Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-10-31

WAS willing To risk III luck in order {"
gain possession Of even one bit OF the
/ cherished tea set
And the bad luck seems to have TO-.
| bowed the tea set right down. one gen
GRAFTON after another" went on the
/ lawyer. Even your late cousin. Anne
I DrisCOll. was not free from it's inhu-
euce."
An uneasy glance went the round OF
! the heirs. but not one wavered in her
stern intention to carry part of the lus-
ter tea set with her when she went
away.
With a gesture Of disgust Mr.. Bemis
dropped the slips of paper In the lus-
ter sugar bowl and shook it vigorous
1 IL. Then he presented 1t to Grandma
1 Twigg
IF you will draw slip. Mrs
Twigg." he suggested.
! There was an instant Of suspense
while Grandma Twigg fumbled inside
! the bowl. Then she drew forth a slip
and held it mp for Mrs. Leek's inter
probation.
Teapot" granted Mrs Leek sourly
as she thrust her hand in the bowl.
Sugar bowl" she said in Modified
! tone as she examined her slip 4
/ breath of disappointment went around
/ The remainder of the group as the two
! choicest pieces were thus allotted Il
! hope you'll be real careful about my
/ bowl" added Mrs Leek with some i'm
/ portance
/ The lawyer smiled dryly as he passed
| the bowl around The Benson sisters
drew each II plate, and the cups and
| saucers went to Mrs. Frakp and Le0na
| Armstrong. Then the sugar bowl was
restored to Mrs. Leek. who jealousy
wrapped 1t in her handkerchief and
/ bestowed the lid in her knitting bag
Il believe this concludes the settle
ment," said Mr. Bcmis You have all
| signed off and your names are all at
| tached to the furniture and personal
effects which you have chosen. | con
graduate each and all Of you on the
acquisition Of the luster tea set" He
shook hands with them and departed.
One by one the others wrapped up
! There was little conversation among
them The Bcnsons, who had drawn
| plates. had failed to effect an exchange
! for one cup and saucer and in the face
of this defeat were inclined to suilii-
ness Grandma Twigg was quite con
tented with the famous DriScol ten
pot, and Mrs Lcei looked at the plates
! 81
1t seemed that the i'll luck of the
| uSter tea set had lost no time in get
ting down To business for that very
night Mrs Deacon Leek received a let
Ger from the man who held the mort
gage on her farm. asking that the note
be paid up at an early date. An the
! Lcek money was tied up in land
This dilemma resulted in n sleepess
night for the possessor of the Iuster
sugar bowl; that beautiful bit of an
/ tiquity stood in solitary splcndor ON
the top shelf Of the china cupboard
quite forgotten in this new trouble
The next morning found Mrs Leck
in deep consultation with Lawyer BE
mis- Il don't know what to do. Mr.
Bemls, and the deacon's so crippled
with rheumatism he can't get about
and see tic any business. If Mr.. More
had only given me three months-drat
the luck" she ended Spitefully.
ut Is bad luck" sympathiZed Mr. Be
mis- Looks mighty like that sugar
bowl had something to do with it. don't
1t? Everything's been all right so far
till you got hold of that"
THE sugar bowl" calculated Mrs
Ieek incredulously 'You must think
I'm hcathcn. Mr. Rems to set any
store by that tale | suppose 1t just
happened that Mr. More wanted his
money. though he did tell me the other
day 1t could run for ten years if |
wanted to leave it"
Just So said the lawyer suavely
Queer. isn't 1t, Mrs. Ieek: Well, IN
do the best | can to find another loan
for You, Keep up your spirits"
The rest of the day was spent by
Mrs, Lcck In deep consideration. DC
caSionally she went to the china cup
board and looked long and earnestly
ut the uStcr sugar bowl but always
sigh. lust us dusk was falling she
took down the sugar bowl and. wrap
ping it in paper, left the house ana
hurried down the street toward the
public library.
The Benson girls, who frankly al
mitted to forty years and were accred
tied with many more by Statistical
neighborS. arrived home that after
noon much pcrturbed in spirit over the
distribution of the luster ware.
"Twould have been nice il you had
drawn n cup and saucer, Ellen" said
Rachel as they entered the house
with my plate 1t would have some
look to it, Two plates seem awful
poverty stricken"
II think wore pretty lucky to ret
two plates out of it," said Rachel
cheertnlly Especially when Lizzie
Leek had got her mind set on it, l
wonder where Nero is She whistled