Middletown transcript., 1869-09-11

do at rehovating it. 1t was light blue
merino--ve,y light indeed now-and ]
knew 1t was too short for me, as I was
still growing But by putting in wide
trimming, perhaps might make it ans
wer; so 1 set to work with will
Like yourself, my dear Selma, I wal
young and beautiful, but I thought Of
our poverty only, and became unhappy
Yet at that very moment was rich-yes,
R1cH-but did not know it. As sat
there, piecing out bits of trimming, to
make it reach around the skirt of nv old
blue dress, l fairly cried over my poverty.
A little pet dog lying on the doorstep set
up loud barking, and caused me to wipe
my tear-dimmed eyes. A man with a
small pack was just closing the gate as
looked up, and in moment after he stood
in the doorway, bowing and smiling.
knew at once it was a peddler, and I
lOnged to examine his goods, but remem-
bering L had only two dollars in the house,
L felt it was useless. The man entered
without invitation, and placed his pack on
the floor at his feet. The children, ever
on the lookout for something new, had
seen him, and soon followed him into the
room.
1 was glad of their presence, for I had
some fear of strolling merchants of this
sort, and hoping to amuse my brothers,
and perhaps buy them a knife, l let the
man open his pack The first thing my
eyes rested upon was just the very thing
| had most longed for, beautiful fine
French merino, of a dark crimson color
L had once seen dress of this kind, but
none had ever been offered for sale in our
little town that could equal this in shade
or texture.
The peddler looked at me with his keen,
black eyes, as l knelt down to feel the
prize | had no hope of winning. 1.-The
lady will buy" he said but shook my
head, and crossing my hands behind me,
stood up resolutely, trying hard not to
long for the much desired goods.
"Not buyw he exclaimed, in a broken
language of some sort, could not tell
whether German Or French and he look
ed so astonished, even pitiful, that l felt
sorry at once, and confessed that I had no
money, only two dollars, and could not
purchase.
L" But the beautiful young lady have
some old silver, old jewelry, old silk dres-
es just good as money :" l laughed at
the idea, but he only opened another pack
age to display to the boys some dumb
watches with very gay chains, and hand
ing them each one, he took out a small
doll for my little sister, and told them to
run away now :" till sister bought her
dress" | motioned to the bows to
stay near the door step, and then taking
up the much coveted dress goods, again
examined it; never was so sorely beset.
How could | let it so, yet how pay for it =?
The black eyes never left my face, but
the fellow was respectful, only bowing
lower as he said, g You think it good %
oh, yes!" l replied. 1" too good for
me-"
1" Not so," he said, "it suit you much,
and you shall have cheap"
{" l tell you have only two dollars"
No matter, | trust. You give me
something to keep for you, I come again"
he said.
81 have nothing" 1 insisted still, he
only seemed more eager, said something of
hard times, Of having to stay at the tav-
ern, and expenses over Sunday, of being
so very tired, &c.
Then stepping closer to me and point
ing to the poor brooch wore, he said, al
most crying, as thought, "Do the lady
think well, much we'll of this ?'
I unpinned it, laughingly, as I answer
ed" Yes, like it, for it is all the pin
own, and it has my name on the back,
see d" Mabel" but it is nearly illegible
now"
And this was true the poor, thin gold,
if it was gold, was all donted and mashed
fiat, the original pin gone, and needle
tied in by the eye with thread served to
fasten it, One large set in the centre as
large as pea, surrounded by nine smaller
ones, but one Of these was lost out long
ago, and 1 had often tried to find bit Of
white glass to it the small cavity, but had
failed
La the poor little town where had al
ways lived, no one had ever particularly
noticed this poor pin, except some of the
girls, gho had asked me why l wore the
'ld-fashioned thing; and then 1 would
show them the dim !" Mabel" on the back,
md tell them l was named for that old
Din.
But this peddler clptched it eagerly. I
loticed at the time that his hand trembled,
'ut thought he was SO anxious to sell
lis goods that he was only fearing would
lot take the dress.
He explained, in his broken way. that
f 1 would give him the two dollars had
mentioned, and this pin that I seemed to
herish, I might have the goods, and in
hree months he would bring the pin back
nd could pay him eight dollars when
lie returned it. Or, if my father preferred
o pay sooner, he would find the peddler
It the village inn any evening during the
lext week; the two dollars cash would
'ay his way oyer the Sabbath.
did not hesitate long, the temptation
vas too great; SO, thrusting the old pin
areleSslv into his hrea st -nool Oh Lo t;oJ