The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1901-05-25

good soul. .sJest to think Maria
amt more'n 35, If she's that, and TO
think she's come to thisi"
Maria worked industriously. Re-
fore 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
and early on the eventful day, and II
she noticed the closed-up appearance
of certain portions of the house, she
said nothing, but had her thoughts.
why, Maria, where'd you git that
stove?" said she, as she caught sight
of peculiar object in the wood-shed.
THAT amt never your show-off par
lor stove, is it?'
ives, Loretty, it Is" answered Ma
ria. I've got one in there, you know,
and this one amt nothin' but a relic,
you might say. I'm most in hopes
nobody1l buy it, for that's the one
thing can't bear to part with; but
I amt thinkin' bout it any more'n
I can help.
1t was a curious article. On top
was mirror mounted like any chif-
fonier mirror, and at each side was
blue glass vase.
"Them held grasses most of the
time" explained Maria, land how
many times I've seen pa himself in
front of that glass, with his Shawn
cup 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
fire in it only on some occasions, and
ma used to joke me about my sparks;
but 'tain't subject I can talk about
to nobody"
"Yes, 1 KNOW" said Loretta. "You
was thinkin' bout Jed. II 1 was you.
I wouldn't sell it 'thout I'd got to-"
"Maybe l 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 Mo-
tices 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-room
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
quenched the ardor of those intend
ing 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 tho
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 dismay
her stove dragged up for display.
With a cry, she darted through the
door and up to the auctieneer.
"Oh, don't sell that, Abe; 1 can't
let it gol It's jest the only part Of
my life I can't get away from. You
mustn't put it upl"
"It's on the list, Maria," said Abe,
"and it'll sell all right"
81 know it, Abe, but it's like sellin'
part of me. 1t Is part of me, you
know" she cried, wildly. "Oh, no. II
you sell that, go with It'll"
"Then I'll bid my hull stock of
worldly goods for It'll" said loud
voice, and elbowing his way through
the crowd, stranger took Maria
Fairchild in his arms.
Its Jed Tompkinsi" gasped the
members of the group.
"Yes, SIR" laughed Jed, "and he's
here jest in time to buy up the most
valuable thing in the lot. And see
here, you folks, anythin' Maria wants
back, I'll buy from you, fer my
moneys hers and she's got a fortune
of her own, too. / 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 Wen straighten
up the auction business"
"What you goin' to do, Jed?-
queried Maria, later, as she heard him
struggling with something in the
shed.
"I'm Jest gettin' in the parlor stove
aS'in. If I'm goin' to spend the even
in. seems as though a little fire
would be good in the parlor. Stove
pipes all right, / see."