Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-05-13
MAXWELL's IDEA.

The village OF w eStOn consists OF one
main street. where stand the churches,
the town hall, postofice, and sundry
feeble-minded stores. There are noble
elms,5 wide road, and few pretty
houses. The better class of dwellings
are on the hillside beyond the railroad,
or to the north, on the meadows. By
day a sleepy place; at night every house
is filled with city people sound asleep.
Thepeople live here, but their hearts
arein the town. Every boy looks for
ward To tile time when he shall join the
pilgrims to the city and store. To 60
into an Office or store in Boston is the
only thing for a young man to do. He
must have business in town or los,
caste.
Tom Maxwell had the misfortune to
be born in Weston, and early imbibed its
peculiar notions concerning life and the
thing to do For instance, no young
gentleman must work with his hands
he must not 90 into retail store; he
must dress well, be able to take part in
the Lyceum debates, and he must not on
any account stay in the village during
the day Unless he could do all this, he
had better remove to New York or
Chicago. and dwell among the enlight-
ened in outer darkness.
Tom had secured place as accountant
in wholesale grocery house, and was
considered lucky fellow. He had a
small property Of his own, and he had
fallenin love. THE Object had deven said
she would some day wear his name. She
wore his diamond ring already.
Suddenly Tom Maxwell appeared at
the village station at eleven O'Clock in
the morning, and in an hour it was
known of all women that the, wholesale
grocery concern had failed The Object
knew it first, and straightway all knew
it.
Ofeomse the engagement would come
to an Immediate end. There was not the
least fuss about it. Weston prides itself
on its dignitied serenity under trials 1t
stopped. and that was the end of it.
The next day Tom had a diamond ring
on storage at his rooms.
Thereupon the young man sat down to
consider the situation. He was now
twenty-five. had o good general educa-
tion, and didn't know anything very
we'll His hands were soft; he knew
how to dance; he could sing tolerahly
;RdE paint a little; he could not dig,
neither could lie steal. He was, in fact,
Il fair sample of the Weston young gen
tfeman.
He also considered the situation from.
"a lovers point Of view. Here we have
no right to intrude, and we must learn
his thoughts from his actions.
For several days he wandered around
in tile open ain, casting about to see
wllat he might do, but really curing his
heart wound in silent contemplation of
nature. Herein was he doubly wise. In
moment of inspiration he thought of
eInigrating to New York. Other fellows
had gone there. and had made money; !;
why not he? He even investigated the
expense Of the journey; but something
stood inthe way He loved the Object
still.
sOne day he happened to pass through
tile main street at high noon. There
was not a soul to be seen in all the
drowsy place. Some stray hens gathered
round tie overfOWing water-trough be-
fore the chief store, and a solitary COW
cropped the grass along the sidewalk.
He was a trifle hungry, and went up the
decayed and broken steps of the store to
purchase II lunch. Thedoor was locked.
and he peered in ut the dirty windows.
Was it here the housekeepers of w eston
bought their sugars and molasses, their
teas and spicesP He felt.glad he had not
known II before What a horrible
place. Dark, dingy, confused with half
opened boxes and barrels. broken scale
on the counter, rows Of fy-specked bot
ties on the shelves, confusion and dis
order everywhere.
rzJust then man in shirt sleeves and
frowzy hair appeared and opened the
door. Tom asked for bread and cheese.
He paid for something, took it away in a
newspaper. and charitably bestowed the
whole Of it upon the ancient hens in the
street. .
It was a good investment With the
purchase he gained an idea. Ideas are
money to the wise, and Tom Maxwell
was wise above his generation. He
looked up and down the sleepy street,
and contemplated the three establish
ments that supported the village needs
one variety place.. where nails, needles
and dried fish found a home; one
butchers shop-a horrid den, full oi
unspeakable abominatiens; and the dis
NAL grocery.
The idea grew upon him rapidly. He
considered it two days, and then re-
solved to try it. Little did he imagine
the. immense social changes his decision
woflf inyolve How could lie foresee
the Sights, the sneers and insulting con-
descensIon that would be bestowed upon