Sharp County record., 1879-06-12
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lot Il tt lunch, Kk a thing was offered;
was not a N.Y. Or there we're neither
ards nor dH7 knor a reception, for .
lobody recl fMaxwell welcomed
,vsEy very. body }2s5,P 20 and ''ds them '1-
They did. They did more; they COM
nented with most refreshing freedom.
Some said it was joke; nay, it is an
occasion for grave remonstrance. The
poor young map had lost his mind. A
few older heads said it might be good
speculation, but not one said single
word of apprOfl' Or even encourage
ment. ND
At 10 o'cloes Tom Maxwell closed up
the place and went home. He would
not exactly describe it, but he felt it-an
indefinable something, shadow, as if
he had passed under cloud. The next
day it was clear enough. He had step
ped into a social cold bath.
In ruder Civilizations peoples showed
their disappr6Val by quietly burning the
offending party, or they tore down his
house or exiled him, or, in the modern
English fashion, they broke his win
doWs. Nothing of this happened to
Maxwell. None the less sharp and ef-
fectual were the arms used against the
social offender.
They spoke to him when they must,
but No need to describe it in detail.
He had totally lost position. Days and
nights passed. There was reception
on Walnut Street; he was not invited.
There was German on the hill; he re-
ceived no card. At church they nodded
distantly; no more. He sat in his pew,
pale, with compressed lips, and an un-
spoken prayer on his tongue. The
preacher said, "Forgive your enemies,"
and he resolved he would.
Day by day it grew worse. Acquaint-
ances became strangers; friends be-
came acquaintances. The OBJECT pass
ed him in the way as one would total
stranger. He had become-what? In
the bitterness of his heart he cried out
that all men were cruel, all women self
ish and hard of heart. He bit his lips
to repress the mingled tears and morti-
fication. What had he done? Was he
not man doing a mans work?
Work! All! that was the thing. He
would work and forget these creatures.
The first day the store was open the
entire sales amounted to $3.50. A car
riage from Poltham had stopped at the
door. Two ladies had entered the store
strangers and ladies. They were lost
in admiration. 1t is better Regent
Street, an improved Broadway, a very
Palais Royal. They emptied their
pocket-books on the counter. Such ex-
cellent goods, and reasonable prices!
They would call again, and bring all
their friends.
Not siage resident of the village en-
tey& 4s SattGe. all day. The following
in the afternoon three people asame9d
for sundry goods. One lady made out
quite an order, and asked that it be put
on the books. Maxw Il respectfully de-
clined His dealings were for cash
alone. The lady otherwise person
gave him withering look, and declared
sac had never been so insulted in her
life, and marched out, leaving the goods
behind her. The others paid cash, and
went away more than pleased at the
prices asked. They had never obtained
such bargains before.
The next day fourteen carriages came
from Poltham. Two came from Ro-
burndale, and one from Newville. The
cash business done amounted to S27550
for the week. The next week it doubled.
The week after it doubled again. The
fourth week Maxwell had to consider
the purchase o. a new team to deliver
the goods.
Six months passed, and the business
Of the store exceeded the business of all
the other stores combined. One of them
had failed, and the other had actually
been scrubbed and painted. Such is
the force of example. And still the
wonder grew. Weston has a thrifty
mind. 1t can see a cent in bargain
with Hollandish clearness. The Max
well system was accepted fully. 1t was
delightful to visit a drawing-room, to
have pretty girl make cup of tea for
you. Ay, twenty cups if you wished;
and having tasted, you could buy with
knowledge. Did you wish olives, figs,
sugars, cheese or bread? Sit down and
try them. This is so much, that so
much. These are the samples. Eat,
test, ponder, and select. You can not
see the goods, food in the mass is essen
tally vulgar. This is all. Select and
pay. The goods will be delivered ac-
cording to sample. No one was ever
permitted to pass beyond the parlor.
Within the interior rooms the packers
filled the orders with neatness, dispatch,
and silence.
Did the purchaser wish flourP The
pretty girl brought tray full of sam
pies, with plates and water. One could