The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-11-21

get away from the store that DAY.
Some great festiyity. to take place
that evening in the vicinity, sent all
the boys and young men in search
Of masculine necessities and adorn-
ments. and the overflow. from Bright
& Co.'s alone was sufficient to keep
Rufus and his only assistant extreme
ly busy. But as soon as night had
fairly set in and the rush was over,
he sent Fred-a delighted messer-
j ger-with communication to a
young lawyer friend, and with reso.
luton and defiance written on his
brow, and hands firmly clasped be-
hind him, he began slowly pacing
backward and forward. his determin-
alton to fight it out with his neigh
Dor growing stronger and stronger
every moment; for. sin the first
place. it was downright shabby to
set up in the very same line right
next door," he repeated for the twen-
tieth time. .Icouldn't. and wouldn't
have done it; but, no doubt, this
Bright is some selfish. graspiog,
scold-hearted, unpleasant fellow. not
caring who he shoulders ont of the
way, as long as he when sudden
ly the door flew open, and the roun-
dest. plumpest, prettiest tot Of a
woman flew in.
She wore dainty white apron,
with bewitching bib and two charm
ing pockets. and the pockets were
adorned with scarlet bows, and the
bib had a bit of scarlet geranium
pinned at the left corner, and sau-
cy small hat, turned up on one side
and trimmed with scarlet berries and
green leaves, was perched insecure
ly on the top of her satin-smooth
black head.
sMr. Lynde?' said she. in voice
that implied I'm not to be contra
dicted under any circumstances
whatever" as she confronted Rufus.
Rufus replied, " At your service"
with smile. He'd have been more
than mortal if he could have looked
at that bright face. with its frank,
fearless gray eyes. cunning pug-nose,
dear little mouth. and general air of
cheerful independence, without
smiling.
"I am Bright & Co..
&c And rightly named." flashed
through Lynde's mind ; and then his
face betrayed the great astonishment
he felt, but he bowed aad said moth
ing.
"You look surprised" said the
little woman.
Il ana," said Rufus. :" I thought
Il mean / was sure-that is, / sup.
posed"
No matter what you supposed"
interrupted "Bright & Co.. in a
manner that in any one else would
have been rude, but in her was deci-
dedly charming. I'm Bright-and
Co, and want to know why, in the
name of pins and needles, you're so
awful hateful about that sign? It
can't hurt your house-if it is yours
-Or you, extending only that far"
(holding out two tiny forefngers,
with nails like wee pink shells, about
half an inch from each other) be-
yond my house--it is my house
and you kraoso, if You have one grain
of fcommon sense. it can't
She paused, but Rufus said never
a word.
81 suppose" the little woman
went on, shaking her pretty head so
emphatically that the saucy hat
nearly slipped off, just hanging on
her back hair in manner that sug-
gested to Rufus the days of his boy
hood and the "Sailors Hornpipe,
"you think have injured your busi-
ness. If have. didn't mean to.
The building next door was left to
me by an old aunt, and the store
was stocked from the Wholesale
establishment of an old uncle. Now
1 couldD't set up millinery shop !,
or flower store. or a confectionery,
with shirts and socks and collars and
cravats and snspenders and such
things-coald Ig'l
.'Of course not" replied Rufus,
81 see no way in which they could
be converted into bonnets, boquets,
or candy
"Just So, said Bright. & Co., put
ting her right hand into her pocket
and drumming softly on the counter
with the fingers of her left. 81 took
the house, and thanked my lucky
stars and my auntie; and I took the
goods. and thanked my lucky stars
again and my uncle. I placed
Bright over the door without any
Miss (Rufus couldn't have explain
ed for the life of him why he was so
relieved to 6nd it wasn't Mrs
cor Christian name. because it looks
more bussiness-like. andI added the
Co. because it sounds we'll, and my
small brother Qhe one your Fred