The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-08-24
THAT LITTLE PLACE OF BROWNS

The place was mine, and we lived a.
cozily there, my wife and little daugh
ter and l, as birds in nest, until the
Blacks, some old friends of ours from
the city, came to live in our neighbor.
hood.
We were at supper one night when
my wife told me-
They're going to take the French.
rooted house around the corner,' said
Sally, "with the big extension and con.
servatory; and as | happened to be
walking out just as the trucks came
down, | couldn't help seeing that the
parlor furniture is of crimson satin
damask and ebony-I think it's ebony,
but won't be sure continued my wife
g but at any rate it's inlaid."
"Well, that's comfort, any way
said |. eff you're positive it's inlaid,
Sally, you can, perhaps, go on with
your supper"
Yes" she said, so pre-occupied
with her theme that she hadn't eaten a
morsel, land there's the handsomest
bedroom set for Jane that | most ever
laid my eyes on; it's one of these
dressing-bureaus, Joe, with a magnifi-
cent plate glass that reaches down to
the floor"
That's good,' said I, "you can run
around there when you have your next
gown fitted, and see the hang of it,
81 don't expect to run around there"
said Sally, craning here head up stiffly,
turning up the end of her nose, and
drawing her lips down.
"Why, what's the .m'S SLasked.
wasn't Jane frien6a &c z 1s,3one
many good turn for Bay. kY@ DAY,
and l hope they're not goins in stir
the cold shoulder now 81
"Oh, she was friendly enougo FhI
Sally; "but we can't expect, j tfiHt
people living in that kind of style, can
be upon terms of intimacy with people
that live as we do. There are certain
restrictions in society"
Restrictions be hangedr' / cried
''Tm as good man as Black, any day
in the week."
"You're as good as the President
for that matter" said Sally; "but it's
all like pair of scales, Joe; when one
goes up another goes down: and from
the way things look, it'll take pretty
heavy weight on the Blacks side tc
bring them down to our position"
must own, this kind of logic vexed
me little. knew pretty well how
Black stood commercially, and told
Sally there wasn't feathers weight
on his side, SO far as the favors o.
fortune were concerned. b" If he has {
mind to live above his MEANS" said |
''he can do it, and take the conse
quences."
He has Just as good right to live
above his MEANS" said Sally, :" as yor
have to live beneath yours"
This was the Parthian arrow, as
went out the door, and it ranked lit
tie all the way down in the train, the
more sharply that | found Black the
center of an admiring bevy at TIL,
depot. He had quite an imposing
makeup and glib tongue, which HI
used in inveighing against our system
ofpaving. He complained of the condi
ton of a good many things in oul
young township, and seemed to gail
popularity in every fault that he found
At last he 'spied me, and was exceed
ly loud and ELUSIVE in his salutation.
"Hallo, Brownr' he said, shakin,
my hand again and again, and declar
ing to the people about him | was al
old friend whom he was glad to un
earth. 1--WE run you down, you ST.
fox. That's very snug little plac
around the corner-very snug, in
deedr'
Wouldn't have believed it possible
could have been such an ass as to fec
hattered by this familiarity of Black s
but l found myself Sinking and nod
ding with great complacency. Her
were at least half dozen of the gentr
about me who lived in big houses in m
neighborhood, that l had been goin
up and down to the city with for years
yet scarcely knew them well enough TO
an exchange of civilities, and here wa
Black already hand in glove with tn
finest of them. 1t makes me sick no,