Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-12-07

cid one sold so advantageously. Mr.,
Jenkins is, however, on this one point
anything but tolerant, and only shifted
contemptuously when one night at
dinner his better half announced that
she had secured a wonderful bargain
in the way Of q stove for Johns room,
and that it was already purchased and
set in place In his room in the barn
1T is already to use, except for tho
stove pipe" she added, naively. II 60,
it so cheap, at such a really wonderful
bargain, that I honestly could not ask
the secondhand man to give me stove
pipe. I must buy some, and must alsa
get another coal scuttle. You remember
got such good price for the old stove
that threw in the old scuttle, which was
good as new, to clinch the bargain" Z
Mr.. Jenkins shifted again, but after 9
particularly good dinner, his mood WA
kindlier and he so far unbent as to fol.
low her lead to the barn, where the new
stove awaited his inspection and his ap'
prevail. His wife was confident that the
latter would be forthcoming, and it was
with the flush of triumphant pride and
successful bargaining womanhood that
she stood before the highly polished lit
tie toy Of stove that gracefully fille1
the place once held by her husband 8
dull gray prospective watch charm.
Something on that husbands face sent
a chill through the warmth of her self.
approval and self reorganization. II
was something so strange that to es.
cape it she stopped and opened the little
door to display the CRATE which was 50
infinitely superior to the old and broken
one through which the Goals had fallen
She had not thought to do that at the
secondhand shop. She had, indeed, for
gotten to look inside in her eagerness to
reduce the price from 50 to 1915, a feat
which she had accomplished only after
at least half an hours vigorous and ami
mated talk.
She opened the doors and then she
gasped. She looked appealingly at her
husband. But he had q far-away and
dreamy expression. He was murmuring
soft words, pregnant with meaning.
"Our old stove was No. s." he said in
a musical monotone as he caressingly
placed q finger on the No. Of the new
stove. Then he moved the finger
meditatively along the letters spelling
the name of the new stove. Gem,
Gem. Isn't that the same jewel-like ap-
pellation that graced our former heat
bestowing Joy. my dear? Yes? I
thought it was familiar. But our Gem
had a broken grate!" bending solicitous-
ly down to peer within the mysterious
realms displayed by the opened door.
strange, isn't it, that this CRATE should
be broken in the same fashion? Do you
know, my dearest, that were it not for
the fact that this stove has been black
ened and that it is minus stovepipe and
coal scuttle and cost you $8.75, I believe
you said, wAile ours was sold for dol
lar and a half-were it not for these
strange and confusing facts, would say
that this Gem is the same bright and
cleaning one that you so joyously sold
last spring"
But Mrs. jenkins had fed. And, as
it has already been remarked, she has
never, even when loudest in her own de-
tense, denied his charge that in her
search for a bargain she had bought
back her own stove, paying almost six
times as much as she received for It.
But she is still looking for bargains
Chicago Record Herald.