The Red Cloud chief., 1879-06-19

1t before. What . horrible piacs
DARK, dipgy, confused with half-opene
boxes and barrels, . broksa scale on th
counter, rows Of fy-specked bottles o
the shelves, confusion and disorde
everywhere.
just then q man in shirt sleeves an
frowzy hair appeared and opened th
door. Tom asked for bread and cheese
he paid for something. took il away 4
q Newspaper. and charitably bes;owe
the whole of it upon the ancient hens i
the street.
1t va, . good investment. With tn
purchase he gained an idea. Idess m
money TO the wise. and Tom Maxwell
was wise above his generation. H
looked up and down the sleepy street
and contemplated the three establish
ments that supplied the village needs
one variety place, where nails. needle
and cried fish found . home; one butch
er's shop-a horrid den, full of unspeak
able denominations; and the dismal gro
Gerry.
The idea grew ~ on him rapidly. H,
considered it two days, and { en- re
solved TO try 1t. Little did he imsgin'
the immense social changes his decision
would involve. How could be foreses
the sights, the sneers and insulting con.
descension that would be bestowed up
on himf He saw nothing, not even the
outcome of his love experience tha,
would spring from his new ifea.
The following week the village car.
penter received an order TO turA the
lower story Of the old Allen MANSION
into something new-what, he could
not exactly comprehend. There were
TO be two immense windows. with .
wide door opening inc q parlor. Be-
hind this were TO be two large rooms !;
and in front there vas 20 be q wide pi-
azza, with ample canopy and broad
steps, and with spaces for flower bor-
ders on either side.
The news spread quickly through the
village. Every body knew that Tom
Maxwell had embarked in some insane
scheme, and was tearing the Allen
mansion to pieces. Poor BOY! his -ad
love experience had injured his mind.
He vas throwing mis- money away. His
friends should interfere and s,ve him
from ruin. At night the returning mer-
chants paused before the dismantled
mansion, and wondered what new folly
had broken loose in the town.
Maxwell heard Of these thing, and
the next morning a high board fence
shut the work from view. This only
excited the greater curiosity. Every
tongue wagged fast over Toms
consummate folly. What did he in
tend to dop Was it a house, theater,
or studio?
Weeks passed. There was much
behind the high board
fence. Then came the silent painters;
and lastly one night two hrge wagons
unloaded sundry boxes and barrels at
The door. The same evening every fam
lily in the village, and in all the villages
round about, received a polite invitation
TO inspect, on the following night, the
new establishment.
The next afternoon at half past 6 the
carpenters pulled down the high fence,
md displsyed-wel, it could. not be
called any thing. Nothing like it had
sver been seen in the world-at least so
Lhcy SStu, Uul tucu VcSiOu SiSut uctcI
beyond Boston.
There was in front q neat garden with
. graveled walk. At one side the road
passed close to the steps, SO that a
came directly to the piazza. Two
immense plate glass windows and q
door filled the entire front of the
over part Of the building. Over the
loor was q simple sign, or card:
g Thomas Maxwell" Through the
windows could be seen tables spread
With white covers, and laid with dishes
IF the most delicate dried fruit, golden
bread, cake, every thing that
could delight the heart of the house,
keeper. The door opened upon q par
or, carpeted, and furnished with nu-
chairs and small tables. Nearly
every table had some choice display of
Kings desirable in a gastronomic sense.
A tea-urn graced one corner, and be-
tide it stood a coffee urn, while on the
before it were cups, sugar and
Two doors at the back led to
arge rooms completely filled with tn
,les loaded with foreign and domestic
groceries,. No counters, no shelves, not
thing to suggest q store. English
,eatness, Partisan elegance in arrange
nent, American convenience every
where.
A pretty girl (from BOSTON, sat by
he door to receive the guests. Two
tout young fellows (from Maine) were
'eady in the rear room, and Maxwell
sat by the tea-urn. By O'Clock
hey began to come. At 8 O'Clock there
we're twenty carriages at the door. At
,alf-past eight there were more than q
hundred, and the place was packed.
The whole affair was . surprise.
Weston did not know what to do, wheth-
r to applaud or laugh-or cry. 1t was
lot q lunch, for not . thing was offered
t was not party, for there were neither
,ards 10 dancing; o a reception, for
received. Maxwell welcomed
very body politely, and bade them ex-
mime freely.
They did. They did more; they COM
with most refreshing freedom.
some said it was . joke; nay, it is an
occasion for grave remOnstrance. The
,oor young man had lost his mind. A
CIV OiuC1 uC00S 6olQ IL nxkkut VIC y XO0U
but not n said . single
word of approval, or even encourage
nent.
At 10 O'Clock Tom Maxwell closed up
he place and went home. He would
lot exactly describe it, but he felt it-an
something, . shadow, Is If
he had passed under q cloud. The next
1or II moe o1oor onnnnh uo hal .<o-
led into q social cold bath.
In ruder civilizations peoples showed
heir disspprovsi by quietly burniugthe
offending party, or they tore down his
house or exiled him, or, in the modern
fashion, they broke his win
lows. Nothing of this happened to
Maxwell. None the less sharp and ef-
ectual were the arms used against the
,ocia offender.
They smoke to him when thev mnet