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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1902)
ILWT TABITHA' S BISCUIT BOX. , AISY! Da i sy! It baa come at Inst the present . from Aunt Tabitha. Oh. do hurrv down. dear, for I'm all Impatience," and Daisy's mother looked at It as she stood at the foot of the staircase and contem plated the 1xx newly delivered by the parcel van. "I knew the dear old soul would not forget her, and it's so heavy It must be something very handsome." "Ob, mamma, what can it be?" cried Daisy, putting the finishing touches to her toilet as she hastened down stairs. "I do hope it Is one of the new silver afternoon stands they are so chic and stylish, you know, and no one here abouts has one except Lady Hlghtoff. Her presents were put In the paper, you . know." "Call, Susan, Daisy; we could not get this lid off ourselves," snld Mrs. Elder, Ignoring the fact that when she helped in her father's grocery store she was an adept at opening boxes. - It was befit ting, however, that the arrival of a marriage present to her difughter from "their one wenlthv relative should be ac companied by all the pomp and cere mony at her command. So Susan's help was Invoked, and with the uld of the kitchen ax the box was opened, and the article it contain, ed, wrapped in silk paper, was carried to the parlor. An uuclosed envelope was attached to It, which contained Aunt Tabltha's visiting card with this written on it: "With best wishes and the hope that her grand-niece will prize this for her eake." "Lor, mum," said the maid, as she set It down on the table, "it's heavy. I do believe It's solid gold." "It might well be, coming from Aunt ..'Tabitha to her name child," said Mrs. Elder, smiling to her daughter, who -was unwinding the paper with a dig nity that would have graved the unveil ing of a public ptatue. "A biscuit box!" they exclaimed In chorus, when thei thing stood unveiled. It was of rather an ancient type, -rOltn iT I tin H 1 1 nflinn It wna the properties of a mausoleum mas , ' " slve and solemn. It consisted of a , majolica Jar about the diameter of a drain pipe, and quite as elegant, fixed in a silver-plated stand of a . coffin , mount style, and with a lid of similar metal. "Isn't It hideous?" cried Dairfy, on re covering her breath. "It's it's not what one would have Expected of Aunt Tabitha," sighed Mrs. Elder, In a disappointed tone. . Susan, having heard the Elders boast ao much of the old lady's fabulous wealth, and thinking she might have filled the box -with sovereigns as a set off to Its ugliness, lifted the lid and peered Inside. Its capacious emptiness gave Susan a brilliant Idea. "Lor, mum," she said, "It 'ud make a beautiful coal scuttle," This was a reflection on her relative's gift however, which Mrs. Elder resent ed, and the girl was thereupon remind ed of some household duties that re quired her elsewhere. "I could not show It among my pres ents, mamma; every one would laugh at It" said Daisy, petulantly. "And I've been telling everybody that it was a solid silver tea service, Aunt Tabitha was sending you how provok ing," snld the mother, peevishly; "I don't know what to say now." "Look, mamma," pointing Jo a trades man's, label on the paper, "this is where it has been bought Couldn't we ex change It for something else?" "Yes, Daisy, we might something useful spoons and forks, say; that would save your papa buying them, and the old wretch need never know." "And I don't care, suppose she did; It would only serve her right the spite ful old thing. Trlzc It for her sake, In deed; I would pitch It at her If she were here." . "Do you know, Daisy, what I think we should give out that she has sent?" said the mother, suddenly brightening. - "No," replied her daughter, evincing some curiosity. "A check." "Oh, capital!" cried Daisy. ,"The very thing a large amount; a hundred . gnlnca. shall we say? That's what all the grand insople are doing now. It will sound quite aristocratic.'' And so the firm of silversmiths in the distant (own where Aunt Tabitha re sided, and from where she bad pur chased the biscuit box, were communi cated with, and after some negotiations an exchange was effected; They were strictly enjoined not to let the exchange be known to their customer for fear of , Iter being offended. ' 1 The firm tn question had congratu lated themselves on having got rid of a piece of old stock, and the salesman had a lively recollection of the prim - old lady, with snow-white side curls, to -whom be bad told It. . ' "Show me something suitable for a wedding present," she had said, on en tering the shop., , . ' A number