Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-07-15
TWO OF A KIND.

Bargains, eh p said Mrs. Pilking-
ton. Guess III have look at 'em.'
OF all things, Mrs. Pilkington was
least able to resist a bargain.
The old Pilkington farm house at
home was crammed full Of bargains
possible and impossible. The bureau.
drawers owelh flowed with bargains
which were Of no use to anyone {; the
trunks were packed full of bargains
And here, on the crowded curb.
stones of CIR and Street, the swinging
pasteboard sign of Great Bargains
Within = attracted her attention, hur.
ried though she was with the manifold
errards which yet remained incom.
plele.
She had a lot of damaged table linen
under her arm, and some cheap hosiery
in her bag, and dozen towels with
mis- printed border in her pocket, and
here she was crowding into the Grand
Street store to buy tlue-spotted
pongee neckerchief for eighteen cents !
'It'll do for Sara Janetta to wa'ar
around her neck of cool eyenin',' said
Mrs. Pilkington, 'and eighteen cents is
really very cheap for real pongee.'
Mrs. Pilkington lived in little
brown rooted farm house on the Hous.
atomic kiver, and her main errand up
to town had been to buy store car
pet for her best room floor, and to ex-
change an old sewing-machine for
something of newer order.
Her cousin, Mrs Bruce Babbitt, who
had spent the summer months at the
farm, and made the most possible trou-
BILE for the least possible pay, had also
engaged to hunt her up help from
the nearest intelligence office, and have
the same on hand when the 'Gye-four
train left the Grand Central Depot
that afternoon
And sure enough, when the lady
from the country arrived, red and
painting, at the depot, with disheveled
hair, bent bonnet, and shawl dragged
all awry, a modest young girl stood at
the door with a card bearing the name
of Mrs. Bruce Babbitt' in her haLd.
is it Mrs. Pilkington p said she.
you amt the new sewing machine.
be you p said Mrs. Pilkington, rub
biny her nose with puzzled air. Nor
We: the eighteen yards of carpet from
Stoney-bridge and Bounce's p
Il am Phoebe said the young wo-
man-'Phebe, at nine dollars a month,
il I am lucky enough to suit you,
ma'am p
She was pretty, blue-eyed lass, with
fresh complexion, and neat gown of
green and white seersucker, and she
wore bonnet of her own trimming,
with cluster of butter cups on the
side.
Mrs. Pilkington looked obviously at
her. She had prepared herself to ex-
pect stout, red handed drudge.
It did lot seem possible that this del
icate little apple blossom of girl could
be a servant.of-all work
But there, sure enough, were her
credentials, and the bell, even then, was
Changing for the closing Of the gates.
Come on = said Mrs. Pilkinton, aud
she rushed through, dragging Phoebe
after her. IT'S strange, though, that
the carpet and the sewing machine
amt here
Did you expect carpet and sewing
machine, ma'am p Phoebe asked, re-
spectfully.
Il bought 'em and paid for 'em,' said
Mrs. Pilkington, impressigely, 'and l
don't see why they amt here
perhaps they will be sent by ex-
press suggested Phoebe.
Il declare to goodness, I never
thought of that !" said Mrs. Pilking.
ton.
And she skurried through the crowd
ed car to find seat.
1t was the dusk of chilly May even
ing when they reached Blackbird's
Hollow, and alighted in the midst Of
dense pines and sighing tamaracks.
'If Pilkington hain,t remembered to
come and meet US, I shall be mad y
said Mrs. Pilkington, stretching her
neck forward the better to survey the
glimmering curves of the road. And
Pilkington is always forgetting My
goodness, gracious me +! what's that J
as Phoebe stopped to recoyer something
which she mad inadvertently let fall.
my handkerchief. ma'am y
Mrs. Pilkinton made grasp at it.
Your handkerchief = she screamed.
'Mine, you mean-minx thief good
for-nothing my pongee handkerchief
that you have stolen right out of my
bag ! Well, never =
She shook PEe5e vehemently. PEG
be began to cry in mingled terror and
resentmet, and just then up drove tht
e,roo ,ronop Of oalI0n