The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-12-30
THE CALICO FROCK.

1t wasn't hot day, nor a cold day.
nor damp day, but it was an
atrocious day, a clammy day, an un-
bearable day, day that made your
clothes stick to you like poor relations,
that brought out cold sweats on pitchers
and goblets, that made your back race
course for contemplate little chills and
the rest of your body target for a
thousand invisible pins and needles,
that made the grasshopper a burden
and the dusty, begrimed city pande-
monium, that made Solomon Griggs.
bachelor, of the firm of Griggs, Makem
& Co., the great clothing merchants.
shut up his ledger with a bang and
start for the country by the next train,
remarking to old Grimesby, the head
clerk, that the city was sitting" To
which that worthy replied: so it is;
but how about the fellers that can't get
out of it and must stay to be choked?"-
a problem which | suspect our friend of
the firm of Griggs, Makem 4 Co.
troubled his head very little about, be-
ing Just then busy in looking into the
dusty rccesses of that picture gallery
which memory furnishes and arranges
for us all, at Il single landscape hanging
there A low house with mossy, over
hanging caves, standing on the slope of
a green hill. shaded by branching elms,
with level fields stretching off in the
foreground toward the sparkling water
on one side and dusty woods on the
other, and there, dusty, sweating, and
tired, Solomon found himself just about
sunset. Out came ruddy-cheeked,
smiling old lady in cap and apron,
that had attained state of snowy
perfection unknown TO city laundresses.
"Why, bless me, if it isn't little Sol
why, who'd a thought of seeing your"
and she folded the stalwart bearded
man in rs warm an embrace as though
no were in reality still the little Sol of
former days.
land how do you do, SolP Come in,
come in; don't stand out there. You
know the little path and the way to the
pantry yet, dare say. Come in; you
needn't start back-it's only Rachel" "
but l didn't know you had any
young ladies with you, Aunt Hester"
"lt's only Rachel. l tell you-Rachel
Hart, the seamstress. Are there no wo-
men in your city. that you are afraid to
face q little country girlP'
Little indeed" thought Solomon. as
he acknowledged his aunt's somewhat
peculiar introduction-and not pretty,
either-with large eyes of that uncer-
tain gray that sometimes beams darkly
blue and then deepens into brown; with
a smooth, low forehead and lightbrown
hair drawn tightly across each ear, just
revealing its crimson tip; face irregu-
larly featured, and rendered still more
striking by the singular contrast be-
tween its extreme pallor and the in
tensely scarlet lips personiiicauon
of neatness, tho embodiment Of reserve.
IAN odd little person." thought Sol
omon, .'but it's none of my business, "
and, dismissing her from his mind. he
proceeded 70 the much more important
business of making himself presentable
at Aunt Hester's tea table.
Solomon did ample justice to the
snowy bread, golden butter, and lus-
cious strawberries, and later. rs that
worthy was indulging in a stroll across
the fields, he lifted up his eyes aud be-
held the little seamstress, whose exist
ence he had quite forgotten, under 9
venerable cherry tree, making desperate
efforts 10 seize n tempting branch on 1t.
lowest boughs-revealing in her gyra'
tions Il very neat foot and ankle, and
looking almost pretty with her flushed
cheeks and sparkling eyes.
Now Sol was a gallant man-decided
ly the preux chevalicr of the firm o
GriOcs, Makem L. CO., so that when
ever, as had once or twice happened, s
nctticoat ventured into the moldy
! shades of that establishment, Sol wa!
the man whom destiny and the othel
partners selected to parlcy with the
eaemy.
Advancing, therefore, with happl
mixture of confidence and condcscen
sion, Sol plucked the cherries and wa
about to present them when independ
ence in Il calico frock stepped bacl
and with cool:
Keep them yourself, sir don't car
/ for thom."
81 thought you wanted them!" STAN
mered Sol.
$50 did, because they were diiiicul
to obtain. Had they been on you
aunt's table / would not have touches
them. 1t is the glow of triumph tha
gives pleasure to its zest. Eat tn
, cherries yourself, and good evening
/ sirr'
stop mcment!' said Sol not
! little astonished; that isl mean
/ permit NE to accompany you!'
No, you would expect me TO enter
tain you, and that would be too muc
trouble" -.
But if, instead, should entertain
you?"
You cannot"
D "Why?'
I You could tell ME nothing new
You are only crucible for convertin
bales of cloth into the precious ore tins
all the world goes mad after. N
\ doubt you are very well in your wa,l
but there ere alchepisS Hh2 eo%