Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-11-22
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
remarka because, soon after they were
married. Jack struck a 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 lies out at the window Well, this
was one Of the true love matches which
proved that this, like many of those old
ehestnuts, is sad libel on the fair sex.
Il have bad news for my little woman
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 meerschaum
bowl, for Jack, the sybarite, always de
clared that made his pipe taste sweeter.
Light up, dear Jack" she remarked,
as If in sombre mood, land when Brown
Bess is going full speed you can tell me
all about it.
Thereupon Mrs Thornton brought
neat work basket filled to the brim With
all sorts of things in white muslin and
flannel, the beginuing- OF garments in
tended for a small person indeed. As she
sat under the lamplight busi!y plying her
needle. the brown curlS falling over her
~ made charming picture,
At any rate, Jack Thornton must have
thought so. for he said. when Brown Bess
had got under such good Roadway that ii
thick, blue cloud was settling aroGnd the
ceiling:
II feel As II | had done very cruel
thing in taking you away from d COM
Portable home to share the bad luck OF
second rate fiddler III Il third rate thea
ire
Jack Thornton, r. ashamed OF YOU,
replied Alice, with energy. "N hat VAS
il the parsOn made tnc say a t"r hlm Tor
richer. for poorer.
yes, dear, said Jack, but You have
got all the poorer and 80 far none OF the
richer of the bargain
THAT will come in good time, she
answered cheeriiy, and IT. seal OF the
augury she rose from her char. threw
one arm around his neck and kissed him.
Thus encouraged, Jack poured out his
latest misfortune, Inc prevalent hard
times had struck the 0deon, and the
manager was Obliged to dispense with
three or four members OF the orchestra OF
that third rate theatre Jack had
termed it. OF course the first to be
released was t he latest addition, and that
WAS the hero OF the story. Ii was true
that Mr. Mabley had promised 90 give
Thornton call soon as times grew
better; but, said Jack:
With he winter coming right fast and
coal mot in vet. he prospect, YOU must
admit, little " ife, is blue. y
Alice stubborn creature that she was,
would not admit that there WAS any
thing unusual about this condition OF
things and declared that 1t might have
been worse.
And I've been thinking, dear, that
there are one or two things we might
sell so as to buy coal enough TO last till
the Odeon man wants you again.
NV hat things, for instance asked
Jack, "would you sell?'
well, there's my watch. You know
| never even wind 1t up, ana / IN sure l
should never miss 1t.
NO" Jack said decidedly, 1.-The watch
is out of the question. What would your
Uncle William say if he should ind out
that you had sold the only present he
ever gave you?
at will serve him right for being SO
mean to US since We have been married,
replied Alice, las never to have called TO
ask how We were getting on. But, after
pause, suppose we sell that old bureau,
which was he only present my OF her rich
relative gave me for a wedding glft?'
Jack Thornton pondered AID blew
prodigious cloud before he replied. If
we have to part with anything, | sup
pose we had better do without that
numbering article of furniture
This, after soHe further dellberat1on,
the young couple decided to do, ana rs