Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-02-03
Z he Widow, s=NIate
NY wILMoT; PRICE,.

b.
Sarah Haskins. used to cali hel
garret the junk shop" but her hus-
band always spoke of it as the mu-
seumo.' This difference of definition
was explained by the fact that j onas
Haskins was 4 burn collector, while
his wife was born abolitionist, if
such a word may be applied to one
who had long struggled against slay-
cry to POSSESSIONS
at don't see the good Of all those
things ;elutterin' UP the: attic and
8coliectia' dirt she used to remark.
..Tns all that heap o. stuff there aln't
one useful article. so far as Il can
see.r
There's lots of things in the world
that amt useful, but we cant get
ON. without ,em just the same" Jonas
would answer. with sagely nodding
head But this supply was never
sufncsently satisfactory to silence his
wife's criticisms.
rs boy Jonas had gone through
The usual symptoms of the disease OF
collecting: there were drawers full
OF minerals, shelves loaded with
ssuFed and sturfy birds, books of
stamps and autographs, and rows OF
pin stabbed insects. His mother had
sighed over the accnmula tons of the
boy, as his vile later hplained OF
the hoardings Of the mar.
Instead Of developing into min-
eralogist or ain ornithologist, as his
early tastes might have abetokened,
Jonas became. hunter of auctions,
where he would pick up odd pieces Of
furniture, rare bits of china, and any
curious relics OF the past. BY pro-
fession ne WIS q farmer, by inclina-
ton a collector. by temperament
alas, something of a miser, out in all
his different capacities he combined
good nature and shreWdness.
On nWedAssisys ne used to address
his wife as Martha" for after the
weeks washing and ironing were fin
ished, she became careful and trou-
hled about many things" to an e.
tent that Ecsaa i'll for animate and
Illuminate casscis alike. Jonas
learned 10 scszSie ais particular treas
ures just bezIe tte weekly clear
ing-ap day" c2ls ToanS.
The chief 5oJ Of. the Old mans
heart and tie 6s:ight OF his eye was
an old andS1ol which mad somehow
got separated from its mate, and led
a life. OF single useiessress on the top
shelf OF the ,EaSk5ds gar-et
It Bss OF cnTloGs shape and design
7rca twisted into all man
ner OF curves and angles the whole
by sphinx's mead. The
peculiar pointed head gear under
which the metallic face gaEed enig-
matica1ly inso the future had led
Jonas Haskins to give his forsaken
andiron tue name OF -'the widow"
lie had xanssckea the. neighbor-
hood in his ra9eayors TO unearth the
missing mah, Bat in vain. He had
once picked up the single andiron
with a lot OF miscellaneous trash and
treasure in an old curiosity shop. and
had announced publicly that he would
gire twenty dollars 20 amy one Who
would supply its LOST companion.
This IayishEsss was especially
Because, although ne was.
To nE5e a meat Kttle fortune,
no pu1lfc charities or private indi-
yfdIals had ever BEEN known to prof.
It by his prespErzty-
One day at was announced that
there was 10 be a rummage sale in
the town taE- for the benefit of the
Midvale Orphans Home, and Jonas
and Sarah Hsskins e1nlted in secret
at the prosIse..
Here's my caance to pick up some,
thing neB,," chucEled one.
:.At last eau get rid Of some Of
the; old things," rejoiced the other.
The day before the sale was We'd,
nesday--aa oninous fact if Jonas
had only remembered it, but for once
he forgot his weekly greeting of
"Good morning. Martha" and his
mind being fan of plans for. an on
slausht againss an army of weeds in
the potato patch
When Sarah saw him OF for the
battle field, armed with a hoe, she
betnok herself to the attic. Talk
about weedin'! I guess it amt nee
essary to go outside o. this house TO
do some pullir' np!" she soliloquized,
as With discriminating fingers she Sc
lecfed the least conspicuous Of Jonas
treasures -
This rubbish sale Is just what
Iva been waiting for; to get rid o.
some, O, these antiques an horribles.
] guess ! can do q little collectin my
self that Jonas will never notice." and
she crowned the miscellaneous pile
she had gathered together with the
precious andiron- To do her justice,
she did mot realize the extent of her
husbands devotion to the curious
piece. OF Estal work.
AS: Jonas he'd driven or in the tip
cart she had to be content with the
wheeIbarrow. She filled tito over
flowing, chuc,llins the while at the
picture she would present trundling
the unwieldIy load through country
lanes and village streets.
don't care what folks says" she
reassured hsrszlf- It'll do 'em good
toshaye somstosu' 20 talk about. ANY,