The Grit-advocate., 1903-11-20
. "Wny, OF course VIC

claimed, cheerily. "Wny, OF course VIC
cam
But the covers are all Eaoth-eatcn,
with big holes worn in 'cn.' said 81
neon.
well. we needn't use the covers.
need we? Goose" laughed Rosa. don't
you see we can rip them open and
make such nice pillow out of the
feathers"
"Jc-rusalem! so we CAM And ST.
neon looked admiringly at the brown
eyes of his intended. Il do believe
you're the handiest girl in the county,
Rosy"
For the housekeeping visions of ST.
neon and Rosa We're not like those of
a New York belle. who orders her outfit
ready made from metropolitan palaces
of convenience. They knew they must
wait until Simcon's hard earned saw
ings had accumulated into the sum of
$500. the amount to be paid down on
the little farm on which he had long
had his speculative eye fixed. One
hundred lie had already laid up, the
savings from summer haying wages
and winter school teaching - another
hundred Rosa's father had promised
upon the wedding day, and for the
other three, "hope told Hattering
tale"
I'VE are young and We can afford to
wait" said Rosa, cheerfully, when ST.
neon grew desperate and talked of
gold hunting in the Klondyke.
"Yes, but 1 don't want to wait until
I'm an old man. said Simeon, dole
fully.
The next day Rosa, with a pocket
handkerchief tied over her sunshiny
curls and her pretty figure enveloped
in prodigious bib apron, commenced
on the moreen cushions with pair of
big shears; for Rosa took as much de-
light in these small preparations for a
home of her own as any maiden in all
the land, and her fancy already pic
tured forth neat chintz draped lounge
with pillow to match, made out Of old
Cousin Percy Ailmans quaint gift. 81
neon had already revarnished the old
chairs and desk and bureau and set
them in the barn chamber to dry, and
Rosa's eldest brother had promised
them an eight-day clock, so that the
decora tions for modest little sitting
room seemed not so very far off.
Thinking of all these things Rosa
clipped vigorously away at all the pill
low seams.
"My goodness she exclaimed to her
self with slight elevation of the
brown brows. "what horrid stitches,
just like a sharks teeth, and what
coarse thread. l wonder who could
possibly have sewed it?'
And when all the seams were ripped
apart Rosa plunged her hands into the
cushions, and out flew the feathers like
a flock of imprisoned birds.
"Hello. cried Simeon's deep-lunged
voice behind her shoulder, that looks
like work"
But Rosa only laughed. scattering
handful Of downy dust over her lovers
jet black hair.
"See, Simeon, that's the way you'll
look when you get to be as old as Cou-
sin Percy when he died. Just wait n
minute until I touch up this black spot
on the back Of your head. Why, 81
neon. what's this?''
With the feathers piece Of folded
brown paper had drifted out upon the
fioor-a small envelope. pasted down
on the edge.
"Camphor to keep out the moths"
suggested Simeon.
But Rosa stopped to pick it up, and
tore it open.
"simeon. it's money" she cried
breathlessly.
And money it was-fivc dingy twenty
dollar bills. neatly folded inside slip
of blue writing paper.
Simeon" cried Rosa. "don't you re-
member what you told me Cousin
Percy said? All the things were to be
yours.'
Yes - but - Rosa Il don't under
stand"
He meant this moncy-the savings
of his lifetime
"By Jcrusalem" cried Simeon, fall
ing back upon his favorite adjuration.
80 he did,
And he pounced on the other two
cushions, tearing them so violently
apart that poor little Rosa snceZed as
if she had taken whole boEful of
snuff at once.
"Simeon. are you crazy:" she eN
claimed, with widely opened brown
eyes.
NO, butt thought so. Rosy. Hur-
rah" and Simeon tossed his fur cap
into the air. There's the same amount
of money in each of them. Three hun
dred dollars. Rosy, we can get the
farm now. We can go to housekeep-
ing in the spring. Hurrah for Cousin
Percy"
Rosa was counting over the rusty old
bills with fingers which trembled so
she could hardly hold them.
"Oh, Simeon" she said, ut don't
hardly seem possible"