The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1872-02-22
A Good Story.
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20 ting his hand in his pocket, dre'
'r out a few coppers, "Just the priC
ry of pint" as he said to himself, s
he resolved thereupOn to step acros
to the "Golden Eagle" and hav
at some ale TO quench his thirst. Jus
as he opened the door which led
g the "Bar," what should he see O
y y the polished counter, but a plate c
b beautiful ripe cherries the sight Q
D which made Johns mouth waite
to so freely, that ere he knew exact.
4 what be was doing, his hand wa
stretched out to take a few, whel
; the shril voice Of the landIad!
from behind called out =
"You touch them if you dare
STRIP
John was startled I; but before h
could reply, the landlady added:
"The idea Of your taking sucl
libertyl I should like to know wha
you are thinking about?
"Well, missus, I was going tt
take one or two to wet my WHISTLE
"You had better not try it," sh'
said with warmth.
"Why, you won't mind my hav
ing a few;I was so thirsty, ant
they looked so tempting" said
John, thinking she was joking,
NO sir, not one; I have just
bought them as treat for my child.
rem: they are a peculiar sort, and
very expensive"
"Well, just let me try one"
"No, not one" she answered with
determination in every tone; 'il
you want any, 'buy your own cher
ries ?"
'Well, I was just going to have a
pint of your best, +" (?) he replied, ,'but
I think IN take your advice, and
go and buy some cherries instead, .
Iand turning round he walked out OF
the shop.
The landlady saw in a moment
that she had committed a mistake,
and called loudly for John to come
back, but this only made him quick
en- his steps, and get away as fast as
possible.
"Well, I've done it," she said, as
taking up her plate of cherries, she
passed into the parlor: awhat a stu
pid was, not to let him have one or
two: he is too good a customer to
lose. I must look out, however,
when he comes to pay his score, and
coax him: he must be won over
again, if possible" And with such
reflections, she tried to calm her
disturbed feelings.
Mean time John hastened down
the street, looking out for the first
shop where fruit was displayed, and
as soon as he caught sight of the
things he wanted, he called out /;
"Here, master, let me have three
pen'orth of those cherries, will
you ?"
ayes, sir" said the man, and
quickly placed in his hands a small
bag containing the cherries, which
when John received he returned to
the workshop. All this had taken
place in a few minutes, and the
events had crowded quickly one
upon the other, and when he laid
the bag of cherries on the bench and
put one in his mouth, its sweetness
aroused wildly within him the
treatment of the landlady even with
additional force and her words
seemed to "stiek in his throat, " so
that as he swallowed the juicy fruit,
each seemed to give birth to the
landlady's words, "Buy your own
eherriesP'
"Yes," said John, "and this is
the way you serve a fellow, is it,
after spending many a pound with
you? and now to begrudge even a
paltry cherry :" and striking his
hammer on the nails as he muttered
the words, its echo seemed to an
sWer back to him, "Buy your own
cherriesl"
All the rest OF that afternoon the
words haunted him, and do what
ne would, even the saw and the
plane echoed the same advice, and
at times he appeared to grow des-
perate, while from his lips would
rush the words, "Buy your own
cherries :" "Ah, yes" said he, his
wounded conscience CALLING him,
81 have bought them too long for
her and her children /; 1 will take
care of number one for the future,
and soon can have not only cherries,
but many other sweet things be-
side"
At length the bell rang for leav-
ing work, and John walked to the
countinghOuse and received his wag-
es, which amounted generally to
about thirty shillings for although
he was in the habit of paying fire.
quent visits to the public house he
was not by any means what people
would call a drunkard ; indeed he
would have felt insulted if any one
had dared to apply such a term to
him, and no doubt would have been
prepared in his 1Oay to prove that
ne only took what he considered
did him good. And if he did on
Saturday night sometimes get over
the score, while the friendly glass