of articles had been sub mitted for her inspection, and at length a biscuit box was suggested. t "Could I see them?" "Yes, mem; we have some very pret ty ones just now," said the salesman, scenting a chance for getting quit of an old "shopkeeper," and producing the one that finally reached Daisy. "Here is a really handsome one the newest pattern real majolica ware and " "I dou't want your newest pnttern new and nasty!" interposed Aunt Tabi tha. ;Show me something like my selfold and antiquated the oldest thing you have in the place." "Well, mem, this Is really the 'very thing you want. When I say It Is the newest pnttern I mean the style Is quite up to date It never goes out of fashion, you understand; and it is yes, I believe it is the oldest article we have In the shop." , "'And the ugliest?" snapped the old lady. . "Well, I wouldn't say that, but " "Say that It is and I'll take it," she said; adding, "how do you clean It?" "Oh, it's easily kept. You unscrew this nut at the bottom and the tinware comes out," explained the salesmun, and a bargain having been struck the article was sent home to Aunt Tabl tha's and then to the destination al ready known. - , - . It had not been many days in the sil versmith's show case after being ex changed when the old lady, again put in an appearance at the shop. Her er rand, she explained, was the same as before a wedding present, i- "You haven't any more 'newest style' biscuit boxes?" she asked, with a smirk, of the shopman who had served her on the previous visit. "Yes, mem," he answered; "very curi ously, there happens to be another al most Identical to the one you got it Is not quite the same, as you will pgrhaps observe," placing it before heramjLnot even blushing; "bul you could hardly tell the difference." I , "Are you quite sure It Is not ttie same one?" Aunt Tabitha asked pointedly, "Perfectly certain," chirped the shop man. . , "Then unscrew it and show me again how you clean it." The young man went through the same operation as before; but this time a folded slip of paper fell out from be tween the ware and the stand and dropped at the old lady's feet. Pick ing Jt up she unfolded it and looked at It, and then, turning to the shopman, said:' "Do you know, young man, where liars go to? That's the same box that I bought from you about a month ago; but I suppose It's your business." And with a twinkle In her eye as If -she was enjoying the joke, she paid for the arti cle and ordered It to be sent home as before." ' Stephen Elder, railway signalman, was reading In the local newspaper the account of the wedding, of his niece. Miss Tabitha (Daisy) Elder, and his only daughter, also about to be married, was looking over his shoulder. "Ay, Tabby, this will please your uncle: It's ca'ed 'fashionable niarrhige.' John aye wanted to be big; that's bow he went to be a grocer, he couldna bide the moleskins; an' when he mnrrled the grocer's daughter an' got the business he was neither to hnud nor bind. And now he's a Bailie an' a' that, and they tell me he Invited Aunt Tabitha to the marriage; and so she sent the present. ' "Her name's on the top of the list of presents, father; see. 'Miss Tabitha Ma sou, grand-aunt check.' How much would It be for, "(Jo you think?" "Oh, maybe five pounds, or It mlcht be ti-n; but you maun mind Aunt Ta bltha's not so rich as John's folk make her - out to be. It's their big way again." ' "She'll not ken about lulne, father?'' snld the daughter, demurely. - "Ay, Tubby, she dors; I sent her word. She asked me to write her at antrln times an' let her ken what's gnun on, and I sent her word when your mother dee'd, and I thocht she would like to ken about your mar riage." "She'll not think o' sendln' me ony thlug, father; I couldna expect it for he's never seen me." . - "There's nae sayln'; you're named after her, and not thlnkln' shame o' the name, an ca'ln' yourscl' 'Daisy.' ' . While thus chatting a neighbor look ed In at the door. "Oh, you're In noo," she said. "There's been a box left wl' me; the porter brocbt It doon when ye were baltb oot Ye mlcbt gang ben for it, Bteen, as It's geyan heavy." '.' . , "it's for yon, Tabby," cried her fath er, returning with the box in his arms; "and. I wouldna wonder but It might be something frae Auut Tabby." "It'll -ie tbei,waddln' cake. Tabby," laughed the. neighbor. ;. .... The girl's clear brown eyes glistened as she; watched her father undo; the. cord and pry open the lid. : . . - ' , "I hope it's not a cake," she said, "for that has to be eaten; and If she sent me anything I would like to have It as a keepsake." ' ' "There, Tabby, do this rest yoursel'.' said