The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1881-10-28

| was silent. never could make
Obadiah understand the deep-r00t
ed aversion TO 'sborIowingr OF any
creature whatever, that | had inheri
ted from my mother.
So we cut down the weekly pa
per, and left of using butter, aud
burned candles a penny a pound
cheaper, aud | spOuged, and clean
Ell, aud rebound, and new bnttoned
Obadial's great coat, instead o.
buying a new one, and left OH go
ing to church because my old cloak
was SO shabby and | couldn't afford
anything better.
And oh, how did miss the Boggs
vile Herald!
"If | could only get a little
dressmaking to do,s said to my,
self, III would subscribe again my,
self. But | can not bear to ask
Obadiah for a cent of his hard.earn-
ed money!
| was sitting, very sad aud lone,
ly, one freezing February day, by
the window, trying to mend ono oi
Obadiah's old waistcoats, SO that
it should last a few days longer,
when q travelling pedler, with a
huge basket of china ornaments on
one arm aud a bundle on his should
or, knocked at the door. He nod
ded in an insinuating manner to
me as ! answered the summons.
"Couldu't | sell you anything
this morning, ma'am ~ said he,
with a liberal display of q very
white and even set OF teeth. "Any-
thing in the way of elegant mantle
vases, statuettes, decorated china,
match boxes-p
al have no money! said /, spirit.
lessly. "AndI | do not need any OF
your wares"
"Ah, but you do not know what
q splendid article | have here" he
persisted, looseniug tho strap which
passed across his shoulder, and low
ering the precious package care
fully to the floor. "a pair OF real
Wedgewood faieaceS, Oh, don't
shake your head, ma'am; shan't
charge you anything for looking at
'om, you know. Pm certain you're
an artist--all the ladies are born
artists-and this is really some
thug quite out OF the ordinary"
And with q succession OF mods
and grins, he unwrapped a pair ol
really very pretty blue vases, near
ly two feet high, and ornamented
with raised garlanis in white.
"OnIy six dollars a pair, ma'am,'
SAID he. "Dirt cheap. It's posi-
lively giving them away at that
piice.n
"I have no six dollars to spare,
said |, indiilerently.
"lts great bargain,' ma'am,
he insisted.
81 do not want them," said L.
lie was silent for q few seconds
"pm sorry, ma'am," said he,
They'd be q great decoration for q
house like this. But If you really
won't buy, it would be doing me a
great favor to allow them to stand
here until tomorrow. I've u long
tramp before me, and Pm not go.
ing to any place where | think
they'd be likely to buy anything OF
this sort. III set 'em back by the
chimney piece, ma'am, where they
won't be in any ones way. And
I'm very tired with carrying 'em."
1 felt sorry for the poor,
iaded wretch-so | made no objec-
ton. And when he was gone, tue
vases did make the room look Won
derfully pretty. | could not but
wish that they were mine. Obadiah
perceived them at once, when he
came home to tea.
"Hello!r said he, "what does this
mean ~
SO | told him, adding:
"I only wish that | could afford
to buy them-they are SO hand
some.o
Obadiah walked around and
around them, with his hands IN his
pockets, and his brows knlt
thoughtfully.
eyes, they're pretty" said he.
"But they're not perfect
'Not perfectp | echoed.
"Not by any means. Don't you
see that lengthwise crack down
onef And the end of the little
raised rosebud is Clipped off on
the other. / hope you didn't do it,
Josie ~ with q sudden glance of
apprehension.
"If Certainly notm l cried.
aWhy, haven't SO much as touch
cd the thingsp
"Then | dare say it's all right
said Obadiah. Aud he sat down to
supper.
The next day, however, my friend,
the china vendor, came along,
smiling and obsequious as ever
There are your vases, said |,
just where you left tLem y
But all at once he broke out into
O storm of reproach aud obloquy.
They had been cracked and DAM
aged In my care. They were per-
fect--absolutely periect--when he
left them there the day before.
| had worked the mischief, and |
was OF course responsible for the
value of the articlesl OF course |
knew that the rascal was Yelling Q
falsehood; but what could / doi !
was alone In the house, aud fairly
nnxs,nT la, thn fnrnaifu If thn n4or