Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-06-22

VIC Ci@Cheu tedpOt ou bHe uicooCI
shelf need not run quite dry, Honora
grew gaunt and pale, and her eyes
got bigger and bluer day by day.
Yet all this was forgotten in the
first day when Ben started out again
with the wagon and Old Whitley and
the string of clamorous bells, and
Honora held the baby up to the win
dow to laugh and clap his tiny hands
with glee.
"Hold on there y said a hard
featured man, with a dog's-eared
memorandum book under his arm.
"Not SO fast, Mr.. Carey,if you please.
Them last installments on the 'orse
wasn't paid, and I've orders to slap
down on him. Our folks has call
for just such a 'orse."
Ben turned pale. To lose Old
Whitey-that would, indeed, be the
crueless stroke of fate
"Can't you give fellow little
time ?" said he, Five been sick, and
ooh, yes, that's what they all say"
said the man. "We've give more
time already than we can afford.
Business is business, and if the back
installments isn't squared up by this
day week the 'orse will be called for
that's ALL"
Poor Carey! Like most Amer
lean farmers sons, he had been
brought up to no particular trade or
profession, and all that day as he
tangled his bells up one street and
down another, lovingly tickling the
flies from Old Whitey's neck with
the whip, he badgered his brain to
think what he could do to keep Hon
ora and the little one if the horse
were taken away.
Nevertheless, he came cheerfully
home at the days end. because
I'm in bad box, it amt worth while
to scold and fret, and make Nora and
the boy miserable" reasoned Ben.
81 got good lot of old iron and
household utensils to-day, Nora"
said he, cheerfully, when she brought
the baby out into the back yard to
watch him unload. "P'raps there
might be something you could use
in the kitchen. There's good sound
spider somewhere, and a gridiron
with only one wire cut, and"
"Oh, Ben, an old-fashioned brass
warming-pan !" interrupted Eonora,
with breathless delight.
"Old-fashioued =? Well, I should
say so !" said her husband. "Look
at the streaks of verdigris on it, and
the queer fourishes and the letter
81 all done in querlicues and thing
majigs on the top"
'Ben," said Honora, stopping to
examine it, sits just such one as
can remember at my grandmother's
in the old country-only in those
days it used to shine like gold, and
had long, turned handle with a
string to hang it up by. Where did
you get il, Ben 2"
"At an old house in 18th street,
where they we're overhauling and
cleaning up. The butler sold me
the old things. Oh, I tell you, Nora,
it was a fine housed Eth? What's
the matter, Puss ?"
For Nora had turned pale, and be-
gan to tremble.
"Ben," she said, "dear Ben, don't
laugh at me but when l look at
this brass warming-pan the old hills
and the old house rise up before my
eyes, and I can almost hear my
mothers voice again. Let US go to
this house, Ben. Let us see if this
butler man don't know something of
the people at home. For I'm sure
quite sure-Ben, that this is the
very shining pan, with the letter Il
for Hough, that used to hang on the
walls at home"
aBut it can't be, Nora" said
Ben.
"Why can't it be, Ben ?"
"Well, to please you, my girl. I'll
take you there Tomorrow" said Ben.
'tNot that I think it'll be any use.
Look at the lot of picture books. l
got 'em cheap. l thought you could
pick out something for the boy be-
fore we turned 'em over for paper
stock"
"Who is that John? Whose voice
is that l hear ?"
II beg pardon, sir; hope it amt
disturbed you," said the butler,
apologetically. "It's a person in
the rag-and bottle business, sir, as
l made bold to dispose of some of
the old household utensils. You
was kind enough to tell me, sir"
But here Honora pushed herself
vaIiantly forward, holding the brass
implement like a golden shield be-
fore her, for she had polished it
brilliantly until now it shone and
glittered bravely.
at was this old-iashioned warm
ing-pan," said she. "Please, sir,
I'm almost sure it used to hang on
the home walls in County Cavan
when / was a girl"
"And who are your" asked the