her father, on placing the parcel oil the kitchen table. . "My bands are a wee thing course, on I might maybe break it. What's that?" "It's a card Auut Tabltha's," cried the girl; "and It says, 'With best wishes and the hope that her grand niece will prize this for her sake.' " The neighbor, as curious to see what It was as If It was for' nerself, fell to and helped Tabby to unwrap the paper. At last It stood revealed the same biscuit box that had undergone a sim ilar ordeal of Inspection a few weeks before. . "Megstle, It's grund!" exclaimed the neighbor, with uplifted hands. "It's owre grand for ine, Jennie,' was Tabby's comment as she stood with wonder In her beaming eyes. ".What Is't for, ava?" questioned the father, looking round as if be expected to see windows In It like a lighthouse. "It's a biscuit box. father. It's not likely I'll ever use it; but it's awful kind of Aunt Tabitha to send It and I'll keep It for her sake." Some months later Daisy's husband a commercial traveler related to her a funny story, told him by a brother com mercial, about an old lady sending an ugly old biscuit box, with a check hid den in It, as a wedding present, and the box having been exchanged without the check being discovered, nnd then re bought by the same old lady, and sent Out nnew as another marriage gift. "And the curious thing Is," he added, "that it was said to be sent to some one In our neighborhood." ... Daisy bit her Hp with vexation. Wns that Indeed the object Aunt Tabitha had In view in asking her to keep It for her sake, so that the check would be eventually discovered?.- And the bis cuit box had been sent the second time to her cousin? She knew Tabby hnd got one of the same kind servants are useful purveyors of- news If the nils tress Is at all inquisitive but she had not realized until now that It might be the veritable one that she had re turned. - As. her husband had known nothing about the return of the present he really' believing Aunt Tabitha had sent a check as announced Daisy kept her own counsel, and determined on a plan of campaign. If the check was still hid den In' the biscuit box, ten chances to one that Tabby, in her Ignorance and simplicity, would not hnve discovered It, and Daisy relt that If she could but gain temporary possession of It she might find the hidden missive and ap propriate It for was It not" Just as much hers as Tabby's? The following afternoon the latter was considerably surprised to receive a visit from her stylish cousin. "How do you, Tabby Mrs. Jack, I should soy? And I'm really ashamed that I've been so loug In calling on you after your marriage, but I've been so busy, you know; It takes such a time before one geis- such a large house as mine really In order. You have such a snug little plnee, Tabby, and what l nice room. Everything In apple , pie order!" And Daisy's swift glance took In everything In Tabby's pnrlor, her eyes finally resting on the biscuit box placed under a glass shade on the chiffonier. "Oh, was this from Aunt Tabitha?" she continued. "I got one the very same, but as I had ever so many already I hnd to get It ex changed." "Yes," said Tabby, "that was a pres ent from Aunt Tabitha; wasn't It kind of her ever to think of me?" "Do you know, Tubby, site's combig to visit me one of these days, anU I don't know what I'm to do about the biscuit box. She doesn't know I chang ed It, and she'll be awfully offended If she doesn't see It set out. Would you mind letting me have a loan of yours? She would never know." "Would there be no chance of her looking In on me?" suggested Tabby, humbly. "I'd be so vexed If she did, and the biscuit box away." "Oh, no; she's too grand to come here; but I'd aik you up to have tea with her at my house, do you see? So If you don't mind I would Just take It with mo now." "I would need to ask .Tom, my bus-, band, first." submitted Tabby. "Goodness gracious, Tabby, can you do nothing without asking your bus band's leave?" scornfully retortel Daisy. "But please yourself. Wben will yon know?" . . . "Tom conies home, at live." "WelL I'll look around in the even ing. I'm so frightened Aunt Tabitha might turn up at any uiomeut It will be so kind of yon, Tabby, to let me have It." When Tom Jack came home his wife explained matters, and Tom, a good hearted fellow, said if Tabby wished to oblige her cousin by all means let ber have a loan of the article. , "But It looks a trifle dirty," said Tom; adding with a laugh.. "I wouldu' like your fine cousin to think that we hadn't a butler to polish up our silver plate, rir give it a cleany' er my tea." And so he set about taking It ; to pieces, and