The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-11-18

Only when butter was named, did th,
usual open hand become affected by ;
sudden contraction. Canvas backs at
dollar and a half a pair were often OF
their table venison steaks smoked OF
their chatting dish and, indeed, the fir,
and often dearest articles of the $ asol
were INDUCED in without a thought o.
the cost coming N TO mar their enjoy
ment-unless, indeed, butter happ q
to be as high as thi ty three at the time
Alas for good digestion when this was
the case
Bright and early oil the morning after
Mrs. Livewcll had b en- gladdened by
the news of the great anticipated reform,
by Which COWS and farmers could be dis
pensed with, that lady started for the
ma. ket-house, in order to obtain her
usual supply of butter. 1t did not
escape her notice, as she came in the
vicinity OF Market street, that nearly y all
the bearers of butter-keitles who were
vending their ways homeward, had sober
faces. This was ominous OF another
rise, and caused depression OF at lcas
two degrees in the thermometer of til,
lady's ceilings.
What's butter :" she asked, after
entering the ma ket house and passing
down short distance to the stand of u
Chester county farmer, who had always
scld an article of undoubted excellence.
" Thirty-seven and half, ma 'am, )"
replied the farmer
w ha 20 Mrs. Livewell drew her
self up and looked Sc iously at the man
$ | ouiy paid you thi.ty-three on Satur-
day, aud that was "a shocking price"
" Buffers riz, ma am, replied the
farmer, with comical leer. He could
afford to be in good humor, for he had
nearly hundred pounds in his tub, and
knew, to moral certainty, that it would
go of whether Mis-. Livewell bought or
not
won't you take thirt five for four
pounds :"
NO, ma'am, not for twenty But
,er is butter these times"
Mrs. Lisewell was just on the point
'f startling the ears of the farmer by an
of the important discovery
hat had been made, and which was to
bring about a new order of things in the
outter line, when she found herself sur
'ounded by a. jostling, eager crowd off
Dutter-seekers, all nearly as much dis
turbed by the rise in the market as her
self .....r
"I'll try farther" she murmured,
disengaging herself from the little knot
of pcopl that We're pressing upon her,
and moving down the market She
knew all the good butter-tubs from
Eighth street t. Fourth, but alas tn ire
vas no variation in price. There seem
d to have been combination among
he dealers to exto money from the
,ood citizens of Philadelphia, and in her
leart she fell that the off nee Was as
ustly indictable as swindlng Three
pounds, instead of four, the usual half
weekly supply, were purchased, after
learly thrce-quarters ofan hour had been
consumed in search for good butter at
"Blcss me, Kate what has kept you
o long? :" was the 9 ave salutation OF
lr. Livewell, as his wife entered, half
n hour after the usual breakfast time.
was just going. It's too late for me
o be away from business
Mrs. Livewell's feelings were not in
to bear much heavier pres
urc than they were already sustaining
nd it is hardly, therefore, matter of I
vonder, that she made fretful reply,
communicating, as she did 81, the pain ;
ul fact that utter had risen to thirty
even and half
Yes, thhty-scven. l didn't buy
ut three pounds, and that is As much
s intend to get until Saturday, so you
iay all make the most Of it you can " Z
Mrs. Livewell threw aside her bonnet
nd shawl carelessly. The shawl was Y
asst upon a tabl,, where the nurse had c
piled some milk while feeding the baby, +
nd injured to an amount equal to four c
r five pounds of butter. Mrs. Livewcll I
NV in a moment the damag, that had $
cen done. Lifting the shawl, she look /
at il half indiff 'rently, and then said, |
5 she threw it again from her I
"Ruincd but it can't be helped t
ow, and so there's no use in being un- a
Apply about it," o
AS Mrs. Livewell descended to the
rcakfast-room, the serious fact OF the a
Sc in butter again took the upp rmost c
lace in her thoughts, d LETT her in no v