The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-12-06

DeeU ufeduleQ Anu tA1keu 0Is larger
and fairer than it now could be in REL
ality, but that only Jack and Content
knew. Jack was skillful and energet-
ic; he had laid up some I'VE Or six
hundred dollars, and that was not all.
You see, Content" he had said,
gaily, when they talked Of 1t in the
spring time with the old apple tree
showering its pink blossoms around
them where they stood you see,
there is that work for Regain, if 1t sue
ceeds, and think it will. It is some
sort Of pumping apparatus, you
know. He had got the idea in his head,
but wasn't workman enough to carry
it out, and SO he came to me. dug
into it until fancied / knew what he
wanted, and improved upon it lit
tie, maybe. I've spent all the time
could give, evenings and odd hours, on
/ 1t for nearly Eve months now, some
times doing and sometimes undoing;
but Regain is to pay me $4,000 il 1t
works as he expects it to. He thinks
can do 1T.
II think so, too, said Content.
1T will be something nice for us"
remarked Jack, thoughtfully. ssBut
we won't say anything to any one
about it yet q while, until we are sure.
There is no need, for we have enough
| for little home, even without that"
Uncle Joachim and Aunt Prissy were
not very worldly wise. They thought,
or Miss Prissy did, that love and even
the smallest home promised consider
able material for happiness; and her
eyes twinkled with tears and smiles
behind her old spectacles while, in one
breath, she wondered how she was
lever goin to do without Content,
and in the next if they hadn't better
! be huntin' up rags to cut for a carpet
for Contents door-against she has
one
| Uncle Joachim was as nearly con-
| gratulatory as he knew hew to be, but
deprecatory also.
II don't see why you two shouldn't
stand as good chance for comfort
as anybody, s'posin' there is any such
thing, which is doubtful he said.
ANY way, It's risky, very risky; like
as not you won't enjoy yourselves.
It'll be great affiiction to have Con-
| tent leave us, but it'll be lead of my
mind to know she's safe out Of the
house It's dangerous place to live
in, this is, keepin' post Office as we
do. Counts of folks Robin the mails
keep comm all the time, and I've just
feelin' that ours II be robbed, too,
some night, and we all murdered In
our beds"
Dear me. shouldn't think it would
be worth while" exclaimed Aunt
Prissy, unselfshly, scanning the mat
ter in the light of a speculation. sour
malt Why, don't believe there's
ever more'n ten dollars in the whole
ont at one time, and mostly there amt
anything"
"That don't make no difference,
Prissy difference, persisted Uncle
Joachim. with a doleful shake Of the
head. you don't know the sight Of
| wickedness there is in this world.
tell you there's plenty OF folks that
would do most anything for ten dol
| lars.
'sWell, WE'LL succumbing to super
ior wisdom, maybe it's so; but it does
seem dreadful low wages for any hui
man being to do such work as that
for. s'pose there comes some time
for most all Of us, though, when the
Evil One comes along our road and
asks what we'll sell ourselves for II
we're willin' to do it at all, I don't
know as it matters much about the
price
AS the days passed by, and Jacks
"prize-work, as he Iaughingiy called
it, babe more and more fair to prove
successful, he and Content conjured
golden plans for the fair little home
kingdom it should bring them--how
they would add to this ana beautify
that talking it over, evening after
evening. in the soft twilight.
sIt's just about DONE" said Jack, one
day, stopping for moment at the
door "Regan wants me to take it
down to the old stone quarry and try
1t. It's sort Of quiet place. and
there's always water there, you know;
SO guess I'll go this afternoon"
"Oh, do hope it will be all right
just what you expect OF itr' exclaimed
Content
IBID it good speed, them be said,
with a hopeful smile, turning away
down the narrow garden path, while
the sweet fact watched him from the
doorway.
The sky was wondrously blue above
his head that day, and the whole earth
marveIousIy fair in the golden sun
light. Every rustic OF the leaves,
every bird-note, seemed to him most
perfect music as he passed down the
old road that led to the dlsnsed quarry,
bearing his precious burden. 1t was
a quiet spot, not without its own lonely
beauty in the gay shelving rocks and
the masses of broken stone that lay
at their feet. Moss had grown upon
some OF these, and trailing vines from
the green beyond had found their way
tAlther, rejoicing in the clear water
that Jack had selected for his purpose.
The place suited him altogether, and
as he carefully proceeded with his ex-
pertinent, aud trial after trial assured