Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1853-12-10

the trades smen, speaking in a tone thai
said but it didn't occur 10 me before
How is business, nowf asked Mr.. Par.
ker.
very brisk-I am so busy, that rain
or shine, ii never seems dull TO me-
you hav'nt as many customers in
NO: bu. shen get little ahead in my
work. and that is something gained. Rain
or shine, friend Parker, it's all the same
10 me-
That is certainly a very comfortable
state Of mind to be in. l find rainy day
hard to get through D..
Il don't think | would be if were in
your place. said the old acquaintance. 'If
] could do no better would lie down and
sleep away the time.
and remain awake half the night in
return for it, No; that won't do. To lie
half-asleep and half.awake for three or
four hours makes one feel miserable
The halter thought this very strange
admission, He did not believe that, if he
could afford to live Without work, he
would find rainy days hang heavy upon
his hands.
why don't You rcad!' he said.
i do read all the newspapers-hat is,
two or three that take,' replied Parker;
hut there is not enough in them for
whole day.
There are plenty of books
Books | never read books; can't
get interested in them. They are too
long: it would take me q week to
get through even moderate sized book.
| would rather 60 back to the shop again.
l understand making hat, but as to books,
never did fancy them much
Parker lounged for couple Of hours in
the shop of his friend, and then turned
his face homeward, feeling very uncom-
Portable.
The dark day was sinking into darker
night when he entered his house. There
was no light in the passage nor any in the
parlor. As he CROPPED his way in, he
struck against chair that was out of
place, and hurt himself. The momentary
pain caused the fretfulness he felt on find
ing all dark within to rise into anger: He
went back to the kitchen, grumbling sad
ly, and there gave the cook sound rat
ing for nol having lit the lamps earlier.
Mrs. Parker heard all, but said nothing.
The cook brought lamp into the parlor
and placed it upon the table with an indig-
nant air she then flirted off up stairs,
and complained to Mrs. Parker that she
had never been treated so badly in her
life by any person, and notified her that
she would leave the moment her week
was up; that, anyhow, she had nothing to
do with the lamps-lighting them was the
cha mbcrmaid's work.
1t so happened that Mrs. Parker had
sent the chambermaid out, and this the
cook knew very we'll; but the cook was
in bad humor about something, and did
not choose 10 do anything not in the ori.
ginal contract. She was good domestic
and had lived with Mrs. Parker for mum.
ber of years. She had her humors, as
every one has, but these had always been
borne with by her mistress. Too many
fretting incidents had just occurred, how
ever, and Mrs. Parker's mind was not as
evenly balanced as usual. Nancy's words
and manner provoked her too far, and she
replied-'Very wei; go in welcome =
Here was state OF affairs tending in
no degree TO increase the happiness of the
retired tradesmen. His wife met him al
The supper table with knit brows and tight
" compressed lips. Not word passed
during the meal.
.After supper Mr.. Parker looked arount
him for some means of passing the time
The newspapers were read through; it still
rained heavily without; he could not ash
his wife to play game at backgammon.
ooh, dear !! he sighed, reclining bacl
upon the sofa; and there he lay for half al
hour, feeling as miserable as he had ever
felt in his life. At nine O'Clock he wen
to bed, and remained awake for half the
night.
Much to his satisfaction, when he open
ed his eyes on the mex. morning, the sun
was shining brightly into his window
He could not be confined to his house 81
closely for another day.
| A few weeks suficed to exhaust all O
Mr. Parker's time-killing resources. Th'
newspapers. he complained, did no
contain anything that was Of the least in
terest now. Having retired on his money
and set up for something of gentleman
he, after little while, gave up visiting a
the shops of his fellow tradesmen. HI
did not like to be seen on terms Of intima
cy with working people! Street-walkInI
did very we'll at first, but he tired of that
it was going over the same ground. III
would have ridden out and seen the coun
try, but he had never been twice on horse
back in his life, and felt rather afraid O
his neck. In fact nothing was left II
him but to lounge about the house grea
ter portion of his time, and grumble a
everything; this only made matters worse
for Mrs. Parker would not submit to grum
bling without few words back that Gu
like razors.
, From a contented man, Mr.. Parke
became, at the end of six months, a bur
!, den to himself. Little things that di
not in the least disturb him before. no,
, he fretted him beyond measure. He ha
los the quiet even temper Of mind tn,
; made life so pleasant.
; A year after he had given up bushes
he met Mr. Steele for the first time sine
=. his retirement from the shop.