The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-12-29
1itbn,ono lIspatth.
THURSDAY MORNING.. DECEMBER y, lsGl
THE COUNTRY STORE.

store - Is the prominent feature. /, -
usually on corner, built of wood, and
may be known by dry goods boxes os--
,ertatiously placed on the front, demo
ting that the proprietor has heavy trans
actions with importers and jobhcrs. -
Those boxes are capital loatiDg places Oh
pleasant summer evenings, and many are
the profound topics politics, religion,
etc that have been carried on by the
occupants Of the "boX seats" Along
the side OF the store are exhibited some
barrels, few rakcs and FORKS, a bunch
ot brooms, pair Of ScalcS, and, in NOV
ing time a SCythc or two
4 broad door at the side affords ingr25S
to the cellar Tor barrels ii nrinsscS,
sugar, pork, etc, an operation whicn is
greatly facilitated 10y means Of tahel,'
~ the boys cali it, depending from "a
beam which prct,udos from the roof
The Junior clerk and the village boys
amuse themselves by swinging pn the
"takei when the proprietor has gone
to the city to buy goods"
1t is called the corner store" to dis
tinguish it from the grocery store OF in
terlor pretensions across the street.
When the proprietor, by strict attention
to business, frugal;y and economy, gets
little "forehandcd," he moves the
wooden store back and builds a magniii-
cent, twO-story structure OF red brick,
has new sign painted, and from that
time on the store rs known as " the brick
store"
The wooden store affords storage room
for merchandise of various kinds, inclu-
ding flour, fish, feathers, paper and rags,
which. serve the purpose of money at the
store. The boys are the principal sup
pliers Of old iron. They coniiscate Mi
supcrannuated stoyc-plate or retired
andirons" they may find about the
house, and exchange them ut the store
for powder and shot in squirrel time, on
powder without the shot when the Fourth
of July is near at hand. Wicked little
boys sell old iron at the front door and
after it has been conveyed into the store
house they sli, around the back door
and steal it over again, thereby giving a
cheerful impetus to trade and commerce
In every properly conducted store
there is department devoted TO the sale
of candy, raisins, figs, nuts, etc, which
is the great attraction for the little coun-
try boy, whose moth permits him to
accompany her to the "viIlage" for the
purpose of doing little trading -
The cunning storekccper" (that is the
title he is known by) knows that Il little
candy lavishcd on the boy will prove a
good investment, as the heart of Il mo
i fhrg,gCrh t.1
CHILD, and he accordingly swectcns ~
little Johnny, graduating his liberaIity
according to the number OF acres OF un-
encountered farming land which father
possesses, and the consequent value OF
the family custom. We remember that
the sticks Of gratuitOus candy which the
storekeeper thrust into our Juvenile
pockets were not only Seldom" but
exceedingly abb eviated. uul paternal
acre and half did not seem to dazzle
the storekeepel' to any alarming extent.
The village children believe that every
thing in the way OF comforts or luAuIies
is kept at the store, and they accordingly
look upon the atorehecpel's children III
the most favored mOrtals on earth. The
latter may have candy and sweetmcate
Just when they want them. They wear
store clothes" every day. The store
keepers girl has the finest ana most
richly dressed doll in the neighborhood,
and the storekceper's boy has the hand
soonest Sled and the best pair OF skates
Otany body for miles around, How many
a country boy has wished that his father
was " storekeeper."
Frequently the proprietor of the country
store is person OF considerable imroi
tance--in his neighborhood. We have
known cases where he possessed the con
tidence of his neighbors to such an cX-
tent that they have elected him Town
Clerk" If, by honest industry and at
tention to business, he has elevated HIM
self from the humble position OF clerk to
the dignity and Importance OF sole pro
prietor of the brick store" the settlers
still call him " Arthur" ii that is his
given name-thc same as they did when,
as a boy, he weighed out sugar for then,
and filled their nolasses jugs with 1.-TWO
and six"
A visit to the simple village in which
one was raised" after an absence OF
years, during which the boy has become
man, dissipates many early impressions.
The church looms not half So grand
ly; the village green, which to your boy
ish imagination resembled a bouhdless
prairie, on which you and your school
mates used to chase the imaginary buiia
10, has dwindled to the proportion OF
barren and scanty goose pasture, and
the brick store on the corner, which once
appeared more magnificent than Stewart
does now, looks dingy and old, and the
hand of time has apparently hit ii Sc
we're rap of the ridge, chucking 1t about
half story into the ground.