Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-12-26

time whirled and whirled, it whirled him
into matrimony but how, he never
knew or, if he ever knew, he soon ceas.
ed to remember and as the wheel whirl-
ed and whirled, he often found himself
staring across the table at his wife, with
faint and misty impression stirring his
feeble intellect, that she was at one time
the quiet young girl who had bashfully
besought his name for the autograph al
bum; but the connecting current OF
events which had displaced her round
face with wrinkles, and the golden hair
with a cap, was something so deep for
his comprehension that he gave up all
thought Of striving to fathom it.
Behind the counter of the curious
little store, Napoleon stood day after
day, and doled out in such small quanti
ties as his few customers might require,
the limited number of articles Of which
his little stock in trade consisted. The
shop was small squat room, dingy and
dark, being lighted by the few beams OF
the sun which found their way into the
narrow court and struggled through the
small panes OF the windows. A faded
and wea,herbeaten sign over the door
bore in subdued letters the inscription:
NAPOLEON W. NIX.
Upon either side of the entrance was
the legend "Nix Small Wares. while
sundry little placards in the windows &C
quainted passers-by with the fact, or
would have acquainted them with the
fact if they had chosen to read them,
that goods were Marked down to cost,
and here was The place to get good
bargains" But despite the glittering
offers which these announcements held
forth, the fancy goods on his shelves,
and the various articles on his counters,
went off rather slowly, and Mr.. Nix,
finding that trade in this line was dull,
and appeared destined to be duller' had
added a small stock of candies, which
attractiyely displayed, had had for a time
the effect of alluring the youthful PEN
MES of the court and near vicinity, and
keeping the proprietor comparatively
busy. But a supers,i;ution after time
had crept in among the youthful popula-
ton of the court to the effect that old
Nix, as he was irrevenily styled, was in
the habit of cutting off small piece
from eacn one cent stick Of candy and
adding i, to the mixed variety which
sold by weight, the decapitated stick be-
ing af,erwari disposed Of to guileles'
customers as of full size. Such blow
aimed a, the blood. bought rights OF
childhood, was not TO be lightly passed
over. and in a spirit of retaliation, the
bodies, and most lawless among the
masculine youthful population, were
wont to express their feelings by induls
ing in demoniac dances in front OF The
obnoxious Nix's shop, as derisive &C
compartment to the lines;
"Nix, Nix.
Cuts his sticks !"
which were sung in variety Of key
and a power of lungs simply wonderful
Christmas day had dawned on Lime
stone with steel gray sky, and all da,
long the wind had torn and wrestle'
with the dirty snow drifts which linger
ed in the little court from fall to spring
lifting them up bodily and dashing ther
with a eleeful shrek into the frosty face
of pedestrians who passed the entranc
Of the court, and who COW cred before tn
onslaught and hurried away, glad to es
cape from so inhOspitable locality. Tn
holiday season, with its crowds of merr
and eager buyers, meant little to Mr.
Nix. Rarely did customer stray fror
the busy streets, and the glittering ARA
8 of handsome goods, to his dingy ShoF
4 with its meagre and much worn assor'
ment and he had long ago ceased
I Law in an extra stock to meet an IL
n creased holiday patronage. And nov
$ even the more prosperous dealers wei
l resting from their work, and the stree
d were well-nigh deserted. In many hal
$ py home the joys of Christmas time we
D reigning supreme. But these thing
o were not for Mr.. Nix, nor yet the fert
: wind, before alluded to, and which &
: this momen. left off for time its ms
: struggle with the yellow drifts, and aft
g violently shaking the rickety doors an
d shutters of the court, grasped, as
: legitimate prey, a woman closely veile
t who had dared to enter its sacred pr
sr cincts, and with PREDATORY fiirt Of h
'r clothing, blew her bodily and with co
ID siderable violence through the door al
:, into the little shop Of Napoleon, a.
Of which (the door she with great Difficult