The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-12-02
were evidently pleased with my! hum
hlo oirs and GRO ooe

were evidently pleased with my. hum
BILE airs and graces.
l like to study human nature, and
now saw much of it mt home and off its
guard. This delighted me. Two rules
/ observed which made me respected and
popular: first, / never entered q house
unless I was invited; second, / never in
sisted that people should buy what they
did not want. But always had an ex-
cellent assortment of things and any lit
tie novelty I might have | took pains
should be seen at glance, that it might
recommend itself.
l am passionately fond of outdoor air
and scenery. l used to enjoy ftst
horses, but have my dreamy side, and
hardly know anything more exquisite
than to jog leisurely along the country
roads Mt six o'clock on a May morning,
when the buds are all bursting and the
birds all singing, or to return quietly
home in the late June twilight, just as
the stars are coming out. like to be
out in a soft summer rain, too. There
is enough to see and enjoy in the crisp
autumn weather to reconcile me to the
unwieldly cart ride in. Even on run
ners it is not to be despised. believe |
like all winds and weathers. Then |
used to give myself holidays, often in
winter, when Florence and the children
aud had no end of fun. OF course we
helped Florence to do the house work
first, and then had the day for pleas
ure.
From May to October I hardly ever
went alone on my journey. Every
pleasant day Florence, or one of the
children, or all the family, went with
dc st,nr
was, and how happy we were! We
played we were gypsies, and camped out
in the most enticing places in the beauti-
full woods.
If l had to 60 alone. often took a
book; sometimes l learned a poem,
sometimes | even composed one, and,
strange to say the magazines which had
disdained my contributions in the days
when desperately needed money, now
often accepted my effusions with COM
pliments.
In the evenings Florence and 1 sang
duets, and popped corn, and read novels.
As we had no social dignity to keep up.
we felt at liberty to enjoy ourselves even
better than in the law days, which is
saying great deal. for we always had
such good time then.
Then my business kept improving, so
Florence could have servant. Then we
had more time for "larks" than ever.
We got acquainted with our neighbors.
There was not person of any literary
pretension in town except the minister
and doctor. This state of things had its
advantages as we'll as its disadvantages,
because it is pleasant to be Cesar even
in country village. Florence and i
wrote comedy for the Sons of Temper
auce, and performed in it with great ap
plause. suppose Shakespeare went TO
his grave without such recognition rs
we received. Florence sang in the choir
so sweetly that several people who lad
hardly been to church twice year be
fore began TO 60 regularly. We formed
a reading club of all the young people
who showed a spark of promise, a. d
they had a deiightful.time, and thought
they were literary, and we had de-
lightful time, and the modest conscious
ness that we were great benefactors oil
our race.
Once year we put on our best clothes
and went to the city Tor week, and
went To the theater, opera, concerts and
art galleries and came home tired and
| happy, and convinced that tin peddling
was far healthier and happier life than
it was possible to lead in the midst ol
such effete civilizations.
Let me be clearly understood. I did
not continue the business when l had
laid aside enough money to live upon
without it. Meantime can tru say |
enjoyed tia thousand times better than
ever did the law, aud to me at least il
vas hundred times more lucrative,
and l bless the day when my clever wits
discovered sphere in which all oul
odds and ends of talent would be avail.
able - Hnrner's R0zlr