The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-08-08
MISS CHUFF.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

When Mr. Clipper, wdower, and his son
Jefferson began to keep the grocery store al
Squigglemilvlllc Mrs. Chuh, widow and
her daughter Anna Maria lived on limited
income, in the white house with green shut
tiers, at the end of Thmblc street II was a
very pretty house, and the widow was, for
her age, very pretty woman. And 0! the
widows daughter, just eighteen, Jefferson
Chipper declared, in the innermost recess of
mis- soul, that she was the mos, beautiful OF
created beings-morc lovely il possible, than
Me picture Of the French young lady with
powdered hair and Pompadour bodice on
The fig bcX covers, and quite as beautiful 10
the charmcr ut the hair drcsscrs, who wore
white carleton and turned slowly around in
the window from dawn until dusk, with her
taper finger on her rosebud lips, and was
made of wax
These were the most perfect beauties .JcHcr.
son Clipper had ever seen. lie had indeed
been made familiar with copies of the Venus
de Mcdlci, but he did think much of It's beau.
ty. 1t was too slOney, aud had too bio "A waist.
and he never thought ii comparing that to
Miss Anna Maria
She only came 10 the store OCCasiOnallv-it
was Mrs. Chuf who did the shoppiur-but
she did 20 regularly To church She also
taught Sunday school. And | fear that the
Rev. Mr. Milldollcr had less to do with the
constant attendance OF that excellent young
man, Mr.. Jefferson Clipper, at morning ser
vice, than he thought he had, and that the
subsequent establishment of Mr. Clipper
over class OF very small! boys in Sabbath
school was due to Miss Chuf eyes as much
as to anything else-her eyes and her pink
bonnet, and her tiny waist, and her number
two CATERS, and all the rest of IT,
There they were, however, and In less than
no time they were acquainted, and would
have been close friends but for the fact that
Mr.. Clipper senior, who spent most of his
time over his own hard.cider barrel, and was
an ill-cOnditioned, unpleasant old gentleman
generally, had fallen out with Mrs Chutl
about some sugar which she had purchased,
and had been, rs the lady declared, very
impudcnt."
So Mrs Chu!f had left tie store aad Travelled
to the next city for her groceries about the
time her daughter and jefferson cementcd
their friendship, and Anna Maria did not feel
free to invite him cordially To see her. as she
frankly ayerrcd, until her ma got over her
feelings about his pa
However, they met often enough and had
certain walks together In shady lane, where
the bobOliHk sang 10 them exclusively. as
they thought And though nothing had been
SAID, they understood eachother very well. as
young people sometimes do, without much
talking. The summer passed pleasantly
enough, but when winter came it was very
hard for Ny. Clipper TO watch the golden
light in Miss Chuifs paror of an evening, and
not dare to call, and lac bethOught him 10 urge
reconciliation upon his father, who. when
he had just the hight amount of cider. was
rather good natured than otherwise.
Pa he said, appealing TO the old gentle |
mans seltinterest, ave are losing good deal |
by not having the Chuffs' custom Why not
make il UP with the old LADY,"
Tell you was right" said the old man. |
Them sugars was correct by lingo"
We'll suppose you were; what's fourteen
pounds Of sugar. said Mr.. Clipper junior.
Make II up TO her, and be Doliie-do; and |
she'll come back to US
AND yielding TO persuasion, Mr. Clipper
senior took advantage of chance encounter
with the widow 10 inform her tina, he "calk.
erlated how she'd made a mistake" and 10
offer atoHemen,
The old lady was Rot impiacable, aud the
store was more convenient than the city for
her shopping and soon affairs were on thelrlI