Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-10-19
OUR NEWSMAN.

His name was Ellis Marston this
learned without sny special desire to know
it, from the bill which he rendered month
ly for the daily papers that he delivered a.
my house. The bill itself, being for small
amount. was one of the sort that a mar
last remembers when in the humor fol
paying bills, so I saw its makers name
several times before paid it,
One morning our servant told me, while
| was at breakfast, that gentleman, who
desired to see me, was in the parlor; be
had not given her his card, and she had
not fully understood his name. I found
the early caller to be Ellis Marston, my
newsman, but was not at all surprised
that the servant had unhesitatingly admit
ted him, and announced him as gentle
man. for he had a refined face and good
manners, while his clothes, although fal
from new fitted him well and were OF taste
full cut.
In paying his bill made as many apollo
gies as [ would have done to any gentle
man whom had subjected to delay and
annoyance. AS while waiting for me he
had opened volume of Browning that lay
upon the table. and had not closed it up to
the time that l entered the room, l
promptly assumed that he had more lite
rary taste than the generality of men in
his business, and moment or two of con.
versation, begun baphazard upon the book
in his hand, satisfied me not only that |
was right, but that he knew far more than
l about modern English poetry.
At that particular hour my time was
precious, aud my mind crowded with in
terests temporarily more precious than
poetry 80 to express in some way. and
quickly, the respect which the man 8 man.
ner had exacted, l increased my order by
asking him to serve me with several week
lies and nonthlies that 1 had been in the
habit Of purchasing at whatever news
stand l first saw them on, and his pleased
expression as he made note of my order
and bowed himself out put ne on very good
terms with myself for the remainder of the
day.
So seldom had seen man who seemed
superior to his position in life, that Ellis
Marston's face presented itself fire quently
to my memory during several days that
followed; so one evening, obtaining his
address from his billhead, strolled out to
crafty MY curiosity about the man.
found him IN little shop fairly filled
with periodicals and stationery, with a
small circulating library on shelves at the
rear.
An order for foreign review was the
excuse for the visit, which 1 prolonged by
Offering him good cigar, which he light
ed with evident satisfaction, and we soon
engaged in pleasant chat about books.
looked over the titles of the volumes
in his circulating library, ard expressed
my surprise that the general public read
works of character so high; he replied,
with sigh, that the public did not read
them to any extent; that they were the
bulk of his own library, and he loaned
them for whatever they might bring rather
than leave them untouched on his shelves
at home.
While we we're chatting a very pretty.
well-dressed lady, whose face was rather
vacant, except for an expression of impa-
thence, entered the store, and Marston hur-
ried for ward to meet her.
| She did not seem to want to purchase
anything, but conversed rapidly and in a
low tone with Marston. and departed after
| he handed her some money.
She looked utterly unlike any ordinary
business creditor, and l suspect some Won
expressed itself in my face. fer, as the pro-
prietor rejoined me he explained, very
quietly. 10 just two words
, "Mrs. Marston."
had made a very unfortunate marriage,
but, after the untruthful manner of socie-
ty complimented him on his good fortune
| in having SO slightly a companion, and he
acknowledged my Fluctuations with fine
dignity, but not sign of enthusiasm.
1t was very evident to my mind as I
sauntered homeward that evening that
Marston's wife must be extravagant and
unreasonable, and that Ter husband would
never save money with which to enter a
better business, unless he had some help;
so. for several days, 1 Systematically tor.
| tured publishers among my acquaintance
to make place for our newsman. But I
soon learned that Marston's present posi-
tion was not that in which he had begun
business. He had been respectable book
seller in the interior, where he married a
beautiful girl who longed to live in New
York, so he sold out and re-established
himself in the metropolis. Everybody
liked him, but everybody said he ruined
his credit and then his business by falling
to pay his bills. found q general suppo.