Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-01-04
JOURNAL. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY

old as | am-seventeen last week-should
be able to do"
"And il you should fail ?"
In the bright lexicon Of youth there's
no such word as fall" quoted little Miss
Jems.
You are mistaken Richelieu was mis-
taken there is" persisted the lover" ON
the last page of the book"
swell, then, IL fail, I'll marry you all
the same. And now you may kiss me once,
and then run away for since we have de-
cided what is best TO be done, must set
about doing it without delay"
:" We have decided" echoed Mr.. Wilmar-
tin and multiplying one by six, he kissed
little Miss Jems accordingly, and rushed
around the corner to half finished building
before which half dozen workmen were
lounging, "a-waiting for the boss"
And the store was hired and stocked, and
the rooms above it furnished with part OF
the furniture from the cottage-the rest was
to remain there until new tenant took pos
session-and everything was in apple pie
order when it was opened on Christmas eve.
It had only one window, and not very
large one at that, but little Miss Jems had
made the most of it. Cats, dogs, monkeys,
elephants, horses, cows, lambs, snakes, lions,
tigers-in fact, whole menagerie Of barley
sugar was installed therein, and glowed red
and yellow beneath the brilliant gas jet.
Sparkling glass jars filled with lemon drops,
gum drops, Glove drops, and all kinds OF
drops, and peppermint sticks, cream sticks,
birch sticks, and all sorts of sticks, were
ranged on the store shelves, and the counter
was almost covered with brand-new tin pans
containing peanut, cocoa-nut, walnut and
cinnamon taffy, and enticing chunks of old
fashioned molasses candy, and from the
ceiling hung some wreaths of Christmas
green and taken altogether, with little Jems
| in large snowy white apron behind the
money drawer, it would have been hard to
have found a more attractive small estab-
| lishment for sweets anywhere. Aud grand
mamma, seeing the great delight of her
hearts treasure, was proportionally delighted,
and softly murmured to herself, every five
minutes, "She shall play il as long as she
wants to, the dearie, aud I'll help her."
But lust as little Miss Jems was serving
her first customer-a very small boy, who
bought, after long deiberation, camel and
a chicken--a carriage stopped before the
door, and handsomely dressed lady de-
scended from it, and entered the store in
great haste.
Are you Miss Jems ?" she asked.
al am" replied Miss Jems.
"I'm glad to hear it, for nice time I've
had looking for you. Your fathers uncle
the gentleman from whom your mother used
to receive yearly allowance-is in the city
aud wishes to see you Immediately, as he
will be obliged to leave again tonight.
am his step-daughter. Please come at once.
You will not be detained for more than an
hour"
Little Miss Jems stared helplessly at her
visitor moment, then she stared helplessly
around her, then she collected her scattered
senses and called, Grandmammal The
cid lady came out of the back room. al
must go away, granny dear, for little
while" she said. "Do you think you car
take care of the store until | come backY"
al am sure l can," said grandmamma
proudly"
And dropping the white apron and don
ming her cloak and hat, away went little
Miss Jems with the step-daughter Of her
fathers uncle.
1t was two hours before she got back, ant
when she stepped from the carriage CROWD
of children, evidently in the very highest
glee, laughing and singing and shouting
their hands full of paper parcels, came pour
ing out of the little shop. She glanced in
the window as she opened the door not on
animal of the whole menagerie remained
She looked at the shelves when she entered
the glass jars, less sparkling than when sh'
left, were empty. Her eyes fell to the coun
ter ; not bit of taffy or oldfashioned mo
lasses candy chung to the pans.
"Why, graudmamma,' she cried, hel
whole face beaming with satisfaction, "wha
business you have done, to be sure Tit
money drawer must be nearly full. And
don't believe you ever sold anything in al
your life before
! "Sold 2" repeated the dear old lady, he
!, smile of welcome fading. "Were the thing
to be sold ON Christmas-eve, my dearie
when we're only keeping store for funP
hadn't it in my heart 10 take the little ones
pennies. merry Christmas, says they, 81
/, prettily; and help yourselves, says |. Ant
, | never see such lot of children as did bel
4 themselves in all my life before"
Goodness gracious sakes aliveW ex
> claimed little Miss Jems "what shall d
. now2 | haven't another dollar in all tn
q, wide world |"
"You'll have to marry me right off, Pig
. con. Remember your PROMISE" said
manly voice; and pair OF manly arms er
: circled her. "The wedding ring is in m
, pocket"
y Little Miss Jems, tossing her hat in on
. corner and her cloak in another, burst int
l. a wild fit Of laughter. ooh dear | sha
\ die-I know | shall It's too-too-To
: funny " she gasped. "After all the tro'
= BILE had teaching grandmamma the price
of things this morning And papa's uncle
. such an old gruffy as he is l-wanted me
i send her to some charitable institution to |
!. taken care of said he'd take care of me if
y would. I'd like to see myself, and so tol
~ him, I'D ten thousand times rather keel
g 3 oh, dear oh, dear oh, dear Ia store
II said l. Aleck, why don't you stop laughin
= and why - don't-you- make me = ste
y lsughiugP Was there ever anything so ridi
ulous? Did you ever since you were boz
"a hear of business begun and ended in thru
70 hours?"
"'Twas short and sweet, like little Mi
- Jems," said Aleck, "By George here
y, three peppermint drops left One for 20,
"a one for graudmamma, and one for me. Ke'
~ your mouth open and shut your eyes, Pi
con-"