Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-01-01
AN OLD
II Brought Substantial Happiness
to Several People.

l.
Mr.. Merridew had q new idea. When
MIR. Merridew had an idea the fact became
anparent to all the subjects of his domestic
kingdom, even to the house cat, as that
brindled animal sat on the counter of the
store in n moment of luxurious idleness.
Not only did Mr.. Merridew make mistakes
in giving change, and stroke pussy's fur
the wrong way, but he stared his family
out of countenance while p%artaking of his
supper.
"How do you like it, pa?" inquired Rosy,
for he was tasting a custard pie of her own
baking.
"Why, l think it would do very well, in
deed,n he replied, briskly, and, IL the truth
be told, waving his knife in the air. "There
il n, reason why it should not do in Amer
lea as we'll as in Europe"
Rosy opened her pretty blue eyes.
"The custard pie is always made on
Aunt Hannah's receipt" she said, with
housewifely dignity.
Ivory nicely seasoned" assented her alb
stlacted parent. ga little too much-pep-
per, perhaps"
"Well, Inever" exclaimed Mrs. Merri-
dew. Pepper in a piel l suppose you
mean nutmeg"
MIR. Merridew rose, Knocked over his
chair. You ind ignorance everywhere,
nounced to his mystilied womankind.
YES, we are poor enough" observed his
wife.
"Eh? So we are !" retorted Mr.. Merri-
dew, evidently startled into self -conscious.
ness by this sententious statement.
lars!" sighed Rosy, %clasping her plump
hands under her dimDlad chin.
Rosy Merrilew vas fair to look upon,
and her presence frightened the dingy
ittle city room, even as it %gladdened the
hearts OF her parents. Sunlight and lamp
light alike rendered her hair a curling
COLDER. halo about her fresh young face,
That allusion to the poverty of the Merri-
dew connection. A slender purse had not
ToDped the girl of a single dimple, how.
ever, while the toilets devised by her
own ingenuity u of cotton print and
WOOL, IN imitation of the silk and brocade
4l fashionable show cases, were of surpris-
anS variety, and invariably becoming.
mrs. Merrldew was of q gaunt and grim
sSterlo" She kept a vigilant eye on the
nousehold, and was prone TO "reminiscences
OF the mountain village where she was
porn; pot of geraniums bloomed on the
"lhoo"-iedge, as a souvenir of hill pas
sdpes and the scen4 of the woods. Mrs.
x. SSNAO OuA VIC POAA1lCO "AVA
augal care, and hoard shining coins in a
nhohey-box with a yellow chimney, but
sac was helpless in the store, and felt oddly
snaMefaced behind the counter.
10ur fathers got some plan in his
n m, remarked Mrs. Merridew, when the
H fra!s OF the house had whisked away
.ioln the supper table with a celebrity Of
movement peculiar to him.
h,;n VI course he has," assented Rosy, nib.
ling a crumb of pastry, in defiance of all
~ Jaws concerning complexion. "Father
Is .he smartest MAJ in New York-except
loyalty.
An the meanwhile Mr.. Merrldew had re-
Iaihed to the store and lighted the gas.
ms daughters words still echoed in his
eals. oh: If Harry only had a thousand
"ollars" He was a small and wiry old
nian' with shrewd and cheerful counte-
SpeGtacles, and a pair of large ears which
ttssn''ered tha sparseness of bis gray locks
NV more conspicuous. An upright man,
hhi'nough making so little stir in the world,
w owed nobody a penny. "Live within
yvui income. If it is only .sixpence a day."
!; Sas me creed of slain John Merridew. It
t ! sfue ne enjoyed low chances of doubling
iael s,xpenoes, and perhaps would have
.nuKed the bold enterprise requisite to
gasp passing opportunity by the hair in
him. n"o !" co"e "
an wish Harry might get. the thousand
S so1iis which would set him up in life," he
RE turned down the gas a triAe, then re-
n,aahSed the stock Of newspapers and
Ire, magazines on the counter. Books
lined nhhed the shelves, while a small circulating
;;,orary Of dingy volumes in uniform bind.
NJ occupied one side of the place. Mr..
Merlldew nodded at the books, as iftaking
taHia into his confidence. then placed a
hhaple IN q remote corner, with q chair be-
n.no u. He next attached a curtain of
I oo. eambric to a hook in the wall by a
s sn,n ma drew it across tho intervening
space to a second hook in the opposite
Wall thus screening the table from public
c ue~. An inkstand, a rack of pens and a
nase OF white ruled paper were supple
i inenS A large piece Of pasteboard fash
d b"eu INTO a placard wa produced from a
n,awer OF the table, and bore these words,
Inscribed in large characters:
LETTERS WRITTEN HERE.
APPLY WITHIN.