The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1877-10-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
A VISIT TO A. T. STEWARDS STORE.
By Josiah Aliens Wife.

Skalrt, II 1t had been as Dig as all Africa.
| walked in as cool as a cowCumber.
We sot down pretty lE;,h to the door
and looked round spell. Of all the
sights of folks there was comm in all
the time, and shinin, counters all down
as fur as we could see, and slick lookin'
fellers behind every one, and lots of boys
runnin' round, that they called "Cash. y
/ says to Betsey.
"What large family of boys Mr..
Cash 'es folks have got, and they must
some of 'em be twins, they seem to be
of about a size. "
| was Jest thinkin' in pitying way OF
their mother poor Mrs. Cash, when
Betsey says to me:
Josiah Aliens wife, hadn't you bet
ter be purchasing your merchandise p
Says she, ~ will set here and rest till
you get through, and as Deah Tuppah
remarked, study human nature. "She
didn't have no book as could see to
study out of, but l didn't make no re-
marks. Betsey is curious critter any
way l went up to the first counter
there was real slick lookin' fellow there
and asked him in a cool tone, eff Mr..
Stewart took eggs, and what they was a
fetchin' now?"
He said "Mr. Stewart don't take
eggs"
"Well," says I, "what does he give
now for butter in the pail2"
He said, "Mr. Stewart don't take but
ter"
"Well," says I, in dignifed way,
E'It haint no matter, only asked to see
what they was fetchin' here. haint
got any with me, for | come on a
tower" l then took little roll out OF
my pocket, and undone 'em. 1t was
a pair of socks and apair ofstripped nit
tens. And l says to himin cool calm
way.
"How much is Mr.. Stewart payin'
for socks and mittens now. | know they
are kinder out of season now, but there
haint no danger but what Winter will
come, if you wait long enough. "
He said, ''We don't take 'em."
Ifelt disappointed, for did want Alex
ander to have 'em, they was knit SO
good. l was jest thinkin' this over,
when he spoke up again, and says he,
"we don't take barton of no kind"
didn't know really what he ment, but
answered him in blind way, that il
was jest jest ss-well as if they did, as fur a,
1 was concerned, for we hadn't raised
any barter that year, it didn't seem to
be good year for il" and then l con-
tinued on, "Mebby Mr.. Stewart would
take these socks and mittens for his own
use" Says l, edo you know whether
Alexander is we'll off for socks and nit
tens or not ?"
The clerk said she guessed Mr.. Stew
art wasn't suferin' for EN-
"Well," says l in a dignifed way, "you
can do as you are mind about takin'
'em but they are colored in good indigo
blue dye, they haint pusley color, and
they are knit on honor, jest as l knit
Josiah's. !"
"Who is Josiah ?" says the clerk.
Says l, a sort of blindly, "He is the
husband of Josiah Aliens wife"
/ wouldn't say right out that l was
Josiah Aliens wife, because l wanted
them socks and mittenS to stand on their
own merits, ornotat all. WASN'T goin'
to have 'em go, jest because one of the
first wimmen of the day knit 'em.-
Neither was goin' to hang on, and
tease him to take 'em, l never said an
other word about his buyin' 'em (only
mentioned in careless way, that "the
heels was run.'') But he didn't seem
to want 'em, and jest folded 'em up,
and in cool way put 'em in my pocket.
l then asked to look at his calicos, for l
was pretty near decided in my mind to
get apron, for l wasn't goin' to have
him think that all my property laid in
that pair socks and mittens.
He told me where to go to see the
Calicos and there was another clerk be-
hind that counter. 1 didn't like his
looks a bit, he was real uppish lookin.
But l wasn't goin' to let him mistrust
that | was put to my stumps bit. l
walked up as collected looken' as if l
owned the whole caboodle of 'em, and
New York village, and Jonesville, and
says L:
81 want to look at your caliCos."
"What prints will you look at ?" says
he meanin' to put on me.
Says l, 81 don't want to look at no
Prince" saysI, 81 had ruther see a free
born American citizen, than all the for
eign Princes you can bring out" Says
l, "Americans make perfect fools of
themselves in my mind, a runnin' after
a parcel of boys, whose only merit is
they happened to be born before their
brothers and sisters was. Says |, eff
baby is born in a meetin' house, it
don't make out that he is born preach
er. A good smart American boy like
Thomas Jefferson, looks as good tome as
any of your Princes" l said this in a
noble, lofty tone, but after minute S
thought L went on:
"Though you have got quantity of
Princes here, l had as leave see one of
Victory's boys as any of 'em. The
wedder Albert is good house-keeper,
and frst-rate calculator, and a woman
that has got Alright. set good deal of
store by the widder Albert, l always
thought l should like to get acquainted
with her, and visit back and forth, and
neighbor with her."
| waited minute, but he did't make
no move towards showin' me any Prince.
But says he:
"What kind of calico do you want to
look at -
l thought he come off awful sudden
from Princes to calico, but I didn't say
nothin.' But l told him 81 would like