Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-08
MABEL'S STORY.

groceries for sale. But he had enough tC
do to maintain his family scantily anC
clothe them decently. | was sixteen, anC
housekeeper; my mother was dead, and
was the eldest of us four children. Thu
rest being younger, strove to do my bes
for them.
Nv one great trouble then was my clothes
Other young girls of my station that l asso
ciated with dressed better than could, anC
it grieved me. Vanity begins earlier thai
that in the female heart. / had made VI
and remade every article of my mother!
wardrobe for the children or for me; hat
worked up every shred to the best adyan
tage and now that all was gone, l did neet
a new dress for the coming winter. made
my shoes last as long again as other girl
did, for knew my father needed every six
pence he could earn, and dreaded wanting
anything. Not that he ever was cross, bu
he often sighed, and looked so panied anC
sorrowful when l asked for money that
tried to do with as little as possible.
But here it was the last of October; my
summer dresses, poor enough at all times
looked very thin and paltry now.
One Saturday afternoon l shall never for
get. 1t is what l am going to tell of. My
work all done, the children at play in thu
orchard, | combed out my long, brown hair
put on my best cotton frock, selected {
plain linen collar of my own making, ant
pinned it around my neck with an ole
breastpin, the only bit of jewelry | haC
ever owned. With me l think it was al
instinct to dress well-nOt fine, only neat
Then, taking out my last winters bes
frock, l sat down by the window to SCI
what l could do at renOvating it. 1t was {
light blue merinO-very light indeed now
and knew it was too short for me, as
was still growing, and was very shabby
But, by turning, and putting in a wide banC
of trimming which | had, l thought i
might be made TO snswer; so | set to wOrl
with a will.
The work was veXing. was trying t.
do what scarcely could be done; and, as
sat sewing and contriying, felt fit to cry
over our poverty. Just then the dog on the
shop-sill set up loud barking, and looked
to see what it was at. A man was coming
in at the gate with pack on his back
travelling pedlar, knew. He smiled and
came in, although | said l did not wanl
ANYTHING; and the children, seeing him
came running in, too.
Il cannot afford to buy, indeed cannot,
l kept saving. But the man only kept Oh
smiling, and opened his pack on the parlol
floor. And it was too great treat to me
to see the things to make great opposition.
The first that came out was just the very
thing had most longed fora beautiful
fine French merinO, of dark crimson
color. l had once seen dress Of this kind
but none had ever been offered for sale in
our little place that could equal this in shade
or texture.
The pedlar looked at me with his keen
black eyes as / knelt down to feel the prize
| had no hope of winning. 1.-The lady viii
buy ? " he said; but l shook my head anG
crossing my hands behind me, stood up re.
solutely, trying hard not to long for the
much desired piece Of goods.
"Not buy" he exclaimed in a broker
language of some sort, l could not tel
whether German or French, and he looked
so astonished, and even pitiful, that felt
sorTy at once, and confessed that l had nc
money, and could not purchase.
But the beautiful young lady have some
old silver-Old jewelry-old silk dresses
just good as money!" said he.
| laughed at the idea, but he only opened
another package to display to the boys some
dumb watches with very gay chains, anC
handing them each one he took out small
doll for my little sister, and told them 30 ruI
away now; still sister bought her dress"
motioned to the boys to stay near the door
step, and then, taking up the much-coyeted
dress-p;ece, / again examined it. Satar
was tempting me, or some veXatiOus spirit
a. g., nj !, 4
been so sorely beset. How could let it go
yet how pay for it?
The black eyes never left my face, but
the fellow was respectful, only bowling
lower as he said: " You think it good p,
"Oh, yes!' replied, too good for me. ,
"Not So" he said. 1T suits you much
and you shall have cheap"
81 tell you have no money"
"No matter, trust. You give me some
thing to keep for you, and L come again,
he said.
But l have nothing" l insisted Still
he only seemed more eager; said some
thing of hard times, of having to stay at the
tavern, and expenses over Sunday, of being
so every tire"-and / with the merinO il
my hand all the time.
Suddenly he stepped close to me, pointing
to the poor brooch | wore. l could give
him that, he said; that is, lend it to him il
trust until he came again. Did l thinl
much of it, he asked.
laughed as undid it. / did not thinl
much of it, but it was all the jewelry pos
sessed in the world. | showed him my
name on the back, "Mabel" But it wa
worn nearly illegible now.
10 a,
in his hands. at is very poor"
And this was true; the poor thin gold, i
it was gold, was all dinted and mashed fiat
the original pin gone, and needle tied il
by the eye with thread, served to fasten it
One large stone was set in the center-a
large as pea-surrOunded by nine smalle
ones, but one of these was lost out long ago
and had often tried to find piece of whit
glass to fit the small cavity, but had failed
The stones were all glass, as l believed
Some of the girls in the village would asl
me why | wore the Old-fashioned thing
and then / would show them the din
Mabel" on the back, and tell them ha(
been named after the name there. Som
one had given my mother the pin 70
me when was born; and so mother sait
l should bear the same name. The pedla
kept it in his hand, and l noticed that hi
fingers trembled.
an bring it you back in three months
time" said he; "'twon't be o. no good t,
me, but I'll take it on trust. Or, if yol
can pay sooner, I'll be about the neighbor
hood all next week, and shall sleep eacl
night at the inn"
Be you very sure did not hesitate long
the temptation was too great; so, thrustin,
the old pin carelessly into his breast pocket
he tied up his bundles, and, with low bows
left the house..
could scarcely believe in my good lack
1 spread out my new frock on the bed, AM
held 1t before me to try the effect. An,
then began to repent. sMy father, l knew
would not give me one cross look; but stil
1 did hate to tell him of the twelve shilling
l owed the peddler. would be so savin
for the next three months that he would los
nothing by my bargain, for Iwould scrape
| together myself.
When picked up the linen band to pu
it around my neck, l did not know how +
fasten it at first without that familiar oil