 Nh.
Myers
With goodby kiss Jack Thornton
went on his way, his errands of bust
ness and sociability being important
enough to occupy his mind and to cause
him to forget the gloom of the immedi-
ate future. Alice was not given to re-
pining. and yet as she began to take out
the drawers of the old bureau she could