Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-07-01

e1AN1A y scAt YOU any tAluS else,
ma'am2" said the dealer, with that in
sinuating smile which is peculiar to the
proprietors of secondhand shops. .T've
setof red damask curtains
Emmy shook her head.
'sNo," said she; s'I need no curtains. +"
"Half dozen dining-room chairs,
thenG" suggested the man. ''Or pair
Of real old-fashioned girandoles with
cut-glass drops2"
But Emmy Crystal did not hear what
he was saying; her eyes were fixed in
tentIy on certain old bureau Of ancient
mahogany, darkened with age, almost to
the semblance Of ebony, with odd, brass
ornaments under the drawer-handles, and
curious claw-legs.
just such one, in truth, as Ralph
was making in the odds and ends Of his
time at the shop, because, as he said, his
mother had bureau like that.
'fWhere did you get that bureau9' she
asked, quickly.
1Ma'am9'' gasped the dealer.
II mean who sold it to you9"
1T was brought in yesterday from a
place out on the Sound--one O. them lit
tie one-horse settlements where they
don't have no secondhand emporiums.
But I assure you, ma'am, fiuttering over
the leaves Of his. ledger, "you won't get
it no cheaper for going to principals. I've
bought out and outp'
II don't wish to purchase it." said
Mrs. Crystal. 'sBut would like to see
the person that-that sold it to you"
s'There was lot of other truck from
the same place, said the man. i'They're
breaking up house, guess. Oh, I've no
objection to give you the address, ma'am
There amt nothing underhand in nsy
way Of doing business, and he wrote off
few words on slip Of paper. s1t's an
old woman with a hooked nose and d
tongue like mill-wheel." F"
Mrs. Crystal, however, did not allow
herself to be discouraged by this unpre-
possessing description, but pretending to
Ralph that she was going somewhere to
attend an auction sale for the purpose OF
acquiring some table-furniture, china,
cutlery, and such like, she took the
horse-car to Harlem, there changing to
another line, which, creeping gradually
out among the elms and sycamores, took
her to the edge of the Sound, where
there was struggling settlement Of little
houses around tall factory.
In the furthest of them ala queer
little cabin where the spray sprinkled its
chimney stacks at the equinox tides, and
a row of boats was pulled up on the edge
of the sand-lived Mrs. Peter Peppin-
stall, the woman who had sold the cav
footed bureau to the dealer in second
hand furniture.
The minute Mrs. Crystal saw her beak-
shaped nose peeping through the crack
Of the door, she knew she had come to
the right place.
Anything pa'tickler a-wantin'3" said
Mrs. Peppinstall. "Because I'm mortal
busy to-day a-movin'. I'm goin' to live
with has folks up in New London, and
I've got all the hard things to pack, and
my boarder to send off to the poor-house
afore can set down to rest. If you're
a book agent, or one O. them travelin'
photograph people There comes Simon
Doolittle's one-hoss waggin now, arter
my boarder."
She bounced back into the house like
an india rubber ball, but Emmy pushed
past her into the carpetless, unfurnished
room, where the vivid November sun
shine printed off the pattern Of the win
dow-panes on the boards Of the floor
with sort of forlorn glory.
rs your boarder an old ladyan said
She
You'll find her in the back room. .
screeehed Mrs. PepinstalI, 'ssettin' all
readyp
And sure enough in the back room,
covering in the scant warmth Of the
sunbeams, sat little old lady in black
silk, quilted hood, snuff-colored cloak
and mittened hands, crossed meekly over
each other, as if waiting for some ex-
pected summons. Her wistful eyes
raised themselves piteously in the direc-
tion of the new conner.
Is it the wagon from the poor
housegp she asked. I'm ready-yes,
quite ready. Ididn't think should ever
come to this; but Pm an old woman a
very old woman. MY money Is all spent,
and I've neither kith nor kin in the
world and I'm an old woman n
II hate to send her to place like
that, = said MFR. Pepinstall. re-appearing
on the scene, with bandbox and two
bundles, but it's just as she says-her
moneys all gone, and she hasn't no
folks Of her own, and what be to do9
His folks up in New London don't want
to take in no outsiders
Emmy Crystals eyes shone through
tears. She held out both her hands To-
the poor little shrunken figure in the
silk hood and the snuff! colored cloak.
"come with mem she said, softly.
Who are your asked the old woman,
wonderingly.
II am Ralph's wife. Yon are Ralph's
mother. knew you BY your eyes and
mouthl''
Ralph ran awayln faltered the old
woman, her lips beginning to culver.