Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1915-01-07

nursing q grievance against her
spouse that had been born at the
breakfast table
She had asked for so TO buy new
| hat, and 1t had not been forthcoming.
The hat which had warmed the
cookies OF Mrs. Ludlow's heart was
| blooming upon a nickel stem In the
window OF Sam Sellers store, Smiley
| yille's Only Department Store.
This emporium, brand new and i'm
| posing. and selling everything from
bacon to bonnets, was directly across
| Main street from the general store of
| Mr. Ludlow.
| It was a matter OF history that the
| latter store had evoluted from a mere
| grocery that had been owned and man
| aged by Old Man Pershing. In those
days the two young clerks, Jim Lud-
| low and Sam Sellers, had both aspired
to the hand OF Old Man Pershing's
niece, the fair Eff1e, who kept Smiley
| vile, as well as the young men In
| question, guessing as to her choice.
| 1t had ended one Sunday in Jim Lud-
| low taking affairs into his own hands
ard clipping with the girl to Parsons
| Corners.
The next morning Sam tried to lick
Jim in the middle of Main street, but,
! getting the worst OF it, had packed
UP and departed the same day for
parts unknown, vowing eternal ven
geance
The years passed, and Old Man
Pershing died. leaving the store and
a few debts as a legacy to his niece
and nephew-in-law.
Things were prospecting, when Sam
came back from the unknown parts"
which had evidently been lucrative.
for he fairly oozed money.
Smileyville held its breath to see
the outcome of Sans VOW of ven
geance. 1t had not long to wait. In
side of three months the Only Depart
ment Store was complete.
Then bad days began for Jim Lud-
law. The public deserted him, not
from any personal allegiance to Sam,
but it was novelty to have things
sent home in an auto truck.
But there was no use worrying his
wife! So Mrs. Ludlow remained in
ignorance of the true state of affairs
and cried for new hat.
Finally she was ready for the
rocker, the dsreputahie piece of fur
niture in which Mr.. Ludlow was wont
to read the evening paper. She gath
cred up her pins and paper and
crossed the room to where 1t stood A
fallen broom stood in her path which
she did not see. her toe caught; she
pitched forward, and struck her head
on the edge OF the chair in falling.
Fifteen minutes later she stirred and
opened her eyes. Where could she
be? And what on earth could be the
| 2onglomerate mass of bent, rusty
springs above her head?
She stuck an investigating finger
into the torn facing. She had no idea
1t was in such bad shape. 1t was like
putting powder on a dirty face to
cover up decay like this with a new
cover. She poked here and there into
It's depths.
Then something dropped with a soft
thud to the floor Mrs. Ludlow picked
it up. Suddenly she scrambled to her
feet and carried 1t to the window. A
queer look came into her face as she
examined It
Jim Ludlows meaner n thought"
she muttered. 81 just wish he was
here"
As II in answer to her words, the
front door opened and Mr.. Ludlow,
carrying an immense lowered box.
stepped inside
What's wrong? And what have
you got in that box?" In her astonish-
ment she forgot to be angry.
It's your hat, Efie!" He sank
heavily into a chair. ITS about all
you'll get. SO you may as well have il.
! got 1t on my way home. Sans fore
closed. Or that is-he's going TO to
| day"
Jim Ludlow, just what do you
mean2"
mean I've been struggling to keep
up Tor some time, an I've had to
mortgage and borrow and borrow aud
Ne'N--N NAAA Ri NAEdnGd out. 6HUi g
bought EN- all up. He's done what he
said, and ruined me. I'm cleaned
out hope your like your hat,
Efie"
But Mrs. Ludlow was not thinking
OF hats
Jim, p she said mysteriously. Did
you ever hide any money In your old
CHART"
Heavens, moi"
Wen, then, Uncle Pershilg did. Go
get an ak"
That afternoon, when Mr.. Sellers
called with his lawyer to take over
all the worldly property Of the Iud-
love, be was disagreeably SURPRISED
70 be handed a check large enough to
cover the debt
tSopyright 1914 by Mcclure Newspspar
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