The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-07-03


nent of the auction. 7.
"Dear me, Sus." exclaimed one
good soul. :'Jest to think! Maria
int more'n IS, if she's that, and to
think she's come to this!" I
Maria worked industriously. Be-
lore the afternoon had gone, several
handsome, old-fashioned pieces had
received shining coats of Varnish, and
cleaned anew with restored beauty.
Loretta Wilkinson arrived bright
ind early on the eventual day. and If
the noticed the closed-up appearance
If certain portions of the house, she
aid nothing, but had her thoughts.
why, Maria, where'd you git that
rtove?" said she, as she caught sight
'f a peculiar object in the wood-shed.
That amt never your show-of par
.or stove, is it?''
eyes, Loretty, it is" answered Ma
ia. I've got one in there, you know,
and this one amt nothin' but relic,
you might say. I'm most in hopes
nobody'l buy it, for that's the one
thing I can't bear to part with; but
[ amt thinkin' bout it any more'n
I can help"
It was curious article. On top
was mirror mounted like any chif-
fonier mirror, and at each side was
Glue glass vase.
Them held grasses most of the
time," explained Maria, "and how
many times I've seen pa himself In
front of that glass, with his Shawn
:up set there to keep warm On the;
side. But that was fore we had the
stove in the parlor; after the stove
was moved in the parlor we kept q
Gre in it only on some occasions, and;
ma used to joke me about my SPARKS;
but faint subject 7 can talk about
to nobody"
eyes, know" said Loretta. You
was thinkin' bout Jed. If was you,'
[ wouldn't sell it 'thout I'd got to-"
maybe I can't let it go, Loretta,
but We'll see. There! There's some;
folks come already, and Abe Fishers.
leadin' the way to the barns"
The day was clear and cold. No
tees of the auction had been circu-.
lated far and wide, and many farmers
and their wives had driven in from.
the surrounding towns, bent on pro-.
curing something from the squire's.
place. The kitchen and sitting-rooms
were well filed during the greater
part of the day, and the steaming
coffee and the new doughnuts found
ready consumers. Curiosity had
brought many, not only to the.
grounds, but into the house itself,
for the reputation Of the squire's pos.
sessions had led many. to see for.
themselves if the house was stripped
from cellar to garret, or whether, as.
some affirmed, Miss Maria had loads
of much better stuff she wouldn't
think Of selling. The closed doors
guenched the ardor of those intend-
ing a general survey of the house, but
the fact that the coffee was served
in Mrs. Fairchild's best old-fashioned
spriggled china cups, conveyed the
idea that there must be lots Of val
liable articles retained by the pres
ent owner.
The afternoon was half gone, and
most of the things were sold. Dishes,
substantial milk-cans bearing the
squire's name, sleighs, carriages and
many articles besides the farm tools
and the furniture had been purchased,
and yet the stove remained in its
corner of the woodshed. Maria saw
it as she passed through on errands,
and thought she would say nothing
about it if Abe Fisher did not see it.
She had finally decided she could not
let it go.
A little later, as she was getting a
cup of coffee for a neighbor, her
glance fell on the group outside the
window, and she saw with tdismay
her stove dragged up for display.
With cry, she darted through the
door and up to the auctioneer.
"Oh, don't sell that, Abe; I can't
let it go! It's jest the only part Of
my life can't get away from. You
mustn't put it up!"
"It's on the list, Maria" said Abe:
"and it'll sell all right"
"I know it, Abe, but it's like seDin'
part of me. It is part of me, you
know" she cried, wildly. ooh, no. II
you sell that, I go with it,"
''Then III bid my hull stock of
worldly goods for it," said loud
voice, and elbowing his way through
the crowd, stranger took Maria,
Fa;rehild in his arms.
"It's Jed Tompkins!" gasped the
members of the group.
eyes, sir" laughed Jed, "and he's
here jest in time to buy up the most
valuable thing in the lot. And seel
here, you folks, anythin' Maria wants
back, I'll buy from you, fer myl
moneys hers and she's got fortune
of her own, too. I may as wall say.
to cut matters short, that her father
privately made over his property to,
me, some years. ago, on condition
that I'd keep away and not marry
Maria till he was dead, as he couldn't,
spare her. I've only jest heard OF his
death, bein' on long trip out west,
and catchin' wind of this auction,
I've rode all night and all day to git
here. Now you jest leave Maria to
me, and tomorrow We'll straighten
M the auction business"
"What you goin' to do, jed"
oueried Maria, later, as she heard him
struggling with something in the
shed.
"rm jest gettin' in the parlor stove
ag'in. If I'm goin' to spend the even
in, seems as though little FIRE
would be good in the parlor. Stove
pipes ali right, see."
"But there amt no furniture IN the
parlor," laughed Maria, happily
81 believe ketched sight of chair
or two as you unlocked the door, Ma
&I.x,