The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-03-19

00llQ4 - NV 01S0 o1t@s<a 6CAl III q
corner. and looked oot on the shift
ing scenes on the streets. Two
young men, evidently book-keepers
or clerks, followed me 10, and took
seats near me. They we're friends,
it seemed, and this was their CONVEX
sation:
Whom are you going to take to
the Walter Scott Society this winter.
Joseph ?" asked the older and taller
of the two.
Il had intended to do myself the
honor OF inviting Miss Nellie Slough
ton 70 60 with me, bat yesterday l
changed my mind"
How came that about ?n
"You will call me whimsical if l
tell you.n
"What if | do? The wisest of men
have their whims. Out with it.n
"Well, yesterday, a man from the
country drove into town with . load
Of brooms. which be hoped to dis
pose of st the house-furnishing stores;
but not finding a market for them,
and the roads being 80 bad, be deter
miued not TO take them home again.
He drew up ar the corner curbstone
near our store aad commenced sell
ling his stock from the sleigh about
the titne the people were going for
<bo.p TO 1soloaG nail
"Tbey were good brooms. The
price was low, and they went like
the first bo. chestnuts Of the season
Quite q group gathered around him,
aud it seemed that almost every rep
resentative of a family bought one or
more. Ever 30 many women took
one and walked along naturally and
independent with II.
"Mr. james. one Of the partners o;
the house where l am employed, aud
who is q bachelor. stood by my side
looking out of the window; with a
very evident enjoyment of the Gene
! All at once he lodged out OF the
doorway, and % the south wind blew
his gray hair in every direction he
ran across the side walk TO the cart,
saying:
They are dirt cheap; give me
half q dozen"
They were handed out. He paid
for them hastily, apd turuing round
gsve one to Biddy Flynn. wht
sweeps the store, two to Parson Pot
ter, aud one to al old lame man who
lives with bis wife 10 the alley back
of the store. Just then, Nellie snc
Jane Stoughton and Kate Holt came
along. MI. James knows them all
well, and he now greeted Them cor
daily, and in o few of the pleasant
pet words which r always at bi'
tongues end, sent q broom I o moth
er Holt and one to mother Stoughton
They are both widows, you know.
kate Holt took the one rendered
Der, saying, Il thank you, gratefully
we were just needing q new broom
sadly. Mother will 10. glad. bat
snail appreciate it the most, because
you see | do all the sweeping ant
-he ,ripped gracefully up the street
carrying the broom as gracefully a
if it bad been a silk umbrella or q rol
of music.
"The Misses s,oughtop, however
hesitated about accepting the gift
Neither of them offered to take it
but as it was held opt to Nellie, AM
she dared not offend Mr.. James, wb'
is the superintendent of her Sabbath
school, by refusing it, she carried j
Q little distance, looking exactly as
she had never seer a broom before
and supposed it to be an insignia o
dishonor.
after wards the two girls turne,
the corner and started down Fedora
street, | ran around to another room
in the store Il look at them. Mr.
James, who bad ;asr come in, follow
ed, c~hpoEling, after me, and we peer
ed through the closed shutters to Sc
what they would do. Nellie haI
laid the obnoxious article against thI
lamp-post, and was determined t
leave it there. But Jane would no
allow that, and they quarreled sbou
il until some people came up. t
whom tLey made excuses. Jan
laughing, sud nearly bending berseI
double, and covering her face witt
her hands 10 q paroxysm of merri
ment. aud Nellie giggling, and hold
ing that dreadful broom gingerly i
her band.
after Q while they compromise
the matter by locking arms, takin,
the despised article between them
covering the brush with their dra
perry, aud mincing slowly away.
Little things test the character,
chuckled Mr.. James. The wife OF
poor man who has got his way Il
make in the world mustn't be afraiC
to hsndls q broom
"'rhank yoa. Nj. James, said
All nv interest 10 the Stopghtol
family has vanished with the broom
handle. think | shall transfer ml
attention to Miss Kate Holt
"'Ah.' said my employer, she's &
girl 10 8 tbousand-quiet, intelligen
and lady-like. There she goes now
Pot on your bat and walk with be-
to the bank here's q draft to b.
cashed.'
81 obeyed. and matters were set
tied satisfactorily with Kate, as sbt
walked along by my side. broom il
hand"
"Ha ha !" laughed the tall youn.
man. Pm glad that your eyes ar,
open at last, Joe. was afraid tina
yop Intended to throw yourself away
on that bundle of afectatioD, Nelli,
Stoughton, and asked the question
did for the purpose Of giving advice
which | am glad to hear Ia uncallet
for. But we part here. Good morn
ing.n
Good morning replied Joseph
and with q shske of the band, on
left the a on q side, and the 9th
er on the other. Bot the narrative
made an abiding impression upon my
mind.
stranger ~ HOME.