Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-31

pered nonsense about somebody LOOKING
so handsome" and somebody else beinS
such dear little plotter.' Well ali
that sort OF thing is very tame and com
monplace when it happens next door, and
very nice when 1t happens to ones self:
so Mrs. Aladdin, after farewell peep
| through the halfclosed shutters, turned
| away, with shining eyes, and laughed
| softly, as she surveyed the apartment.
"Really, he has contrived 10 disorder
things considerably for one garmentt
| suppose whole new suit would turn the
rooms upside down, and be equal to a
housekeeping"
She restored chairs to their nlaces
gathered the surplus of handkerchiefs
| and lifting the old coat from its RESTING.
place on the sofa, hung it away in the
closet. Joe, their wood-sawyer, should
have 1t now; it would be perfect treas.
ure to him. Someway that last sugees.
tlon carried her thoughts over the street
again Mrs Garnet would say there were
many better ways to dispose of such
things than giving them away; s'for her
self, she couldn't afford to do it." And
Mrs. Garnet seemed a very pleasant body
and her house was certainly beautiful
Mrs. Aladdin's mother had been wont to
say that what was economy in some cases
| might become robbery in others; and in
the deciding of many matters in her
country home, quoted, quantity: "When
thou gatherest the grapes of the vineyard,
thou shalt not CLEAN it afterwards: it shall
be tor the stanger, for the fatherless, and
for the widow" sssz..~
But Mrs. Garnet said things were differ
ent in city; one had need to turn every
thing to account. AS for the poor, it was
hard to find those who were deserving:
and it was really duty not to encourage
| wickedness by trusting people with any
thing until they reformed. She had learn
ed great deal about it, doubtless. living
In town so long; and Mrs. Aladdin had so
great respect for her opinion, that it
Kept her vibrating between old ways and
new. That front hall across the way was
lovely; but then it did look hard to see
people turned away from the back door
unfed when they We're hungry
Mrs. Aladdin's face was growing
thoughtful, as it often did, over the prob
lem, when Nancy looked in at the door
Man out here with big basket on his
head; wants to know if We don't want to
buy something"
NO; | think not" answered the Young
housekeeper, mindful of her thin port
mOnnaie.
well, he's got all sorts of match boxes,
lnjun women an heather images; an
he's dreadful anxious we should see 'em.
Says he'll take most any old trumpery in
pay-that IS, fur's l can make out, for he
don't talk English fit for nothin','' pursued
Nancy.
The invitation to look at pretty things,
nth the added possibility of securing
some of them Eat a bargain was irresist-
ible. Mrs. Aladdin fitted downstairs OF
tour of inspection, and was speedily
deep in the contents of the basket, admir-
ing this, smiling at that, until suddenly,
in among mantel ornaments and trinkets
numberless, she espied lamp.
"Ah, how pretty"
Tie keen vender drew il out at once,
and, in his ''tit-for-nothin' " English, be-
gan extrolling its charms as altogether
the rarest thing he had. 1t was, at least,
the one article that quite captivated the
lady's fancy.
But it is just the stand-the lamp?"
she said, inquiringly. You have no
globe or glass 2"
Surely not; "he coot not carry so frail,"
he informed her But what did it matter
when those slight additions could be fitted
to it anywhere for a trif1e? And all his
seemed insufficient to express his opinion
of its beauty.
mot real bronze, of course; but it
looks almost as well, and would last nice
ly, | haven't doubt. And then the de
sign is so rare and grecefulr' commented
Mrs. Aladdin, in halfasidc to Nancy
ut would certainly be very handsome
when fitted up"
The price asked was rather startling,
but the dealer insisted so urgently and
persuasively upon his willingness to take
old things in exchange for his new, that
she began to consider the subject.
The old lamp was brought out and eX-
hibited. She would be obliged to pro-
vide a globe for that if she kept it. 1t
would not cost much more to furnish
the new one, which she had such an ex-
cellent chance to secure by disposing the
other in part payment for it, argued the
would be salesman, with better logic than
language. Little danger of his being I'M
Ineligible, however, with the coveted
article as an Interpreter. Mrs. Aladdin
came. saw, and was conquered.
When it came to an arrangement Of
terms, however, the new lamp rose to vet
more marvellous attitudes of grace, beauty,
and al desrableness, while the old one
W DIS ulSCOFt1tu " NC HUI Ugly, OltI-
fashioned, and generally worthless than
one would have supposed possible. OF
course, under such circumstances, its
value was but trifling. Other articles
were added to supplement it. and the
grasping peddler accepted them readily
enough, but still shook his head at so
prepOsterOus an exchange.
''He would take old clo'es-anytings,
he stated, with the utmost Obligingness.
The lady began to have dim idea that the
bargain might be growing a dear one;
but the bronze figure looked none the less
charming for that. She disliked to give
it up after going so far, and reluctantly,
not quite deciding that she would really
let it go, she brought out the overcoat she
had hung away. The mans sharp eyes
frightened under their dropping lids
The moment his customers hesitation be-
gan, his own ended. His volubility, de-
sire to oblige the lady, and incapability
of understanding her few family uttered
objections, became overwhelming. The
lamp was fairly pushed into her hands
with reiterated laudation Of its virtues;
and hastily gathering up his wares, the
travelling benefactor departed.
Mrs. Aladdin examined her prize, de-
lighted, yet slightly remorseful. What
price the fellow had made her pay! Still
the old things were not worth much to
her She was not sorry to have them out