Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-01-01

'NAA>0eo AASAASAl6 llOlu uSl duu
walked by with averted face.
Not far behind her was another ac-
quaintance from whom they received
only cold nod
"What in the world! Do they think
mother had the smallpox, or have the
Dawsons failed, or what is the mat
terY
"Oh, look at that woman! 1 do be-
heve she has Grandfather Dawson's
white bell hat. know there isn't an
other in town."
and that one with the silk waist
hanging out Of water pitcher! There
must have been rummage sale"
The horrible truth flashed upon both
at the same instant
my old rose waist" gasped Susan
nah's mother.
"My Grandmother Pelham water
pitcher" moaned Hepsibah's mother.
There was no question now. Every
one past whom their hurrying steps
led them bore some half forgotten treas
ure seen only at housekeeping time.
They were women of fine sentiment,
never willing to destroy anything about
which fond memories could Irvine, and
their large ancestral attics were filled
to overfowing with what Rosa signif-
icantly called "heaps of plumber" the
accumulations of several generations
Of Dawsons, Pelhams and Gaynors and
the reapings Of many Christmas har-
vests.
They rushed on, growing more and
more sick at heart as they met here
and there among the throng friends
who dwelt within the circle of Christ
mas giving. When they reached the
lawn, out Of the tumult of their souls
rose bubble of pride that, awful as it
was, the girls had displayed their usu-
al executive ability.
Under the linden tree sat Hepsibah
the cashier. with goodly pile of mon
.ey before her. Patrolling the grounds
and keeping an eye on each grinning
negro in charge Of the heaps of goods,
which had been carefully assorted
CLASSIFIED and grouped around the trees,
walked Susannah, the general mana
ger.
The mothers had been too long I'M
der the yoke to make scene but as
they walked from one ancestral tree to
another and read the gorgeous placards
tackled to the trunks their emotions
were many and deep:
"Shoemakers' tools used by Great
grandfather Dawson"
Infant wardrobe of the Gaynor
branch" mostly rags.
"Great-grandmother Pelham's we'd
ding Dishes" most disreputable col
lection Of pans and crockery ware.
Great bargains in Christmas pres
ents. Good as new; some never used"
At this finishing stroke the Mothers
Dawson fed each to her own house
and wept behind closed blinds "They
will never forgive us!" they sobbed.
mo wonder Mrs. Gaines didn't speakv'
A sudden shower put an end to the
sale. A little uneasy in their souls, the
girls went in to report results. When
the, interviews were over, it was not
/ the Mothers Dawson who came out
with Dropping heads. On the contrary,
these emancipated ladies sped down
the lawns and shook hands in solemn
compact under the linden tree.
Said Susannahs mother, Hereafter
2 am to be boss Of my own ranch"
Same here" said Hepsibah's moth
er.
Then blush Of shame spread over
their faces that even in this their hour
of independence their speech should
'betray their daughters influence.
II mean that from this time forth
shall control the affairs of my own
household"
/ And 1 mean that the same conclu-
sion has been reached by me-"
They have hard job before them.
How He Kept Informed on Clocks.
A fad more or less general is the col
lecting of old clocks, from the tall
grandfather variety to the curious
timekeepers Of foreign make. The gar
rets of old farmhouses from Maine to
the Carolinas have been ransacked for
the former. and there is many a man
and woman in New York who keeps an
- ~ W. sAAS pei F." AACA0po VI L4lC AOAC4S1l
districts for curious and ancient things
from abroad.
ut is almost impossible to keep them
all running" complained woman who
has two dozen aged and valuable clocks
scattered through her Madison avenue
home They seem to be in good order
and run along for awhile, then all Of a
sudden they stop for no reason at all.
Il have found an old German who
knows more about the ways of old
clocks than any one in the city. sent
him my German prize few weeks ago
and when it did not come back after
the usual period Of waiting went to
his shop. What do you think found
him reading?'
The friend did not have the slightest
idea.
1T was little German volume with
title something like this: "Thirteen
Hundred Reasons Why Clock In Per-
feet Order Won't Run."-New York
Tribune.