was In the act of doing, so when Daisy paid her return visit. The kitchen blind was not drawn down, and the young couple seated at the lamp ar rested Daisy's attention. She saw a slip of paper fall out as Tom unscrewed the bottom. "What is this, Tom?" she heard Tab by exclaim.. "Let me see It's like a bank note, wlfey; no, it's a check," was Toll's an swer. "By gum! listen Tny to Tabi tha Eider or bearer the sum of one hun dred pounds Rterllng, Signed Tabitha Mason. That's yours. Tabby! Good o'.d Aunt Tabitha!" ,' "The dear old darling!" cooed Tabby. "The old wretch!" was echoed from the outside as the battled Dulsy turned on her heel, having no further interest or concern In Aunt Tabltha's biscuU box. People's Friend.; , , ' ; " .' " WATCHING FOR CYCLONES. Westerners Fear Them n the Islund- era Da Volcanoes. Recent- disturbances by volcanic! eruption In the Island of Martinique and Guatemala brlug- out In full meas ure of sympathy of the residents of the cyclone district of the Southwest. The cyclone Is by far the worst form of disaster that visits this country, coin ing at unexpected tlms and dealing manner. Wben the summer days bring waves of heat across the stretches of hot sod. then the residents of the prairie' WeV begin to cast their eyes to the wind ward. They nre watching the forma tion of the clouds, and he who could not distinguish a cyclone bifnk from any oilier Is Indeed a tenderfoot. Then the cry of warning Is carried across the plains nnd the members of every fam ily make for their cyclone cellars. These cellars differ lit various com munities. The popular cyclone cellar on the plains of western Kansas, where cyclones a few years ago were almost a dally occurrence, are ordinary sod houses, built low and strong. In the Russian communities of Kan sas these cyclone houses serve as the family residence the year around. They are about seven feet high, nnd built ex ceptionally strong. The roofs nre slant ing, and the houses nre set to the wind, that is, the ends-are faced toward the east and west. In Oklahoma every- farmhouse 1b backed up by a cave, d hole dug Into the ground, and covered by an earthen roof. Some' farmers have gone so far In protecting themselves against cy clones, that they have a small cannon loaded with salt and buckshot, which is fired Into the 'whirling clouds as they approach. This has been known to turn the course of a storm. It Is a common event to dismiss school on the plains of Oklahoum when a bank of clouds begins to arise In the southwest. These wind and rnln storms are becom ing more uncommon every day, and It Is believed that the planting of trees and the settlement of the barren sod has had much to do with It. Before Oklahoma was thoroughly well settled dozens of cyclones were reported every day In the. hot months. The writer was In the Newklrk one day In the early period of that town's existence, and bbw,-seven cyclones form In the afternoon. All of them followed the course of the Arkansas Hlver, and "struck" In the f)snge Indian reserva tion, fur to the westward. New Faces on Postal Issues. Within n short time two new faces will appear npon the postal Issues of the United States. One ?f them Is a postnl card officially known as the "McKlnley card," and a postage stamp of the new denomination of 3 cents, having ns Its central picture the like ness of former President Harrison, will follow soon after. The new card has a medallion at the upper left hand corner precisely of the same size as the oval at the right con taining the portrait of President Mc Klnley. The medallion contains a fig ure of an eagle with outstretched wings, nnd bearing In Its claws a bun dle of arrows nnd an olive branch. Al together the design Is very attractive, and the card will be the finest ever pro duced by this government. The department has finally decided that the portrait of a woman shall adorn one of the stamps of ' the new series, although what distinguished American now represented upon the postal Issues shall suffer retirement to mak way for the lady bo's not been determined. . . ' I.ong hours hnve been spent by offi cials In the department In the effort to hit upon a woman In every way suit able and satisfactory. No decision bas been reached, but one point ha been settled; she must have been a married woman. Although there are objections to her, tbe Indications point to the final selection of Martha Washington. Very few people bide their talent under a bushel; most of them drag It out and try to sell It at five times Its value. , ' Wben a, woman has a fine house, how the other women lmposo on her! , VICTIM OF A CONSPIRACY. . Wherever