Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-11-18
AUNT JAMES BUREAU.

as he told his 'sold 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 Gull
minated about a week before the
Thanksgiving festival of the year
$780, You remember the old proverb,
| "When poverty comes in at the door,
love flies out at the window" 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 wo-
man 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 filed up the
meerschaum bowl, for Jack, the syba-
rite, always declared that made his
pipe taste sweeter.
"Light up, dear jack" she remark
ed, as if in somber mood, "and when
Brown Bess is going full speed you
can tell me all about it."
ThereupoD Mrs. Thornton brought
a neat workbasket filed to the brim
with all sorts of things in white mus
lin and flannel, the beginnings Of gar
| 60 a oil in
deed. AS she sat under the lamplight
busily plying her needle. the brown
curls falling over her brow, she made
a very charming picture. At any rate
Jack Thornton must have thought so,
for he said, when Brown bad got un-
der such good Roadway that thick
blue cloud was settling around the
ceiling:
ssI feel as if I had done very cruel
thing in taking you away from com
Portable home to share the bad luck
of a second rate fiddler in a third rate
theater.''
"Jack Thornton, Pm ashamed Of
you" replied Alice, with energy.
sEWhat was it the parson made me
say after him-'for richer, for poorer
Eyes, DEAR" said Jack, ''but you
have got all poorer and SO far none
of the richer of the bargain"
HThat will come in good Time" she
answered cheerily, and as 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. The prevalent
hard times had struck the Odeon, and
the manager was obliged to dispense
with three members of the orchestra
of that ''third rate theater," as Jack
has termed it. Of course the first to
be released was the hero OF the story.
1t was true that Mr.. Mabley had pro-
missed to give Thornton a call as soon
as times grew better; but, said Jack;
tsWith 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
ANYTHING unusual about this condition
of things and declared that it 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 us
: till the Odeon man wants you again
, 'What things for instance" asked
Hack eswOuld YOU Sel?'
eWen, there's my watch. You know
never even wind it up, and I'm sure
I should never miss it,"
"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?'
sIt will serve him right for being sc
, mean to us since we have been mar
ried,'' replied Alice, Gas never to have
called to ask how we were getting on
: Butt after a pause, suppose we sci
4 that old bureau, which was the only
t present my other rich relative gave
! me for wedding gift?"
t Jack pondered and blew a prodigi
3 Gus cloud before he replied. eff we
] have to part with anything" he SAID
''I suppose we can better do wlthou
that numbering article of furniture. !"
! Thus. after some further dellbera
q ton, the young couple decided to con
summate the sale of the old bureau
" the very next day.
q Thereupon Jack laid down the pip
q and brought the violin, his next bes
! friend, to provide, as it had ofte
= done, consolation in their trouble: