The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-12-20

cracked. Howsomever, he's ordered din
ner but hush here he comes.'
The little gentleman in question seemed
between sixty and seventy; but, excepting
certain sallowness of complexion, carried
his years well, his motion being lively, and
wearing good-humored smile, as though
habitual, on his countenance. His dress
was plain but good, and altogether becom-
ing his apparent rank.
81 shall be back in a quarter of an
hour" said he to the landlord "Im only
going over the way to the shop to buy
something" And away he went, and, of
course, was followed by jeremiah, who, i'm
mediately on entering his own house, skip
ped nimbly behind the counter to wait up
on his new customer
After trying on some gloves, and purchas-
ing two pairs, the little strange gentleman
looked round the shop, as though examin-
ing its contents to find something lie want
ed.
"Any thing else can do for you, sir?'
asked jeremiah.
g You sell almost every thing, see, Mr..
Wag," observed the old gentleman. "Mr.
Wag? Your name is Wag, suppose?"
eyes, sill" replied the shopkeeper, dryy.
" Wag, Wag, Wag ~ repeated the stran-
ger, briskly. "Funny name, ell ?''
cit was my fathers before me,' observ-
ed jeremiah, scarcely knowing what to
think of the matter.
every good name p continued the little
gentleman '1ike it very much. Got any
children? Any little Wags, eh? Like to
see 'em. Fond of children-little Wags,
in particular-he, he, he -
"Much obliged to ye for inquiring, sir,''
replied the senior Wag; GIVE got just half
q score, sorted sizes. That's the eldest p
And he pointed to young Jerry, whose
lanky limbs were at the moment displayed,
spreading fashion against the shelves, from
the topmost of which he was reaching down
some commodity for customer.
"That's all right. Bring 'em up TO in
dustry," said the little gentleman. "Well,
| can't stay now, because my dinner is
ready but see you sell Irish linen, and l
want piece for shirts SO, perhaps, you'll
be so good as to look me out good one,
and bring it over to me-"
"You may rely" commenced Mr.. Wag,
but his new customer cut him short by ad-
ding:
81 know that well enough" and briskly
made his exit.
The industrious shopkeeper forthwith Sc
lected certain of his primest articles, folded
them in wrapper, and, at the appointed
time carried the whole across to Kings
Arms.
He was Immediately ushered into the pres
ence of the eccentric elderly gentleman,
who was seated alone behind bottle of
white and bottle of red. "Suppose you
have dined, Master Wag," said he $50
come No ceremony, sit down and take a
glass of wine"
"Pm very much obliged to you, I'm sure,
sir" replied jeremiah, "buG I have Just
brought half a dozen pieces of Irish for
you to look at and choose"
"Phoo, phoor' quoth the small stran-
ger, 81 don't want to see them. / know
nothing about 'em. Leave all to you. On
ly meant to have had piece but as you've
brought half dozen, I may as well take
'em. Store is no Sore they say. There's
fifty pound note Reckon 'em up and
see if there's any change"
jeremiah stared at this unusual wholesale
way of dealing, starhmered his thanks, and
observed that the goods would not amount
to half the money.
" So much the worse,' said the little
gentleman. "Must see if can't buy
something else in your line presently but
sit down now, that's q good fellow
want to have some talk with YOU"
The bashful shopkeeper hereupon perch
ed himself on the extreme front edge of
chair, at respectable distance from the ia
BILE but was told to draw up closer by hi