The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-06-12

MTS. OdlQWcI nluTTlcQ dUIcN Ullem TO
head off amy raids on the green bob
sled.
''Get everything, father?" SHE called,
as she peered out of the storm door.
''Got a plenty" he called back, with
am attempt at hleaIrttlness THAT CAUSED
her to glance quickly alt THE SLED SHE
had heard tno|se half apologetic tonnes
before and knew what they meant.
Back in the sled, covered by blan-
ket, WAS a Square package. Lit was
tot the right shape for cracker boxes
nor tall enough for a BARREL.
She drove THE children into THE
1ouse and s11r1ouding her head in an
old wool fascinaHor she followed out
ITO THE barn, where Hiram WAS <alrady
turlhrtching the tired team.
She made straight for the sled and
threw aside THE blanket, discovering a
small soda Fountain
"What did you pay for this,'' SHE
demanded, indicating THE square of
stained marble with its ttar1mslhed spi-
Six dollars and THIRTY cen|ts,'' HE
said, THE red fsurging into his face.
"The man said THE metal is worth
"TfIen you didn't have anything left
for the presents ?" SHE asked, reproach-
fully. 'Oh, Hiram! And after you
promised
"But, look here" he argued
There's bound Ito bic another store
set up. Maybe Hhey'11 want a fountain
and I cam sell this ait big profit
There was MO Use i'm arguing. Ever
since they lnad been married slne had
tried Ito persuade Hiram ITO stop b1ying
things ait auction, but it was a passion
with him, as lit had BEEN with his
father before him.
He had never before made quite so
ridiculous ia purchase as a soda fourl-
tain, but HE NEVER acquired anything
worth while He bought cheap for
the love 'of buying, Things SO old or
useless THAT MO one else would bid.
Were it Mot for the little SHOP Mrs.
Caldwell kept i'm THE front room for
the benefit of the neig'hbors, tl1ie mort
gage would have been foreclosed> years
ago. Ais lit was, She kept up THE in
terest with the n1'eagre profits of THE
little store and the egg and bt1tter
money
This and some of THE GROCERY money
had gone into this ugly, useless foun-
tain. In the fascination for the sale
all else was Forgotten.
The next morning Hiram hailed a
passing acquaintance and together
fhev stalled THE fountain behind the
tiny counter that had Iotlce beet1 part
Of McOuisIton's stor'e before THE SHEER
jff had seized the goods.
Tt was several weeks before Mrs.
Caldwell was satisfied, but ait last SHE
ha'd no admit that the cleaning marble.
with tits polished spigots, gave ''tone'
f. the place.
When the days grew warm the ice
box was filled and lennon soda and
homemade birch and ginger beer were
DISPENSED ito THE youngsters of THE
ireighborhood
Then came day when one Iof THE
big red automobiles THAT WENT flashing
down the road ON Hlle way lilo THE
fails. stopped lin FRONT of the yard A
1ea|thlern clad man Hramped I'D the
gravel walk and RETURNED to the car
with three glasses of birch beer.
When he came back with the empty
CLASSICS he drained two more himself
and threw down quarter.
"Yor ought to have "a bigger sign"
he said, ais fe sat down f1is glass;
st barely made ot1t the place myself"
ct guess I WIFI" said Mira, as SHE
1afd down fifteen cents.
"That's worth five cents a glass"
he said You'll never make money ait
two CENTS a e1a'aS You'd better raise
YOUR price and begin with me-
He n''eThed THE MONEY hack to her,
and with corteous 'dofing of Ibis
coo was Off