Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-12-24

or MoRocco.n Now 1t said nothing TO speak
of, except MOROCCO" You might study it
long time without making any more of it.
So the dodgers on the lower floors fell into the
habit OF regarding 1t as door-plate merely,
and the bookbinder as Old Morocco Not
that he was 80 very old-ffty, perhaps; but
he wore spectacles and stopped little in
walking and his hair was thin.
Times had gone rather hard with him. The
thriving business that he once did had re-
ceived fatal blow from the burning down of
the building that contained his shop. OF
course he had saved nothing from the fire,
8ook-binders are always up at the top of the
house, and when there is fire they are sure
TO have everything spoilt. What the flames
don't consume the water ruins. But that
wasn't the worst. The bookbinder's wife
caught dreadful cold and fever that night
and was sick long time, so that his stock Of
money In the savings bank all went to the
doctor and the apothecary. Then the times
grew harder until there were hardly any books
10 be bound. People kept their pamphlets
and said they couldn't afford TO have them
bound just yet; or those who did order any
thing were very slow in paving for IT, The
boy that helped in the bindery had to be dis
charged; and Old Morocco was left with
his invalid wife and two children They
had lost their elder children years be-
fore; and these two were eight and ten years
old-just big enough, as their father said, In
his cheerful way, to be great comfort.
This remark was good example OF his
habit OF looking on the bright side OF things,
When the shop burned he thought II was
mercy none of the children were hurt; when
his wife's fever used up all their savings he
was thankful that she lived through ii, and
he didn't mind any losses in comparison with
that great blessing; when work fell off he
said he was glad he had more time TO attend
to the family. He was always impressing
upon Jane, ten years old, how fortunate it
was that she was older than Willie, SO that
she could take care of him. II Willie had
been the elder ii would have been fortunate
that he could take care Of Jane.
Among his subjects for congratulation was
the arrangement of the two rooms 1t was so
handy TO boil potatoes or Indian meal for
breakfast on the little stove in the bndery,
and, when they had been removed, to put on
the paste without loss Of time or fuel And
the workbench made such capital bedstead
for the children at night In the daytime,
If anybody came on business, the children
could scuttle away in hurry into the other
room and shut the door till the customer was
gone, and then the door could be opened
again and the children could come out and,
their mothers bed being pulled round so that
she could see through the door what was go
ing on, 1t was really very sociable.
Jane was getting so that she could stitch
the book-sheets, as her mother used 10 do;
and as for Willie, he could at least pass the
paste or climb on the press to help squeeze"
as he said. When the bookbinder lettered
the backs Of the books after they were bound
that was delightful moment for he chill
dren! Then they mounted on two stools and
looked over his two shoulders, holding their
breath lest they should blow the gold leaf
away. And when a volume was quite complete
and ready for delivery Jane would carry 1t
very carefully into the other room, while
Willie pranced around her like whole troop
OF Arabs crying: Look, mother, tDe did
that" And Old Morocco would look over his
spectacles through the door, and nod, well
pleased TO hear his wife say: THAT Is as
handsome job as | ever saw. Give my re-
CARDS TO the bookbinder, and tell him he's a
master-hand." Back the young ones would
go with the message; and Old Morocco would
listen to II as gravely as If he had not over
heard bit OF II In advance and would reply:
"Give my best respects to the lady, and say /
shall be proud and happy TO do another job
for her on reasonable terms" They man.
aged, after all, to be right jolly at the book
binders.
On the day am thinking Of Old Morocco
had Just finished piece OF work for Mr..
Joshua Homebody. II was nothing less than
five volumes of the Christian Union, bouns.
in elegant style, with the title on the back
and, on the side of each, the name of the
owner. Two dollars volume was very cheap
for such work as that and as he rolled down
his shir sleeves, and put on his well-wo
coat and hat to carry the heavy bundle home,
he thought with a good deal OF pleasure OF
the ten dollars he would receive, and the man
ner in which he would lay out the money.
Some warm stockings and mittens for the
children--yes, and he would put the mittens
in the stockings, and SO make a regular
Christmas of it; for tomorrow was Christmas!
Then two dollars must be laid aside for the
TnV.t "A An. -
and two dollars toward the next ton Of coal
Perhaps there would be enough left TO war
rant an oyster supper, say six oysters for his
wife and two apiece for the rest all round,
with plenty Of the soup for everybody. With
his dear, frowsy old head fun of these visions
he cheerily babe the family good.by, and de-
parted, humming his favorite hymn, When
can read my title clear. Old Morocco professed
to like that hymn, because 1t reminced him Of
his trade, as did also his other favorite, BEST
be the tie that binds.
Iv.-soPHY's MISTAKE.
Mrs. Joshua Homebody was down In the
kitchen making Christmas pies for the next
day when Sophy presented herself at the
door. MRS. Homebody," said she, II am
delighted to sec you. / think OF going up
town, where a good many Of your friends
live, to look about little and see what
would like to buy. Have you any objections,
ma'amr'
Mrs. Homebody intimated that she didn't
care much what became Of her visitor, pro-
vided she kept out Of the kitchen. so Sophy
went uptown, which, as she understood the
phrase, was Ip-garret; and there she visited
one store-that IN 10 say, one trunk--after an
other, looking over their contents with great
deal OF curiosity, and talking to imaginary
merchants as she did so, but finally returning
everything TO Its place with the remark that
IL was pretty hard times and she guessed she
wouldn't buy--wbich was what she heard her
mother say on similar occasions. At last she
came to the trunk In which x lay buried. He
heard her coming and longed 10 get out, but
could not speak. Under ordinary circum.
stances greenbacks have nothing TO say ex.
cept what you read on their face; and that's
not much In the dark. Even when the entire
money market IL tight" greenbaeks merely
get high" and retire quietly to sleep 1t of.
This was favorite trunk Of Sophys, be-
cause 1t had brass knobs outside. which she
chose to consider gold, and because, more
over, the upper part contained venerable
elk shawl and poke bonnet Of very ancient
pattern belonging 10 Aunt sophronia. And
when once, In the character OF Lady Gray,
she had said TO Aunt Bophronia (wbo was
figuring for the time as the Duchess OF East
New York;, Dear Duchess, II shonld call
at your gold palace some day, do you happen
to have bonnet and shawl that you could
lend me for little Sophy Homebodyy She
hasn't apytbinu Hf IN no seen sxc.pt what's