Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-04-24
GH00MS AND BEATK.

One day while on visit to one of
our smaller Massachusetts cities, |
hailed a horse car, settled myself in
q corner, and loo ked out on the s!!if-
less scenes on the streets. Two
young men, evidently book keepers
or clerks, followed me IN, and took
seats near me. They were friends
II seemed, and this was their con-
versatiOn.
Whom are you going to take to
the Walter Scott Society, this win
ter, Joseph ?" asked the elder and
the taller of the two.
Il had intended to do myself the
honor OF inviting Miss Nellie Slough
ton to go with me, hut yesterday l
changed my mind"
"How came that about 2"
"You will call me whimsical if !
tell you"
"What If I do ! The wiSeSt of men
have their whim. Out with it."
''Well, then yesterday a man from
the country drove into town with a
load of brooms, which he hoped TO
dispose Of at the house furnishing
stores but not finding a market for
them, and the roads being 50 bad, he
determined not to take them home
again. He drew up at the corner
curbstone near our store, and COM
nenced selling his stock from the
sleigh about the time people were
going for their Two o'clock mail.
"They were good brooms. The
price was low, and they went like
the first hot chestnuJs Of the season.
Quite group gathered around him,
and it seemed as though almost ev-
cry representative of family bought
one or more. Ever so many women
took one and walked along natural
y and independently with it,"
"Mr. james, one OF the partners
Of the house where | am employed,
and who is bachelor, stood by my
side looking oat of the window,
with very evident enjoyment Of
the scene. All at once he lodged
out Of the door way, and AZ the
south wind blew his gray hair in
every direction, be ran across the
sidewalk to tie cart, saying, They
are dirt cheap give me half q doz-
en- They were handed out. He
paid For them ha Silly. and turning
round, gave one to Bidd Fiyn. who
sweeps the store, two to Pdrson
Potter, and one TO an old lame man
who lives with his wife in the alley
back of the store. Just then. Nellie
and Jane Stoughton and Kate Holt
came along. Mr.. James knows
them all well, and he now greeted
them cordially, and in few of the
pleasant, pat words which ale al
ways at his tongues end, sent a
broom to mother Holt, and one to
mother Stonghtnn. They are both
widows, you know.
"Kate Holt took the one tender
cd her, saying. 4 thank you, CRATE
fully we were inst needing a new
broom sadly. Mother will be glad
bnt l shall appreciate it the most,
because you see, [ do all the sweep
ing. and she tripped gracefully up
the street, carrying the broom as in
differently as if it had been a silk
umbrella or roll OF music"
"Tne Misses Stoughton, however,
hesitatec about accepting the gift.
! Neither of them offered to take it,
but rs it was held out to Nellie, and
she dared not offend Mr.. James,
| who is the superintendent OF her
Sabbath school, by refusing it, she
carried it little distance, looking
exactly as if she had never seen a
broom before, and supposed il to be
an insignia of dishonor.
Gas COON AZ the two gills turned
the corner and started down Federal
street, / ran around to another
room in the store to look at them.
Mr. James, who had just come in,
foIlowad, chuckling, after me, and
we peered through the closed shut
'ers to see what they would do.
Nellie bad laid the obnoxious ar
ticle against tie lamp-post, and was
determined to leave it there. But
Jane would not allow that, and they
quarreled about it until some peo-
pic came up. to whom they made ex-
"A