The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-10-11

az suppose" the little woman went
on, shaking her pretty head so emphati-
cally that the saucy hat nearly slipped
off, just hanging on her back hair in a
manner that suggested to Rufus the
days of his boyhood and the Sailors
Hornpipe," "you think have injured
your business. If have, 1 didn't mean
to. The building next door was left to
me by an old aunt, and the store was
stocked from the wholesale establish
ment of an old uncle. Now, couldn't
set up millinery shop or a flower store
or confectionery with shirts and
socks and collars and cravats and sus-
peRders-and such things-could I?'
"Of course not" replied Rufus. az
see no way in which they could be con-
verted into bouquets or candy"
"Just So" said Bright & Co., putting
her right hand into her pocket and
drumming softly on the counter with the
fingers of her left. ~ took the house,
and thanked my lucky stars and my
auntie andI took the goods, and thanked
my lucky stars again and my uncle. l
placed Bright over the door without
any Miss Rufus could not explain for
the life of him why he was so relieved to
find it wasn't. 'Mrs.O or Christian
name, because it looks more business
like, and l added the 'Co.' because it
sounds well, and my small brother (the
one your Fred tried to thrash the other
day. is my general assistant, and my big
cousin (whOm you refused look at
your window helps me in every way
he can, though that isn't much, be-
cause he has his own business to attend
to-"
"Glad of it," thought Rufus.
"And l have pair of lovely twin
sisters, only six years old, and dear
mother and grandmother to take care
of--and O!--how can you be so hateful
about that signT'
"Good gracious!" exclaimed Rufus,
running his fingers wildly through his
red-that is, his auburn-curls, and
causing the aureole to rise again. "Don't
say another word about it. Cover the
whole of your house and mine also
though it isn't mine; there, too, you
have the advantage of we, as you
have in every thing else-with signs, if
you will. l can make living for my
mother and myself somewhere else, if not
here. have no large family depending
on me, like Bright & CO.."
go, dear, no, Mr.. Lynde, that wouldn't
please me at all" said the little woman;
"the somewhere else,' you know. Stay
right here; there'll be room for us both
after while, Pm sure of it."
Rufus looked into the rosy, earnest
face with an almost lover-like smile, as
Fred burst into the store, shouting:
"The lawyer says come to his Office at
ten o'clock tomorrow morning, and
he'll see that the old sign comes down in
jify."
40, you wicked boy!" said Bright &
Co.
"Never mind that" said Rufus. az
give you my word that the sign shall re-
main where it Isl" and seizing his hat,
he escorted her to her door, leaving Fred
in the act of executing breakdown
illustrative of extreme astonishment, but
too much astonished to whistle an ac-
compartment.
And the sign didn't come down-that
is, it did eventually, but not until the
next May, and then another, still larger,
and stretching twice the distance, took
its place.
"Lynde, Bright & Co." the new sign
reads, and the two small stores are
turned into one large one, and Rufus
Lynde" and " Bright & Co." are partners
for life.