Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1872-12-19

| no one in the face. All were oppress-
ed by his state Of mind, though none
but his wife knew the nature and the
cause from which it was produced.
It was early when Mr.. Lane went to
his place of business, on the morning
/ of the first OF January; not SO early
however, but that one or two person:
had preceded him.. aud left behind
them visible tokens OF. the fact, on his
desk wereEa couple Of sealed notes
He opened them with a vague present.
ment of something disagreeable, and
was not disappointed. The first con.
tanned q narrow slip Of paper, with O
printed head, and certain written char.
acters and figures below, which plain.
ly enough expressed the fact that he
was indebted to a certain dealer in
groceries to the amount of seventy five
dollars.
80 DEAR" was the mental exclama.
tion of pain that followed the perusa
| of this bill. That such little slip OF
paper three or four inches wide and
six inches long, should have such pow.
er over the feelings of a man.
The next billet was opened with q
more nervous state Of mind. AS hi
broke the seal and displaced the envel.
ope, another narrow slip of paper
folded over from the ends in three sec.
tions, dropped upon the desk. IT was
the bread bill for six months, and
called for forty-four dollars and ten
cents.
as 1t possible !? Too bad, too bad
l had no idea of this
Thus the unhappy man expressed
his feelings. While yet holding this
bill in his hand, lad entered the store
and coming up TO the desk where he
! sat, politely handed him note and
retired. He opened it and read
"Mr. Archibald Lane,--bought Of
etc.
The particulars were, an air-tight
stove, at twelve dollars; cooking
stove at thirty and various other mat.
ters of Russia pipe, fire-board, in all
amounting to fifty. five dollars. Though
the genial heat from the air tight stove
had comforted Mr.. Lane every even.
ing since it came home, aud he had en-
joyed the improved cooking of the new
| addition to the kitchen department, he
had entirely forgOttenthe bill for these
increased advantages had never been
settled. g
81 declare" he said, half aloud, and
striking the desk as he spoke. "How
came to forget that bill? | meant to
have paid It when the articles came
home, and told Jenkins to send it in ,
Soon after, Mr.. Lanes Young man
came in from the post Office with
three letters, each with a bill inclosed
One, the tailor's bin, called for forty.
eight dollars; another from the hattor
which demanded five: and the third
from jobbing carpenter, who had
b09n c4lfe9kin at sundry times tomel,d
and make, aid aslsefh Cor twenty -thres
dollars and ninety-two cents.
1 Mr.. Lane read them over, and plac.
ed them under paper weight ON hi
desk, uttering at the same time long
drawn Sigh.
The morning paper was yet unread
1t lay on the table beside him. anG
more from habit than from desire. te
know its contents, he opened it and
began reading. An occurrence o.
some interest had taken place in {
neighboring city, and he was in tht
midst cfa narrative of the event, ani
| was much interested in it, when h,
started Md turned at the sound of
voice near him. Al man had entered
and was standing at his elbow.
"Good morning, Mr.. Lane,' said th,
man.
''Good morning, Mr.. Williams,
said Mr.. Lane, '.can do anything fol
you to-day 2" he added in q tone o
affected cheerfulness.
"Not much,' said the visitor. remov
ing his hat as he spoke, and removin:
therefrom small package of papers
! "You hayn't bill against me-! Mr.
Lane spoke confidently,
"What do you call that, y replied th
man. drawing forth slip of pape
from the package in his hand and pre-
sented it.
"One barre, of flour. five hams,
bushel of corn meal, and sack of salt
Bless me! Didn't | pay for. these a
the time 2"
| The man smiled and shook his head
"Why it is nine months since mad
the purchase! And I'm certain tol,
you to send i'm the bill. never lik
small matters like this to stand.'
| ats been overlooked. But the mon
ey will be just as good now,p was tn
pleasant answer.
With as good grace rs it was poss
ible for him to assume, Mr.. Lane turn
ed to his desk, and drawing forth hi
pocketbook, counted out thirteen dol
| lars ; saying as he did so, ..The mex
time make aGbill at your store, I wis
i you to send in the bill before the rs
of January"
4 "Iwon't PROMISE" was good natur
edly replied as the man bowed an,
withdrew. The pleasure was all o.
| his side and he could afford to be i'm
) good humor.
II II hope that's the last" said MI
Lane, as he wound the string of hi
great pocket book round and roun
" its distended sides and then laid
4 carefully back in his desk. But he wa
in error. Ere the day passed, tn
bootmaker sent in his bill, amountin
to fifteen dollars; and from q ladiel
shoemaker came like token, footed u
with the sum of twenty dollars more
An upholster had been called upon t
make chamber carpet, and do sundr
little matters about the house durin
the year, and he called for eight do
lars and thirty-four cents. Then tn
jobbing cabinet-maker had his accour
to settle with Mr.. Lane for sundry al
plications of his art to broken backe
chairs, rickety chairs, loose veneerin
etc, for all of which he wanted 81,
teen dollars. Thus it went on hour a
tel. .honr until towards evening th
glazier called for two dollars and
half; the timer for five; and the gas
filter for eight.
: By this time, human patience, 1
least SO far as Mr.. Lane was conce.r
!. ed, had became wel!-nfgh exhausted
He felt Ike making very severe al
plication Of his foot to any man or bo
who might again invade his premise
with a bill. He was sitting at HI
: desk, in this not very amiable moot
Q with the bills he had received sine
morning spread ont before him. and
slip of paper in his hand, upon whio
the whole of the sums they called TO
J, amounting to four hundred and sixt,
Q nihe dollars and eighty. six cents. ha
e been added up, when he heard tie doc
f open and shut Turning with mel
Q vous start, he saw the familiar face {
: en- old negro who had polished h
= boots for the last half dozen years. II
o knew his crrand, and felt that this WI
y like adding Insult to injury. Pete
. came shutting along towards the dies
: ut which Lane remained seated wit
= contracted brows, revealing, at enc
" stem. moro and more of his pnl;Sha