The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1851-12-04
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THE FOOLS PENCE.

Have you ever seen London gin-shop :;
There is, perhaps, DO statelier shop in the
magnificent chief city Of England. No
expense seems to be spared in the building
and furnishing of a gin-shop.
Not many years ago gin-shop was a
mean looking, and by no means spacious
place, with few small bottles, not bigger
than a doctors largest vials, in the dusty
window. But now, however poor many of
the working classes may be, it seems to be
their pleasure to squander their little re-
naming money upon number OF these
palaces, as if they were determined that
the persons whom they employ to sell
them poison should dwell in the midst of
luxury and splendor. 1 do not mean to
say, that we have a right to throw all the
blame upon the master or the mistress cf
a gin-shop. For my part, | should not
like to keep one, and be obliged to get
rich upon the money of the poor infatuated
creatures who will ruin both soul and body
in gin-drinking; but the master Of the
gin-shop may be heard to say, don't
force the people to drink; they will have
gin, and if l do not sell to them somebody
else will The story of 'The Fools
Pence which follows, is worth attending
to-.
A mean-looking man sat talking to Mrs.
Crowder, the mistress of the Punch-bowl !:
Why, Mrs. Crowder,' said he, 4 should
hardly know you again, Really, must
say you have things in the first style.
! What an elegant paper what noble chairs ;
what pair of fire-screers all so bright
and so fresh; and yourself so well, and
looking so we'll y
Mrs. Crowder had dropped languidly
into an armchair, and sat sighing and
smiling with affectation, not turning deaf
ear to her visitor, but taking in with hei
eyes full view of what passed in the shop
having drawn aside the curtain ofrose-col
ored silk, which sometimes covered the
window in the wall between the shop ano
the parlor.
Why, you see, Mr.. Bcrriman. she re-
piled, our business is thriving one, and
we don't love to neglect it, for one must
work hard for an honest livelihood and
then you see, my two girls, Letl'la and
Lucy, were about to leave their boarding,
school so Mr. Crowder and | wished tt
make the old place as gentcel and fashion
able as we could and what with new
stone copings to the windows, and neV
French window frames to the first floor
and little paint, and a little papering
Mr.. Berriman, we begin to look tolerable
l must say too, Mr. Crowder has laid ou
a deal of money in fitting up the shop, AM
in filling his cellars
'Wcll a'am,' continued Mr.. Berriman
l don't know where you find the necdfu
for all these Improvements. For my part
l can only say, our trade seems quite at
stand still. There's my wife always beg
ging for m;ney to pay for this Or that littl
necessary article, but l part from ever
penny with pang Dear Mrs. Crowdel
how do you manager p
Mrs. Crowdcr simpered, and raising he
= eyes, and looking with a glance of smiln
contempt towards the crowd of customer
in the shop, The fools pencils tn
fools' pence that does it for u.s. she said
Perhaps it was owing to the door bein
just then opened and left ajar by Mis-
J. Lucy, who had been serving in the ba
that the words of Mrs. Crowder wei
heard by man named George Mani,
who stood at the upper end of the counter
He turned his eyes upon the customer
r. who were standing near him, and saw ral
sunken cheeks, inhamed eyes, and raggc
garments. He turned them upon til
stately apartment in which they were al
sembled he saw that it had been fitted u
at no trifidg cost he stared through th
partly open doorway into the parlor, an
saw looking-glasses, and pictures, and gilc
ing, and fine furniture, and rich carpe
and Miss Lucy, in silk gown, sittir
down to her piano-forto; and he thoug1