The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-04-10
From Pctcrsou's Magazine.
CHe Days Shopkeepins.
BY CLARA AGUSTA.

would wish to See, aud that is saying grea
deal for cousin Harry, when one takes int
consideration The recherche taste Of the nine
tecuth century.
Harry country shopkeeper-a grocer
dealer, mean; that is he sells pork, beef
fish, oil, moilsseS, and such articles, upo?
ouc side OF the store, and ca,icocs, de lainc:
shectingS, mus.lus, and u very few silks, up
on the other side.
Harrys custom was very extensive
handsome young man in dry goods store
is, in himself, 4 sort of sign and a good
looking clerk is worth a hundred dollars
year more an an ugly one. IL is a ia
mentable fact, and | am sorry to record il
but il is So
Last summer, was up at uncle Johns
visiting. Harry and my cousin Jennie were
the chief attractions at uncle Johns but
the fine Strawberries and raSpberries, witt,
which the kitchen garden abounded, were
rot n-HIlv desyiSed by me.
e.. mon -.l;- an urgent
- attend -. ''-r "s''. :
...i- abe 90 ..,I,>, Ih ~ .mpo'
tan; r.,e lie was obliged to - '-- 1
hurry, and having no time to look up a sub
>'itutr in his store, he appointed ne TO the
I -nity.
You can't fail of doing right, Charley,
/ said he, pa;ronznG.y; the goods are AL
marked ia plain f-ureS-that l., the dry
4 g0ol,; and then mOlasse. sells Tor hlty
/ cents per gal'on-sugar, ten 10 fourteen
. cents; butter j. worth one shilling, store
pay; and mind You, Charley, eggs are
twenty cents a dsz.n, but dpn't take any
unless th-y'l sink IDLY in cold water
thy may hc .ot'.r. 81 know; and the
butter. too, don'i to- -"y without putting
IN lc-. INTO each ball TO Try tit rnisht
p rancid: and above .ri over all, be p
'r % ;ut pretty -u-. G'oi-Dyc and
!!arrr rut Tie t.- s.a,- ~ Of the store
my iusgns oi a.....-..I into my hand,
agf icau-L into L.. cab /. .ncl w,s ~ take
him to the depot.
| l-t somewhat dignihel-as it were,
promoted iior the rauk oI a private to that
"f q cgp'aiu--anG | neut up 10 my room, at
Uncle johns, toy q surrey OF my tcl.ct--
Ina rather a goos-'. sing fellow myself,
though some s,gaisAt-!aced people H.i- ht
.ui;.a it vanity in me 10 mention II. bat al.
rry g.r.s say 80, aui IT Is generally coGce
..t tiiat ta.v age competent judges.
~ the wry Of eHaanc'u. nay persona, at
fractions, aided II my drcs, pair OF
wrought wristbands, don't laugh, unieel-
.u- reader, they we're emproi !,.ed and pre-
seated 10 rue by lady f.i-nd,J aud giving
a parting ~ - TO my mgustscnr, ! sailed
out
The moruin. was fresh and ftir--no grim
clouds east their Doliu. shadows over the
-ar,'--4nl al promised iair for nay success
rrau.-d myself behind line co.ntcr and
waited lr customers.
Customer No. / entered 5 c was a mid
l..-a-e1 woman, to buy dc bege for her
- ls,te.s Ce"ud.
MS al. aIacr.ty TO !I.ti! her commands
piird tie counters with what | supposed
to te De bCce. a sort Of thin, glossy, rafting
>;ui;'; aud with ali my eiogueuee eNpet.a-
ted on its wonderful merits.
There's s..A IA it, amt there qseried
the oh Gy, putting on her spectaoles for
a closer examination. 'Miss Moss, cur
dress maker SAID so.'
"-,is. to be sure there Is :" said |, ,.nfne-
diate'y taking my cue, Ctdoosn't do to CON
trai,ct lady.) silk, why, its all silk, the
rcl'. Gni Itlisan bDDei si.k-sewing six,
marin, imported expressly fer your G-ggh-
rer'S wear! tn last IA age
Wyll. she'll want it to wear pretty
good spell, | reckon; body ca l afford to
Juys coNud every aav yoI know.
"Oi course not, Ia IlIn; Of course not
Bat TINS w.t look sw,etly upon your pretty
daughter. uo anub. shes pretty-ro-emhie
her mother, dare say" hsd heard it
sa. that g. ,.t;'e juiicious H-tt.ry never
comes arniSS with tuc ladies'.
Law bless your heart sir, : .''y aint no
vi = handsome. spc amt ui.u ~ ,-lgd-!O1-
king as | was iu my Young days, her nose
IS too crooked, and Lcr hairs red but
then sam Jackson thinks she's splead ferrous
That, What hr says, any way
~, doubt, mann. but Mr. Jackson is
man ;a>te-probably connection of An
drew Jackson, the patrio. and pres dent
How many yards would You Ike" and
lou9iShed the yard->iick with profession .
Il air. which would have done credit t.
COUSIN Harry himself
"Oh, stop a minut; lain't decided about
it vet. What's tnc price,"
My true; there must be a price, sup
posed. but had for often such contin-
-eucy. However, there would be no dilli-
culcy about that for Harry had said the goods
w.is al marked in pIa II figures, 50 turn
cd coInplacently 10 the card attached to the
cloth.
~. J. X ."
VERY explicit. Like the Hebrew Bible to
ne. bat took moment to consider. Id
put it low enough, | thought, to induce her
to tr.dc; dnI II wouldn't DO TO appess aS II
| lldn't understand my business, might
lose caste with the Old lady.
We'll" said |, " though it's a great sac
giving it away-l'll let you
have it for one shilling per yard. Dirt
CHEAP, but Is it is for vour pretty daughter,
I'll put 1t down below cost, | wouldn't do
It," said |. .leanin, down over the counter
close to the old iady's green calash-"
wouldn't co it for another person in the
worli!'
Nv answer seemed TO p'ea-e the old lady
Sne turned the faric over ond over, felt OF
il upon both sides, tired tie strength of its
texture with her thu...o and finger. and at
last gave the order.
Eight yards and a half, good measure,
and silk TO sew il up with
cut of he desired quantity, folded six
skcins of sewing silk inside OF it; the lady
paid for it in old ninep,mces and sxpences,
and bow Cd her out of the store
Eater customer No. =. a seedylooking
man. in q gray blouse TO get two cents worth
of bl ick snuff.
| searched around awhile among the mys-
ferrous boxes and barrels, and at last pitch
cd upon Il strong smelling article. Wrapp-
ed up a couple Of ounces; delivered It to
my customer, aud received i'll return two
coppers which Noah might have coined in
the Ark, while waiting for dry weather.
Customers No. B, were two pretty, red
checked grls-one with buttor to sell, the
other with pail of eggs, destined for the
same purpose as the butter. | r membered
uarry's Injunction about the eggs, butter,
cold water, and fork prcking; but for the
lito of me- couldn't tell which test was TO
be applied to the butter, or which to the
eggs. However, wanted 10 obige the pret-
ty girls, so l took both butter and eggs in
to the back store, determined to do so me-
thing with them.
After a f,w moments consideration,
procured fork and pierced each and all Of