Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1875-06-04
The Man Who Felt Sad.
A Melancholy Talk with the PKOprket'
of n Hardware Store.


He entered hardware store on Wood
ward avenue about 10 o'clock Saturday
morning, and taking a seat by the stove,
he beckoned to the proprietor and said:
'Sit down here-I want to speak with
you.''
He was man who looked sad from the
crown of his hat to the toes of his boots.
There were deep care lines on his face, his
eyes were red and anxious looking, and
his tattered overcoat was drawn in at the
waist by wide leather belt.
Can we do anything for you to-day 3"
asked the merchant as he sat down.
The sad man slowly wiped his nose,
slowly turned around, and slowly replied ::
''Sir, it makes me fell sad when reflect
that we have all got to die!"
"Yes-um," replied the merchant.
'Christopher Columbus is dead!" con-
tinued the sad man, "and who feels bad
about it-who sheds tear over his loss ~
He is gone, and we shall never see him
more You and I must sooner or later
follow him, and the world will go On just
the same"
Then you don't want any thing to-day =
queried the merchant after painful pause
"And King James is deadr' exclaimed
the sad man, wiping his nose again. '1s
anybody weeping over his loss? Don't
folks laf and laf, and don't the world so
on just the same? Sir, it may not be a
week before you and will be called upon
to rest from the labors of this life. Desen't
it make yeu feel sad when you think Of
t2n
"Of course, we've got to die" replied
the merchant, a tear falling on his hand.
"Yes, Andrew has been gathered, and
good man has gone from among US. Were
you acquainted with hima'
Il believe not" was the answer.
''Well, he was fine man, and many
night have laid awake and cried to think
that he would be seen among us. mo more
forever. Yet, do you hear any wailing
and sobbing? Does anybody seem to care
a cent whether Andrew Jackson is dead
or living2 You or I may be the next to
go, and the world will move on just tho
slme as if we had never lived"
THE world can't of course stop for the
death of one man, no matter how great"
said the merchant.
THAT'S what makes me sad-that,s why
| weep these tears" answered the man,
wringing his long, peaked nose with vi
gorous grief, "William Penn is also dead.
Once in great while hear some one ex-
press sorrow, but as general thing the
world has forgotten William with the rest.
Don't it make you feel sad when you will
never see him again? Don't you feel like
crying when you think he has gone from
among us2"
Il never have time to think of these
things" answered the merchant, fondiing
the coal-stove shaker.
"And Shakespeare's gone, too ~ exclaim-
al Al.a s.aA.-i.i. --n;Ah-a
tation, 1--WE may sigh, and sigh, and sigh, !,
and wish, and wish, and wish but poor
Shaky will never be seen moving with us
again! They have laid him away to sleep
his long sleep. and bright lamp has been
extingushed forever"
"Well, did you want anything in the
line of hardware 2" asked the merchant as
he rose up.
"Can you speak of hardware to me at
such time as this2" exclaimed the sad
man. knowing my sad feelings, seeing
these tears, and listening to nay broken
voice, can you have the heart to try and
force hardware upon me?"
The merchant went over to his desk and
the sad man wrung his nose again and
went out.-DetroH Free Press.