The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-12-27
#isfellausutals.
TIE COUNTRY STORE.

up their weary days work, all the town.
gads and gossips in trowsen, {" well as
those who 20 for molasses In jugs, for nails
tobacco, and raisins-loiter, and talk, and
listen in this most convenient place Of pub
lie reception. And IL store and post.office
chance to be combined. tic fccking OF the
sovereigns, with wives and offspring, fairly
puts one out 10 any attempt at description
Besides tho sugar, nails, ,ea, Goldfish, SOAP
and brooms, there lie al tho letters that arc
addressed personally to the men ana
women Of the town.
Truly, an item to be thought OF. The
sum total Of all their correspondence with
their s,ryed-awsy cousins neices, neph.
ews, and children. Therefore at this lit
tie hive the swarming town collects There
fore do they come hither, evening after
evening, picking up waifs Of news and
watching like pail detectivcsthe postInast.
e'rs distribution Of the letters. Therefore
do they hustle and hustle around that finc.
tionsry's person when the mailbag Is fetch.
cd in from the coach, and proffered assist.
snce IN asserting the miscellaneous news
papers which he emp,,es over the counter.
Offering advice, when il Is needed and
when Il Is not Submitting comments
original Ind assorted-on all clnsses OF top.
les, with such sly foot.notes as one may
not at first understand.
Then country store Is strangely quiet
place, Of an afternoon, whether in summer
or winter save when, perhaps, some li'llo
girl pa,,ers in to exchange skcin ofthread
tho fiies and the rurnl merchant have It
entire to themselves. II the place is In
charge Of a spruce young clerk, in lieu Of
the master. he employs himself with brush
aud oils at the little cracked mirror behind
the cracked desk, and lets the feas sun
themselves in sleepy knots over the floor.
I, Is not less a realm Of doziness, either,
in planting time, and through the swcaty
spell OF haying. In the former season the
men arc about the gaHlens and off over
their farms, and fox might take a leisure
ly trot through the town street without Ut
,racting the eye Of the master or hound.
Perhaps an enterprising pcdlar, a top Of a
bright red wagon, trundles up to the door.
step, and, from his canopied box "passes
the time Of duy" with the prompt clerk,
asks for tho late't news, and Offers essence
n, the very lowest "fgger." Or stray
COW comes tearing of'tbo succulont gruss
like silk near the door, perhaps with bell
strapped about her neck, and putting the
town more completely to sleep with its SOM
nolent melodies.
This il the store in tho country town, or
tho village. II sometimes stands, however,
away by itself at the crossing oftwo ronds,
with the proprietor's dwelling in close pro-
pinquiiy; its entire front protected from
burglars by an ancient swing shutter, and
harricaded with boxes and buckets, half
filed with beans and dried apples and oats,
that ure tilted on the broad shelf just un.
der the window do not believe lone
lier spot can bo found in the whole range
Of Puritan New England; mill.pond Ia a
faded December afternoon is place OF re-
sort by comparison-a hemlock ,hicket at
sunset Is noisy in contrast with iis sePul-
chral dcsolaicness
Hut when farming does not dnvo and
leisure Is to bc had in solid junks by all who
want Il, the store Is not altogether SO bare
Of intercs, to the casual observer. Huddled
as the talking population love to be found,
their portrsii, ut fi,ll.lengths, may then be
readily taken. The men and the boys,
perched on barrels or the counters, either
swing their feet or spit II It 10 winter,
they huddle up to the dull boS.stove, and
polish the long pipes with their hard palms
as II they were salamanders They are
slowed in unseen corners, too-the young
men In OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES they work over
colorless, but sometimes rank, jokes in half
whispers, and snicker In nasal unison over
their odd condolences about tho girb. The
small boys drink In what falls, grinning
l,ashfulIy when The older ones laughi they
arc taking their early lessons faithfully and
we'll.
or winter evening, the stove, crammed
with seasoned sticks, roars like any meuag.
erie lion. No January winds without can
drown Il, growing sound. The loungers
are gathered ina great open circle, each
with hand erected for a screen. There
!; Is the affairs OF the nation are siited there
each town sovereign closes and grapples
with his dissenting neighbO1 and finds his
own personal niche among those occupied
by the local worthless Tho minister's last
sermon comes up for analysis Ut this rustic
round.,able when tho astonishing fact 10
revealed thar they arc all not less profound
iheologians than marvellous masters Of
State craft and civil poli,y.
To tho store flock tho farmers. In earnest
with their spring work, after seeds and ma.
nures and agricultural implements. Boys
run thither on errands for their mothers,
their sisters, and themselves. Thrifty
housewives drive up before the door al sn
early forenoon hour, In tho summer time,
and 30 IN to mako barter Of egg, and but.
ter and socting.yam, for cotton cloth or
calico or new shoes, with proper apower"
OF squeak In them. The girls flock, with
rod hlushes burning In their cheeks, to see
if anything lies over for tbsm ID the mail,
or To exchange aqfsw words with the
slesk,haired elcrk.r o. to finger, ior
the twentieth time, The limited sock Of b.
reses, prints, md nsslin do laipes which
he ever sends vssdy 10 spresd about tbs
counter. 'E''g7 81 !I.su 5Ir. Hu.t a,
You win 80 whole caravan Of old
q - a !. u "a