He Goes Death Seems to lis ;' ' Hot on His Track. In the adventures of Carlo CattapanL Marquis de Cordova, now living in New York, there would appear to be ample material of adven ture for ' a dozen novels.r;, The mar quis belongs to one of the oldest of the titled families of Italy. Some ' two years ago be start ed to secure certain papers to be used in substantiating his claims to a 2 i' MAlttjUIS CORDOVA large Spanish es- fate. Since then In every city he bas visited bis life has been one of per petual terror, nnd murderous assaults have been made on him. The Spanish estate Is valued at $2, 600,000'and belonged to another branch of the marquis' family. Before setting out on his quest for the lost papers, which had been stolen from the Cntta-, panl home In Italy, he employed French detectives. These, after a time, sum moned him to Loudon, believing that they had located the papers there. The marquis was then nt Monte Carlo. One night before he set out for Londou he was fired on. The Incident did not grently alarm him, ns he wns then Ig norant of the conspiracy ngulnst his life. On reaching London be received an uuuuj luuua ic-iLii iu Si.uiioii, iuicul- enlng him with death of he persevered In his efforts to secure the estate. IIo laid the matter before the Italian am bassador, but no clew could bo found , to those who threatened his life. A lit tle later, while in Birmingham, he wns I assaulted by three men ou one of the streets of the city. He wns found, later, lying on the pavement uncon scious. When lie recovered he returned to London and there received word from one of his detectives in New York to proceed at onco to that city. Ap parently his enemies lenrned of his In tention of- sailing for the hew world, for a few nights before his departure he was assaulted In his room. Ills as sallunts bound and gagged bliu nnd then tied him securely to the bed, after which they lighted a fire In the grate and turned on the Ifcs nt full pressure. Meantime they had ransacked his pa pers. Fortunately SUsftltwr of the building smelled the gas and traced Hg-escnpe tft- Its source in time to re lease the marquis. During April, ltoj.'fuVmift'quls sailed for New York and took up his quarters well uptown.- Here, one dny, be re ceived a letter nsklng hlin to meet the wi-lter at South Ferry1 nnd take his pnpers nlong. The letter went ou to' stnte thnt If the marquis' claims were well founded ho could have the missing papers then and there. On reaching South Ferry he saw a carriage In waiting nnd was Invited by two men to step in and drive with them to nn office where the matter could be arranged. Thfs' wns at 10 o'clock on a Monday morning and when again the, marquis waB.consclous of anythlug It was Friday night and he found himself lying In bed In a hut, near what be subsequcntlyfound was Prospect Park,. Brooklyn. When he en tered the carrlngo he 'wns apparently hit In the head by some wenpon, for be carries a scar as a memento of the ocension. . He bellej-os he was also drugged. When ho regained consciousness In the hut he beard voices In an adjoining room and beard the question of his kill ing discussed. This thoroughly aroused him and he mndo bis escape throngh a window. Subsequently he tried to find the hut. but failed. The police were also unable to solve the mystery. The marquis has not yet found the lost papers and nppnrently Is as far from attaining the Spaulsu estate as ever. The Druit Store at Fault. An Individual, who from his clothes and th) dinner pall which he cnrrled appeared to be a laboring man, recently walked Into a drug store on Eleventh avenue and .requested 'to be given a marriage license. "You'll have to go to the city hall to get that," said the druggist. "I dou't see why. Isn't my money good here? I'm In a hurry, too." "We dou't handle that kind of li cense," answered the drug store niu. "Well, I was told I could get uue here sure, and that dr-n Jutlee won't marry mo without a license," angrily snapped the fellow as' he walked out. The druggist said that people often come In with requests which would make a stone man smile, "and If you do laugh they get mad," be concluded. Milwaukee Sentinel. White Wings" of Indon. The street sweepers of the borough of Westminster, Loudon, have been dressed In so gorgeous a uniform that MsJ. Oen. Trotter of the Grenadier Guards recently complained that when guardsmen go out they are frequently taken for dustmen-and their feelings are consequently hurt. Tbe Mayor of Westminster, whose official robes out shine even those of the King, has prom ised to add a blue band to the cape of ,the sweepers as a distinguishing mark.