Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-07
THE TORN GLOVE.

n 0 =
h Little Matseys, a village on the west Goa
OF England, sat in my shop one storm
evening in January, 1852. If in my earl
manhood anybody had prophesied m
Q dresent circumstances. I should scareel
have been angry; 1 should have laughe
outright at the absurdity-I, with my edu
5 cation and my prospects, becoming
2 BRIDESMAID But never mind that now
To tell how that change happened 10 NO
my purpose at this moment.
When l arrived at Little Matseys 81,
months before, I0thought, at all events,
should make a living, and in the far-of
distance there might be a fortune. Littl
Matseys was now on the eve of seeing tn,
last OF me, for l was on the eve of bank
ruptcy.
Surely this state of things was not my
fault. 1 had done all that 1 could. Nh
plate7giass window was lhe marvel of the
helghborhood- MY two oil lamps at night
excited general admiration. NY wares
were of the most attractive character:
wildly imaginative in pattern were my
stutis for dresses, gorgeous in their varied
colors, astonishing in theiL cheapness. II
was very hard-for what was the result
The result was, the, the villagers came in
a crowd and marvelled, and went away
again. During the whole six months /
took in barely FIVE pounds. The people
of Little Matseys were not particular
about their clothing. There was a little
shop IN the village, which had supplied all
their wants from time immemoriaI. II
was a dingy, wretched concern, but the
villagers preferred it. They were afraid
OF me and my grandeur $50 l afterward
tnoughtl, n therefore, on the evening to
which L have alluded, 1 determined on
departing to a more hopeful locality.
bad ben inspecting my stock, and it
lay about in some confusion. The even
ing being far advanced, Ibegan to roll up
the bales preparatory to shutting the shut
tiers.
mo n has been in for the last three
days" l said to myself. "1f any one
were to come now, such a night as il is, 1
should expect the house to tumble down.
As L thus muttered a customer ap-
pearcn.
A ladyl Mercy on me, a ladyl I had
not seen a lady since 1 had been at Little
Matseys; and here, on this evening, this
miserable evening, when the rain was fall
ing IN torrents and the wind had risen to
a hurricane, lady not only presented
herself, but entered my shopl l know 1
looked scared; for catching her eye, as she
entered, she drew back and also seemed
embarrassed, not to say alarmed.
II beg pardon" 1 murmured, still look
ing tixedly at my visitor, 81 really
thought
What was my surprise whent the lady, in
evident perturbation, advanced hurriedIy,
saying in a trembling voice:
Surely you don't remember-but of
course not" in an easier tone; fft could
not be. l want a pair of gloves, if you
please. You see 1 have had a misfortune
with this one on my left hand" and she
exhibited her left glove, split quite across.
a beg your pardon" 1 began again
being a shy, nervous man, L very fire.
quently prefaced my remarks in this way;
hguratively speaking, L was always on
my knees, a position seldom appropriate
to a man with a wife and family, and
nothing to keep them upon-Hyou said
something about mot remembering -"
"Never mind" she said, pettishly.
get me the gloves, please"
L had small hope of suiting her. Gloves
of her size were not likely to be found in
Little Matseys. However, a pair not SO
large as to fall off the ladys's hands were
furnished. Sheput them on. They were |
of a most preposterous color to wear on
such a night, being pale yellow.
II am afraid they WILDE spoiled almost
directly" l said, "f you wear them now.
Permit ms to send them"
She thanked me, but declined-rather
snappishly, 1 fancied. My wonder con-
my customer increased. 0Per-
haps she is out of her mind" thought /, as
[ noticed her gazing round in a nervous,
way.
What do you think2 She was a shop
ifterl There was no mistake about it. l
mad turned aside to put away the box of
gloves, and l saw her deliberately take up
! full box of ribbon and furtively move
t toward her pocket.
"Did you require some of that ribbon ~
[ inquired abruptly.
mo, thank you" she answered, putting
t down; and her vacant look as she did
10 satisfied me that my suspicion was
wrong. II beg pardon, L did not know
what L was doing. Do you-can you tell
ne whether a path over the cliff to Danes
House, a path which there used to be years
Igo, exists nOw?"
Eyes" / replied; 'but Danes House is
more than a mile from here, and the walk
speak of is SO hazardous, even at the
of times, that 1 should think it very
oolish of anybody to follow it on a night
ike tonight"
II thank you" was the only response;
md taking her streaming umbrella, and
spelling her right hand glove in a mo-
nent, the strange lady turned and de-
*
Something odd there" Imuttered, pro-
to pack up and put away the nu-
articles of stock which / have said
we're lying about.
II fancy haven't heard the last of that
'air of gloves"
No. 1 certainly had not, for I had eff
ected a clearance, had extinguished one
# the lamps, and was about doing so with
he other, when my visitor re-appeared.
,he was evidently Hurried.
II beg pardon she said, "but I have
eft behind me the torn glove which 1
ook of. Pray be good enough to seek for
t. l want it particularly"
As she spoke l could not help glancing
u~riously at the new ones she had on.
they had changed through the wet, to an
ndiscribable hue.
4, looked about the counter. The
was not there. No doubt
had rolled it up in some of the
'ales. 1 could not examine them all to-
light. Eexplained the matter to her. and
tfered to send the glove to her in the
norning anywhere she might direct.
20 no" she replied; Il want it p%articu-
arly now. In fact I must have it,
3 "Really you mustFexcuse me- 1 said, al
vas just closing up my shop. l have al
eady put out one of the lamps, To-mor- J
ow-'
"WiIl not do" she interrupted. at won't
axe you so long to look through your
took" she observed, CHANGING around con-
.emptously. I
"Longer than 1 choose to be occupied
madam" l responded in a pro- 4
-oked tone. I
asThen you mean to say that YOU are 90 {
ng TO keep the glove" said my curious {
customer half ~menacingly. {
"For tonight, madam, of necessity. Its
-alue is no great matter" 1 remarked, re-
her sneer. E-l4rH
"NOt to you, but-to me. However,
lever mind.o
She turned to go; then, looking back,
he said-@An 1 ask of you is, when you
the glove, just be good enough to put
t in the fire"
80 p. -