West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-08-29

night
There is but one drawback in tho
whole matter said | when Clara had
gone; elf we had only known il a little
sooner We might then have been
saved the expense of this parlor set
What can we do with two suits OF fur
niture.
81 suppose" said my wife. that we
can manage TO find room for both in
the house. III not we can take this
back-exchange il for other goods"
Iopened the blind and looked across
the street. Mr. Bathurst, The chief
salesman in the establishment which we
had patronized, lived over the way. As
/ had supposed, and as was his wont nj
this time Of the evening. he sat on the
veranda smoking. took my hat and
went across. Don't be too harsh I'm
your judgment. my friend; YOU have
the joke by my voluntary confession.
Remember, too. "Whom the Gods
destroy they first make mad" / went
across.
" Bathurst, do you suppose that your
folks could be persuaded to take back
some of the goods | bought the other
day, and let me trade il out i'm some
other lineP''
You SEQ, have good-hcarted old
uncle who has taken it INTO his head to
send me parlor set" etc, etc. Thus
L ran on in my folly.
We were up for an early breakfast,
after which | few in fast haste to the
Office. / laid hold OF Sam, who does
the draying for our house, thrust 81
into his hand to pay the charges, and
directed him to proceed ut once to the
freight department of the &. d Nj. 1t
was "A very busy morning with me-;
there were thou sand and one things
pressing for immediate attention; it
was out of the question to think IF 90
ing home before dinner. But what can
Il man do with an Inheritance of six
hundred pounds resting on his mind
added column of figures and, being
conscious of slight wandering OF
thought. went down the column Tor a
test AS the result was different. |
climbed the ladder again. only TO light
upon third value; and then down
down again, only to find fourth. Oh,
shocking / resorted TO the backing
brush and applied it to my boots vigor-
ously for ten minutes. II is a capital
remedy for nervousness when one
hasn't the time for ride or walk.
But the mental disturbance of this
morn ng was out of the reach of boot
backing So | took my hat and
pressed holly for home. / wished to
reach home before the goods arrived.
In this | was successful / found my
wife posted at front window, and
there also took my stand. We waited
for n half-hour, very cheerful, very hap
py, and as serene as Gag II expectancy
would permit
AZ length at length-there was the
rumbling and heavy grating of slow
wheels on the stone pavement We
crooked our heads out OF the window
and caught the first possible glimpse of
The horses noses and then their full
lengths as they turned the corner And
there was Sam, Enthusiastically Sam
'Oh, well, wife," / said, 'et us not be
childish" So we took in our heads,
but stood watching just within say
we stood watching, for we could not
Tor some moments do otherwise than
stand and watch. We could not look
at each other, but stood mute and mo-
tlonleSS, our eyes fixed intentlv on that
vehicle and its contents. NV throat
began to swell. Thea came hot surge
rising at my checks and temples and
creeping through the roots OF my hair.
down the back of my neck, down.
, down, to my hecls-to my toes; and
then another hot sutge, and then an
other, while the pcgspiration flowed
freely. oh, it was painful! And that
drayman that draymau -- having
thrown down his lines, sat on the end
OF the high seat with his feet hanging
over the wheel, while with his whip he
cut oil the leaves of weed that grew
by the curbing; ut the same time his
face beamed with malicious mirth.
Now and then he stole furtive glance
n. the wares behind him and thon went
on cutting the weed, his face wearing
alternately smile and q sIuint of in
terrogation. OF course. l bolted out
upon the porch. As shut the door
heard one OF the upstairs shutters on
Clara side close gently.
"Well," said Sam, with painful
effort to compose his features, al guess
there must be something wrong about
/ this"
Take the stuff around by the back
alley. l shouted, hoarsely. | slipped
/ through the house, and noticed on nv
way that my wife, who had recovered
+ from her modification and dis lppoint-
ment, had dropped down i'm a corner
and was laughing Historically. L was
| provoked enough, but my chagrin gave
way u smile as Imet Sam at the back
gate. A smile was all that was needed
TO touch him off lie fairly roared
And rs aboninable luck would have it,
that alley was full of people my neigh.
bors-going and coming / have never
seen su n cOncourse OF people i'm that
alley, before or since. Boys climbed
over fences and ranged themselves
| about. girls peered through chinks and
| whispered 10 one another. and toddling
/ infants cried TO be lifted to some place
/ Of vantage.
/ Yes. there was something wrong. 8"
Contrary to my wife's expectations
I there was a kitchen-stove And the
| Kitten n-stOye had been used i'm evil
dence OF which. there were elaborate
ircscoes Of grease ranging i'm moro or
/ less detached flakes around the oven
/ doors and on the edges of TIE hearth
\ aud along the overlapping margin OF
/ the top. There was q bundle contain
| ing two or three joints of pipe whose
\ ends were ravclcd by rust and wear
I And there were chairs, several OF them
none Of your elominate rockers. but
serviceablo concerns, built TO stand firm.
/ ly ON four legs not plush. no; not cane
/ seat not walnut; but sound, straight
I grained. UOUlar eplinf- bpfforne e.,