The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-11-26
GOING SHOPPING.

way, as she rinsed the coffee cups and
placed them on the waiter ''To-morreri
J. IN so gladl My chicken and butter
money is come to cOnsid' able this quar-
ter, an | want lots o. new things.
Think you could git EN-? Seems pity
for me to lose whole day, an spend
more'n two dollars on them pesky kears,
when you've got to 60 on business. /
guess you could suit me; you use ter do
all yer mothers shopping"
well, l could try, Sanity Ann; but I
dom know. Women's fixin's is so cur'usl
What you got to git?'
T've got to have some caliker gowns,
fust an foremost, / s'pose, and Achsy
wants few fixin's. However, it won't
trouble you much, for I'll have 'em all
some hOmespun for yourself You RELY
hain't got nothin' much sides your we'd
din suit, an mussy knows that ought
to be wore out, though it don't look dis
respectable yet; only never liked them
swallows tails"
"Pa going to the city2'' asked Achsa
Jane, girl Of 10, coming in with big
loaf of rye bread hot from the kitchen
stove. "Oh, pa, please do take me-"
"He can't, Achsy; not just yit," said
her mother. "You wouldn't want to go
with your last years bonnet on, that you
amt willin' to wear to picnics even.
| You'd better set down what things you
cant do without very well, but you must
mako the list short, Achsy, Mess your
father should git more than he expects
more money, mean"
"Ill make two lists" said Achsa,
laughing-"one for short fodder, the
other for long. Well, forgot" she ad-
ded as her mother looked her disappro-
bation; 81 mean money"
"She's a regular boy, mother" said the
farmer, with chuckle, San she always
will be-"
You'll take the big spring wagon,
s'pose," sal l his wife. 81 wish you'd git
that five gallon can full of oil"
Santha Ann had been imposed upon
by some good neighbor of limited knowl-
edge, and thought that all the barrooms
in all the principal cities had been
closed. Mart had never in his life been,
SO to say, drunk; but once or twice he
had been overcome to the extent of TAX
ing broomstick for Santha Ann, and
sour milk for molasses; still, that was in
the dusk of long years ago. AS a gen
eral thing, he never touched the "crit-
ter" as his wife called 1t.
Mart sat jauntily behind his grays,
specializing on the probability of coming
back full handed He had secretly put
Il little money for speculation in the
hands of a business friend, quite pre-
pared to lose it, but still hopeful.
Scarcely had he reached the city when
he met this same old acquaintance.
"Good news for your cried the latter.
| 81 made little cool hundred for you ON
that venture. Do you want the money
now, or shall invest again."
"Well, l rayther guess I'll take it
nOw," said Mart, with bounding pulses,
IAN try agen some other time. I'm in
for business, and there's lots to be done
for the folks to home. They don't know
nothing about this, you see, an kinder
want to surprise EN-"
VERY good; you shall have 1t. Come
right in here to this restaurant, and I'll
settle with you"
The two men entered. Lunch was Or
dered, and with the lunch wine.
81 told Sanity Ann 1 wouldn't drink
no liquor" said Mart. "You see, it goes
to my head before 1 know it, an I've got
considerable business to do"
Liquor! You wouldn't call this mild
and HARMLESS beverage liquor, hope9 1t
has positively no Intoxicating effects
You might drink sixty glasses, and then
think and walk straight. I've drank it
all my life"
"Well, seems you say" said the easy
farmer, ~ s'pose may just drink a lit
tie. Only one glass will do
But mechanically Mart drank as often
as his friend filled up the glass, and
though he was conscious of no loss of
steadiness, still he was so far under it's
influence that he hardly knew where he
was after he had found his way to the
first class store to which Santha Ann had
directed him.
What will you have'' asked the po-
lite clerk.
"I'll hev a cheer, providin' you can
'commodate me, +" said Mr.. Mart, looking
impassively at the clean shaved face be-
fore him. 81 feel little top heavy"
A chair was brought. Mart took off
his hat, placed it on the floor, and sat
down. Then he began to tumble in his
pockets, first his coat, then his trousers,
then his vest, and finally, to the amuse-
ment of two or three of the clerks ranged
round who were watching the proceed
ings, he turned the list out of an inside
pocket of his vest, together with Santha
| AIMS roll OF bills.
"Bleege me by reading them ere, if
you please" he said, with solemn roll
of his eye, giving the list to the clerk.
"Santha AIMS wrote what she wants"
'Indeed, my friend, l can't make it
OUT said the clerk, after looking it
over. 'K-a-l-i-k-e-r,' l suppose that
means Calico" he said, after spelling it
out.
"Well, yes, s'pose so, Santha AIMS
more of a scholard than / be-" said the
farmer. ''Let me see. guess can git
through it. Yes, 1 see, kaliker; seed
sucker don't know what that is; cot
ton, IL hundred yards, that means spool
cotton, / cal'late; ball baby stockings;
l wonder whose baby she means; we
amt got none. Catch a mare-well,
that is GURUS. / don't catch no mares
OH this expedition"
"She probably means seersucker-an
article for ladies' dresses-Balbriggan
stockings, and cashmere" said the clerk,
politely, behind a smothered laugh.
"Well, Pm glad you know-I don't, 4"
was Mart's answer; and together they
made out the list.
You had better take 70 If cotton and
needle by the box; we always sell that
way to parties out of town." said the
clerk. Here is something think means
sattcen," he added, as he pointed to a
word underlined-it was satinet Well,
well put these up to the best of our abil-
ity. and have them ready for you in an
| hour"
| Very WE'LL" asid Mart, thickly. I'll be
here by that time. Help yourself out o.
them twenty-five dollars, and gil me the
change il there is any; if not, I've got
plenty of cash." and he staggered out of
| the store.
At late hour he came back, his
wagon so loaded up that there was
scarcely room to stow away the numer-
ous bundles brought out of the dry goods
houses His gait WIS unsteady and his
| speech almost unintelligible by this
time, for he had imbibed several times
| siuce lunch and even bought some of
tie articles 20 take home with him.
Meantime, his womenfolks passed q
happy and comfortable day. There was
little work to do, and no dinner to get.
Santha Ann got out her sewing machine
and gave it thorough overhauling pre-
paratory to the work she was expecting
to begin on the morrow. AchSa antici-
pated the sensation she should make in
her new hat with bunch of blood-red
peoples perched atop.
at would be nice to set in the congre-
CATION, so folks could see" she said, half
| regretfully, to her mother. Up in the
choir nobody knows whether you have
new things or not"
They'll know it, Achsy," said her
mother, refiectively. "Hats is conspikyus
nowadays"
81 guess We'll have tea, Achsy," said
her mother. I'm kinder goose fieshy; a
cup o. hot tea I'll do us good all round"
The meal over, Santha Ann washed the
dishes in silence. Seven, =, O'Clock
| ,+r,cE and still M SIGN of the deacon.