Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-06-07
"Jlst Forty Yards"

auCiicS lChS Oh hio lcSS. COulItlN-
maid "pung" and funny old wo-
man about fifty years old as driver
and sole passenger, halted near the
Soldiers Monument Saturday morA-
Ing. The driver got out, kicked her
feet against the sleigh to get up a
circulation of blood, and beckoning
to small boy, she asked:
''Bub, don't you want to watch
my rig while I do some trading
around ?f,,
"How much 2" he cautiously in
quired.
"I'm willin' to give two cents"
she replied.
''Pass on ter tho next poor Or
phan,'' he said as he fell back. 81
list had an offer of fifteen dollars an
hour to paint theater scenery, and
the drop to two cents knocks me out
o. breath"
"Well, that's all I'll give" grim
~ replied the old lady. SIN fact,
I've kinder concluded to let 'em
stand right here without any watch
ing t'aa. You can run rite along
home, bub."
In the back enl of the "pung''
was roll of rag carpet, and, after
looking at it five or six different
times, to see that it was all there,
the woman walked down the street
TO a grocer'S. To the clerk who ad-
vanced to wait on her she said:
I'D like to see the owner"
''Back there" he replied, pointing
tothe Office, and she went backto the
circular Office, and peered through
the cash-window at the man behind
the wire netting.
"Are you the owner ?'' she asked,
irving to get her head into ori6ce.
"Yes'm-yes'm. What is it
ma'am !"
i've got forty yards of beautiful
reg carpet out here, and"
81 don't want it," he interrupted.
"Just forty yards by the tape-line,"
she went on, "aGd the beautifulest
colors you ever saw"
''I'm not in want Of any such
Z thing, ma'am."
"But you haven't seen it yet. It
ain't one of the hit-and-misS hum
bugs, but regular set pattern, with
the loveliest red and blue you ever
saw. 1 cut and sewed every rag,
dyed 'em myself, wove the whole
thing, and l think it's leetle the
best Job ever turned out in Wayne
county"
Notwithstanding of the
sort wanted to-day, ma'arD."
81 wish you'd come out here
where 1 can see you," she observed
as she felt for her spectacles. 81
can't talk to any one onless l look
'em in the eye. I've already hurt
my eyes trying to tell whether you
have red hair or are bald headed"
lie sat down without replying,
and, after vain effort to draw him
out, she drew on her mittens and
said:
''Waal, you dou't seem to want it,
hut If you fee. bad when you see
that carpet being carried off by some
one else jIst remember that offer
ed you the first chance"
She went out and entered hard
ware store. The clerk skipped be-
i.ind the counter, and asked if she
would have anything, but she look
Cd at him in lofty manner, waved
her hand, and replied:
II know all about nails and fat
irons and tin pans, and when want
anything in that line I'll ask for it.
l want to see the owner"
lie sat BESIDE the stove in the CEN
ter Of the store, and the old lady
stood before him and said:
1--we gothic beautifulest, sweet
est thing in rag carpets that you
ever saw, and. being as I'm going to
Illinoy this summer, | want to give
you bargain"
Thanks, but don't wish to in
vest,n he replied.
you haven't seen it vet. Come
ont to the sleigh and let me show
you the pattern. 1t isn't scrub
carpet, got up to dupe the unwary
and defraud the innocent, but a
ieg'lar set pattern. l selected the
warp--."
five all the carpets l want,'' be
answered.
SPIN glad ifyon are well rugged
out, y she went on, "but if you want
10 blossom out little this spring
get your pose up in big society a
ljttle-tliis carpet is just what you
want. It's gorgeous. It's grand.
.Tliere's jist forty yards, and-.'' -
'And don't want it, madam .
'Neli, you needn't have it then,