Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-11-11
From Godey's Lady Book.
THOSE THANKSGIVING GOODSj
OR PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH
BY MARTIN ARTHUR JONES.

SPELL and "tended store That is to
say, became first clerk, second clerk,
salesman, bookkeeper, porter, and store
sweep to worthy Mr.. Cricket, who kept
general assortment of what were then
called English goods, West India goods,
and notions, in the snug village of Bunk
umville, on the coast of Maine. Our stock
was very miscellaneous. We sold silks
and molasses, fine cqmbrics and rum,
broadcloths, hatirons, which we called
sadirons, rock salt, spices, Goldfish, raw
cotton, books and stationery, grindstones,
cheeses, powder and shot, and. in short,
matters and things in general.
took to my new occupation with great
ardor, thinking, in my folly, that it was a
great piece of my promotion to quit the
classics and tend store My school
mates envied me, and thought myself
almost a man. left off rufiled shirts,
the fashion for boys at the time, wore a
neckcloth, and my jacket was laid aside
for a dress coat. put my hair under a
course of Macassar oil, cultivated fore
top, that is, bunch of hair sticking up
straight over the forehead, as you see
represented in the medals of the officers
of the 1912 war, for that is the period
Of which l am writing and then foretopa
were universal. wore swell back boots
with silk tassels. These boots came near
ly up to the knee, and being polished with
Day &c Martins backing, they formed &
brilliant feature in ones dress. Thu:
attired, set up for village beaux, anc
thought myself pretty fellow.
One day there came into the shop
store, we called it-a middle-aged coun
try-woman, who made a number of pur
chases. observed that she eyed mi
rather narrowly; and when she hear,
Mr.. Cricket call me Martin, she said t
me
Are you Martin jones'
Yes ma'am,' said /.
DO tell Well, l never! So 20
are Martin Jones|
TO be sure am
Well, Martin, l am 80 glad TO sc
you. Ny name is Jerusha Thompsol
Did you never hear your marin speak
me,
No ma'am, said l.
Well, you must know, when l W:
ayoung woman, and help in your famil
lived with your marin when you was
little baby, and | have tended you tho
sand times before yon were old enous
to talk. do think you were the pref
est baby 1 ever saw, Hoaoyo, are ate
cdr
/ put up the woman's packages
quickly as could, and bowed her OF
not without much hand shaking and ma
good wishes on her part. l did not ia
any particular fancy to her, however.
In the autumn, Mr. Cricket used to
to Boston to replenish his store with
new stock of goods. On one occasi
walking the streets in Boston, Just as
was finishing his purchases, he met
old acquaintance. This was no ot
than Captain Life Jenkins Life be
the short for Eliphalet.) The Capt
commanded the brig Sally Ann, of Blu
umville Port, Just three miles from Blu
umville, where our store was stuat
lie had just returned from a freight
voyage in Europe, had taken out his
go and was bound for BunkumviIle P
AS his vessel was quite empty, he ofe
70 take Mr.. Cricket's goods on board W
out charging any freight. The Cap
was so clever. Mr.. Cricket was gre
obliged. To send them by the fast
ing little packet which ran regularly
tween Bunkumville Port and 30
Sould cost few dollars, and Cap
iife's offer would save all that. The
being heavy, clumsy craft, built
large burdens, would be a day or
longer on the passage, probably.
what of that? A week would be q
sufficient for her passage, and the pa
took tive aad sometimes three or four Z
So the goods were put on board the
Ann, and 1Ir. Cricket came hom
wait for their arrival.
1t was late is autumn. about twt
three weeks before the annual thank
ing. Mr.. Cricket, with particular
to what would be required for festiv
popular and so generally observed in
England, had purchased pretty S
stock of Thanksgiving goods. H,
bought many barrels Of choice family
dozens Of Westphali& hams, sugars
sorts, spices, tea, coffee, figs, raisins
rants, oranges, lemons. citrons