The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-09-21
A. BEAN.


-ThOmas Dunn English.
-%s b
A. BEAN.
It was a queer shop in quaint little
house, about which large city had
slowly grown. The people were quiet
folk who never hurried. so long as the
walls stood firm and strong, and it
rented to peaceful tenants who paid
their rent promptly, it never occurred
to the owner of the old hoIse TO tear it
down. There were two rooms ups airs
which were occupied BY an old tailor,
and two rooms downstairs where A.
Bean lived and kept his shop.
On one side of the shop were blocks
on which were all sorts of wigs, black,
brown and yellow, and one very funny
WoOlly wig for a cOlOred person. In the
old showcase was every sort of thing
made of hair, that people ever put upon
their heads. On the opposite side of
the room was long showcase in which
were pretty laces, real--not imitation.
In the middle of the room stood square
box stove, on the top of which was one
big griddle.
The top of the shop door was of glass,
and across it was painted in black let
tcrs "a. Bean Whenever any enc
opened that door smart little bell
rang, when A. Bean would dart out Of
the back room, which was at once bed
room, stOre-roOm and kitchen. The
back room had in it besides a small bed
stead, an cd lounge, two chairs, and a
small table on which A. Bean spread
his frugal meals and did his work.
There was usually a huge pile of hair
upon it, and his hatcbel and the other
appliances used in wig-making. A few
hairs more or less did not trouble his di-
gestion. Above the table was Il rough
set of shelves, on which was the tin
basin in which A. Bean made his tea
and coffee. A plate, cup and saucer,
a knife and fork, and a saucepan, COM
pleted the list. None of these utensils
were very clean. On the wall hung
wigs, switches and curls, in various
stages of completion.
A. Bean himself was a lean, little man,
very short-sighted, equally absent
minded, and given to soliloquizing to
his wig-blocks. He also imagined him
self philosopher.
You lose your head, A. Bean" he
would often say to himself when he had
been more forgetful than usual. ''You' d
certainly lose your head, if it wasn't
tied on yOu.'
just outside the door that opened into
lltc AtlllC Ddck Adii WAS 81 CURIOUS lLtG.
Years before, man who had kept an
eating-room in the house had planted
there seed which he had found in q
bag of coffee. Every June it was COW
cred with pretty blossoms, and scion
tilic men often came to see it; but as
vet no one had been able TO tell its
name, or where it came from, and A
Bean felt that somehow this curious tree
belonged to him, and conferred distinC-
ton on his shop.
1t was early in the morning "A
theatrical company wanted some wigs
that evening, and A. Beams table was a
perfect snarl of hair. His teIkctue was
singing on the boX-stove in the shop,
and he had set down his cup and saucer
and the roll of bread he had bought the
night before. "A philosopher" he
said with flourish to the nearest wig
block, sis always superior to his sur
roundings, and that is the reason women
are never philosophers. How glad l am
Pm not tied to one of en-, little or big.
just then the shop-bell rang violently.
''What do folks mean by coming be-
fore I'm up" The little man spoke
angrily for a philosopher; but when he
saw his visitor he laughed.
''Wellp' he said after minute, ''What
is it? A wig? May be you want n set
= of frizzes now, or a lace iichuP"
The rosy little girl, apparently about
three years old Rugged her headless
doll closer to her bosom, and said coax
ingly, SETS come"
UNI should say she had. Where S
your may?"
The child shook her head.
Your pay, then?"
Another shake, and again cOaxingly,
Sef' $ come"
lit does beat all nater!'' said A.
Bean, walking about her, and debating
with himself the propriety of taking
her in his arms. "Why, you must
have may an pay. Everybody
doos.n
The child shook her head. ''Sef s
come" she repeated, AN SET S
hungry"
A. Bean led the child into the next
room, and rs every thing seemed to have
grown disordered and dirty all in a
minute, be set her on the bed and did
the best he could with the hair and
hatchel. and as he had no tablecloth, he
spread a clean-lOoking piece of news
paper on the table. and set upon it his
cuuful oF milk. 1t was market mornings
the streets were already thronged with
wagons, and he ran out and soon re-
turned with n handful of strawberries
in a cool yine-leaf.
The two made pleasant meal of it.
SO pleasant that A. Bean was frightened
when he saw how late it was, and
thought of the wigs He could learn
nothing from the child, save that she
was Sef, and that she and dolly had
come She either could not or would
not tell whether she had any parents,
or where she came from; and TO all
questions either shook her head or an
swered with a sigh, Don't know
nussin.' Her poor. plain clothes had a
certain Oddly, and her ruddy little face
an expression which struck him as un-
usual - You look furrin. You DO look
furrin, you little rosebud, " he wills
pered to a wig-block, when after her
hearty breakfast the child fell asleep Oh
the bed.