The Red Cloud chief., 1879-03-27

silk and satin fell in my way, but the
pay for my work was very poor indeed,
and | had as much as / could do To sup
port myself and Spinny, who had a
healthy boys appetite for the four years
before l became acquainted with MIR.
Popkins. "Genius II. Popkins, Grocer"
How l laughed when l first saw his card
in the landlady's card basket, as though
"Popkins" wasn't absurd enough 10 pre-
face it with "Geniusi" San old bach
elor," l said, 81 should think so!
Where could a woman be found who
would be willing TO change her name,
whatever it was, for "Mrs. Genius II.
Popkins?"
"'What's in a name?' as Shakespeare
as it, my DEAR" said Mrs. Bairnsfather
mildly. "'E's a good fellow, e is, in
deed; 'as lodged with my friend, Mrs.
iii, for the last three years, and sc
thought every think of i'm. Never
would ave parted willingly with i'm if
she 'adn't a died"
ga very sufficient reason for doing
So" / said; shut why, oh! why, don't
he change his name? II is 100 ridicu'
lous."
"Popkins, or no Popkins," insisted
Mrs. Bairnsfather, "'e's has good has
gold. A little lively I ear, but | wish
| 'ad a 'ouse full OF them"
"a little lively" He a He gave
bachelor parties at least twice a week,
from which peals of laughter assembled
to my room all evening long, and which
always ended with an uproarious sing
ing Of Aud Lang Syns" at midnight.
At first this annoyed me very much,
but sitter awhile | became so used 10 it
that woke up regularly when the sing
ing began, and joined in the chOrus-of
course they couldn't hear me-and then
vent TO sleep directly.
"He amt pretty" said Spinney TO
me one day, referring TO MIR. Popkins,
shut he's just bully. He Civ me a box
of prunes this mornin'-a hull bOX-and
didn't the fellers at school hang round
when | brought it out at lunch-time!
Yes, indeedl"
And one afternoon, about a week az
ter The box of prunes, my room door
was suddenly thrown open and SpinEey
appeared, leading a smiling gentleman
by the hand, and called out (Spinney
always shouted at me as though | were
half a mile away, "Hello! Gertie" (my
names Gertrude), "here's Mr.. Popkins
and he says may l go to the ~circus!"
"Genius ii. Popkins," l thought to
myself, "and what a queer-looking
Genius he is"
And he was. Red hair which, unlike
any l had ever seen before, curled part
in one direction and part in another;
small, twinkling blue eyes, which al
most disappeared when he laughed
his laugh, by the way, began with a loud
outlaw and ended with a low chuckle;
a double chin; a ruddy complexion and
an extraordinary nose. 1t wasn't Ro-
man, it wasn't straight, it wasn't aqui-
line, il wasn't snub; it was simply Mr..
Popkins's nose, and he was short and
stout, and wore a blue flannel suit, and
| couldn't help thinking if he and his
clothing were well blended what a gorge
Gus purple would be the result.
"Hope l don't intrude," said Mr..
POpkins.
"Not at ALL" answered ], elf you
will pardon my going on with my
work" l was embroidering a pair of
suspenders which some young lady was
going TO give her sweetheart on his
birthday, and which he, no doubt, would
think, and she, no doubt, would allow
him to think, the work of her own fair
hands.
"Very beautiful work it is" said Mr..
Popkins, "and l should like to have a
pair exactly like them"
And that's the way my acquaintance
with MIR. Popkins began. And after
that-what a kind uncle l thought
him-he was always having some pretty
little article Of dress embroidered for
some one of his numerous nieces. And
it was while finishing one of these one
evening-Mr. Popkins was taking a cup
of tea with Spinny-that the kind heart
cd bachelor said to me, 81 have a pro-
posal to make to you, Miss Sprague;
your tea not being the very best sug-
gests it to me. Suppose l supply you
with groceries ii part payment for the
finery you make for me? III let you
have them at wholesale prices"
/ gladly agreed, and dear me! l wa
surprised to find, at the end of the week,
how much cheaper it was to buy at
wholesale prices. My table, although
every thing was much better than | had
been accustomed to, cost me less than it
ever had cost, and in consequence l was
enabled to procure many u little deli
cacy for Spinny and myself which l
could not have even dreamed of before.
In fact good luck seemed to have walk
ed in with Mr.. POpkins the first time he
entered my door. 1t wa he who intro
duced the young actress to M who gave
me the highest price l had eve received
for embroidering a dress. By-the-by,
the note she sent with the money ended
rather oddly. GAS you value sardines
and olives smile sweetly upon cid Pop
kins."
sold Popkins." Only FIVE and thirty
after all. What was the young lady
thinking about? And why did she i'm
agine l valued ''sardines and olives?"
l didn't don't-and if l did, in what
way would ssmiling sweetly" upon
Mr.. Popkins affect "sardines and
olives?"
And now I'll tell you what Mr.. Pop
kins said the day he-with q good-sized
basket on his arm-made his appear
ance Just as the Doctor slammed the
street door.
"Thought you'd have trouble" be-
ginning to unpack the basket and lay
the various articles it contained, nam
ing each one IS he did SO, upon my din.
ing-table, "knew it-always stitching
at that confounded-Dutch cheese; hope
you like it-embroidery. Shouldn't
have given you any to do myself, only
was confident if l didn't you'd take it
from-a jar of Boston gherkins-some
one else. And now the Doctor has or.
dered you to 60 into-fancy crackers
the country, and bind over your eyes
q flask of salad ola bandage for .
month or more-that'S all"