The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-04-21
JERRY, THE MISER,

1t was cobbler's shop, breaking the
row OF small private houses in q shabby
suburban street. How it came there
nobody knew. What is more, nobody
cared.
Near the door, on this particular af-
ternoon, were two females, the one elder
!y, the other graceful and young; both
IN the deepest mourning. In front of
1t were two London street Arabs, as rag
ged as mirthful; before it stood the
oddest being imaginable-a little old
man, about four feet high, with not
over-clean face, iron-gray hair, on which
rested worn skin cap, shaggy brows,
rather bow legs, and dirty leathern
apron. In 1rate tones, he was addressing
2; the boys:
"Off with you, you young rascals If
you come playing your hopscotch and
I'll fay you alive"
Before the muscular fists the bows
Hetly nurhng back derision. "Well done.
Jerry-old Jerry the miser! Yahl"
The cobbler-for he hardly merited
the more emphatic title of shoemaker
paid no heed, but, glancing sharply up
from his bent brows at the two women,
asked: "And what may you want ?"
We've see" began the younger,
looking timidly towards the square card
IN the window, "you have apartments
to let"
"No, I've rooms-rooms. T don't
know nothing of 'apartments;' amt
up to them-nor the rooms amt neither.
Do you want to see 'em2"
owe did wish"
"All right /; come along !''-and the
little man swung round on his heel.
The two women, hesitating, looked at
one another.
eve had better sac them, mother"
sold the younger, with q wan smile of
encouragement. "His bark NAV be
worse than his bite, and all the other
places are so dear"
Following the cobbler through the
shop, he led them up stairs to the rooms.
There were two, communicating by q
door with elch other; they were poorly
furnished, but clean. AS the women
looked at them, the cobbler stared at
them silently.
Well" he asked, "what do you
think of them ?"
"They will do very well," answered
the widow. lts-only-the price I"
Six shllllngs week-in advance"
six shillings |" calculated the girl.
Do yOu tulllh 100
"On the contrary, it is cheap"
You know a lot of the world to saw
that. How do you know 1 shan't clap
on another shilling?"
don't; but should not fancy you
would"
..'About references'- began the
widow.
Don't want any-you pay In ad-
vance; and as, whenever YOU leave the
house, it must be through the shop,
you can't well take the furniture without
my knowing. Is it settleda"
:" If youplease; hereis the first weeks
rent"
The cobbler took it, scrawled out a re-
celpt, nodded, and left his dodgers to
themselves. Seated again on his bench,
meditatively, he scratched his grizzled
chin, and contemplated the six coins in
his horny palm.
Two bobs week lost to-day!" he
remarked. GERRY, you miser, how
could you do it42"
The cobblers dodgers proved very
quiet. They did notinterfere with their
landlord, and he, apparently, did not in
terfere with them. His rent was paid to
the day.
They rarely spoke, save exchanging the
ordinary morning and evening saluta
tIons when the daughter went through
the shop. The mother never left the
house. But jerry, like most cobblers,
was man Of observation, and he made
such commentsas the following
."She's n beauty, she is; but awful
white and sad. It's my opinion it's hard
times with them up stairs"
Then, when the girl went out earlier
and came home later, ever with a sadder,
more depressed expression, he said !:
"I'll tell you what it is, Jerry; she's
seeking after work, and doesn't get it l''
One evening, few weeks after Mrs.
Weston and her daughter rented the
cobbler's apartments, the latter entered
the shop later than usual.