The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-03-27
MISS PENNYBACKER,s BLUNDER.

MISS PENNYBACKER'S BLUNDER.
Mr.. darlington M ght have sat at his
allotted desk, in the store of Levy,
Heavy d Co, for the three hundred and
thirteen working days of the incoming
year, as he had for several already gone
by, and watched the feather buster tiirt-
ing among the bOnnets, hats, artificial
flowers, ruches and band boxes of the
millinery shop over the way, without
that preliminary OF the days work at
tracing his especial attention We say
he might have done SO; but on the
eventful morning of which we write Mr..
darlington, having added up a long
column of figures and dotted down the
sum total, relieved the monOtony by
glancing out of the window. As usual
the feather dustcr was flying about Miss
Pennybacker's establishment. looking
very much like a starved pea-fowl with
uperabundance of tail, or an over
grown shuttlecock. But, not as usual,
Mr.. darlington failed to see the some
what masculine hand of Miss Penny
hacker welding the brush. The one
that grasped it was a plump, white,
diminutive hand; the wrist was en-
circled with dainty white cuff, and be-
hind that was well-pui1ed brown dress
sleeve, only n few inches of which met
the admiring gaze of Mr.. darlington
AS this was all that gentleman could
see, he c0ntented himself with noting
how the buster flew among the boxes in
graceful curves under the direction of
the pretty little hand, instead of the
acute angles it described under Miss
PennybaCker's superintendence. He re-
licved the mOnotony of his desk work
Ia hot
looking over the way, and even became
SO much interested in the unseen person
opposite as to make three plumbers in
the ledger, something before unknown
in the whole course of his clerkship.
John darlington was thirty-five. He
had been a clerk for upwards of twelve
years. Rumor said that partnership
had been frequently offered him, and
he as frequently refused, but rumOr is
always inclined to eXaGgeratc. Be that
as it may, he was vet a clerk, and I'M
married. CUpid's arrows flying every
wheBe, and as erratically as n boomer
aug, had failed to pierce his heart.
Being a dry goods clerk, he did not
look at n woman in the same light that
for Instance student of divinity
does. The latter considers her as
''Heaveu's last, best gift to man. Mr.
dry goods, and an expensive one, too
He could make distinctions between
the real and the artificial. The divinity
student could not. If he, the student,
should have come into the store of
Leavy, Heavy ~ Co., and admiring
good-looking lady, said to MIR. Lark
ington:
.'What fair complexion; beautiful;
and what rosy checks. -
Lily white and rouge" tapping the
show case where these articles are dis
played.
''PossiblcP Her hair-how luxuriant
what wayy masses; and that coil!
What an opportunity the present fashion
gives woman to display her chief or
nament.'
''All artificial, sir. Keep waves and
bangs in that show case. Any color
you want?'
Possible? What a waist and what
a form!"
"Corsets and other artificial means
do the business, sir. ~
Possible? | never should have i'm
agined it,. And the divinity student
leaves the store, his faith in women
considerably impaired, humming: ''This
world is all tleeting show, etc.
Though John darlington had rs yet,
never been hit by any of Cupid's ar
rows, several had been shot at him. In
deed, Miss Pennybacker kept up an al
most constant but useless fire. No diff
ference to how fine point those slight
" habilitated little fellows ground their
arrows-and Miss Pennybacker must
have kept them busy turning the grind
stone, Judging from the number of quiv-
ers she used day-they all fell harm
less against Mr.. LankingtOn. His heart
was adamant. 1t was quite amusing to
note the excuses Miss Pennybacker con-
trived in order to pursue her favorite
employment There were bonnet silks
to select. ribbons to match, threads to
purchase, particulars style of ruches,
which she was sure she had seen at
Levy, Heavy Il Co.'S, and then, having
looked over their stock and assured her.
self that she must have seen them some
where else, she would chat small talk
with Mr.. darlington. shipper, smile and
ire her shafts with n perseverance
worthy of Il better cause, seeing that she
brought no game. To be sure, she did
wing him once, when he carried home
a heavy purchase for her, and having
got him in her wc5 she proceeded to
draw him in; but, like q perverse blue
bottle, he so kicked and struggled rs to
come of unframed. Still she did not
despair, but on every possible occasion
ventilated the prosperity of the shop op-
poste, sat in the pew adjoining his mt
church, ut which times she became a
perambulating advertisement of her
millinery establishment. He always
bowed at the church door, and one Sun
day, having a harometrical feeling that
it would rain, he brought his umbrella
and escorted her home; not knowing,
however, that she also had brought one,
and from sinister motives left it in her
pew Yet Notwithstanding she used all
her Establishments, and walked much
closer to his side than even umbrella
protection viii allow, he remained
stoical as a Cherokee warrior, and
doubtless would have remained so to
this day, had it not been for the plump
little hand welding the feather buster
over the way.
1t is astonishing what an influence
prcttv woman can exert. The milliner
shop of Miss Pennybacker became as
attractive to Mr. Larkington's eve as
rose bush 10 a child who has discovered
a birds nest therein. From constant
study. he could, without doubt, have
told ANYTHING concerning the external
sn,1earance Of the millinery establish
Int. how many lights of glass were
:, lie hav window, and which. if any,
IL cracked or broken; how many
49, If bricks were between the win
- and door; what trimmings hung
y tbe windows this day or that. and