The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-12-21
MRS. CACKLE'S CARPET.

salu Mrs. Cackle.
"What sort of carpets, ma'am2 Mo
quetteH Wilton? We have some very de-
sirable importations of royal velvet
mo, Brussels! The cheapest thing you
have in Brussels that is any way decent.
Mrs. Cackle sat up on the eighth floor
Of Meddle & Minturn's great store, her
silken founces ripping around her ample
form, the bird of paradise plume on her
hat nodding, as il to give extra signifi.
cance to every word she spoke. Her tan
kid gloves, glistening with many buttons,
were distended with rings; her lace scarf
was fastened with gaudy diamond set
bar. and her plump visage bore the traces
Of pearl powder and cream of roses, laid
on with no sparing hand.
Beside her sat her dear particular
friend, Miss Rosina Rufford, who always
played the part of Damon to her Pythias,
and invariably went shopping with her.
"You see, Rosina," said Mrs. Cackle,
who was one of the kind that talk very
loud in public places, and indulge in all
sorts of details, 'it's for a wedding pres
ent. Lemuel gave me a check for hun.
dred dollars, and told me to buy a nice
parlor carpet for his cousin, who is to be
married next MONTH
"Mr. Cackle is always SO generous, /"
smiled Miss Rufford, whose new set of
false teeth made her smiles very smiling
indeed. "a hundred dollars, did you
say, dear3 That will buy g very nice
one, indeedW
''It would" said Mrs. Cackle, 'if /
was goose enough to buy it. But I don't
mean to. Cackle's only man, and men
never do understand things. What do
these out Of the wilderness people under
stand about carpets2 And what do they
want of the best grader No, young man,
don't want any of the dollar and q
quarter lines. That's too high. Haven't
you anything for about dollar, or nine
ty centsr 1t needn't be the very finest
quality, l tell you. If spend fifty dol
lars on it," turning once more to Miss
Rufford, It'll be all that is necessary,
and the extra sum I'll invest in new
satin gown for myself. Ha, ha, ha!
Cackle is so very close with his check
book, that now and then have to cir
cumvent him."
"You are so witty, DEAR" Uttered Miss
Rufford.
Nothing under a dollar and twelve
cents?" shrilly repeated Mrs. Cackle, as
the salesman came back again. 81
couldn't think of paying that. Have
you no unstable patterns-nothing that
nobody else will buyr The people that
want this carpet for are dreadfully old
fashioned, and never will know the diff
ference"
"Oh, my dear, you are too furnyr
said Miss Rufford, behind her fan.
"We have one," hesitated the young
clerk-'a scarlet ground, with immense
olive-green pineapples all over it. We
haven't sold yard off it. Everybody
seems afraid Of it, and don't really
thing
"Let me see it," said Mrs. Cackle,
promptly.
The porter presently wheeled up a
mammoth roll on a hand barrow; the
clerk unfolded its hideous, glaring pro
portions where, against a scarlet ground
some monster vegetable entwined itseli
among impossible scrolls.
"You see, ma'am, it's quite unstable"
said the clerk. "Mr. NEEDLE was talk
ing Of donating it to the reception room
OF the Blink and DOODLE Orphan asylum.
at
sit is a little peculiar" said Mrs.
Cackle, eyeing it through her lorgnette.
"Quite-ahemi-what / should call an
art carpet"
"oh, my dear Louisa" giggled Miss
Rufford.
"But very striking" said Mrs. Cackle
"Quite so, maam," said the clerk,
coughing spasmodically behind his
pocket handkerchief.
"What will you let me have it forY'
said Mrs Cackle, in business like way.
Eighty cents, ma'am," said the clerk.
"Say yseventy-five. spoke the customer.
"We couldn't, indeed, ma'am. 1t cost
US more than that to import it,"
"I'n take thirty yards" said Mrs.
Cackle. Let me see" Calculating on the
fat tan colored fingers where the rings
bulged out so obtrusively), "naught's
. naught, eight times naughts-that
will come to twenty-four dollars, won't
IL, young mani"
"Twenty-four dollars, ma'amr said
the clerk. scarcely able to repress his
that any one In their senses
should buy so ugly q carpet.
sand that will leave seventy-six out
OF the check" said Mrs. Cackle, glee-
fully. "pl tell you what, Rosina-I can
trim tie black satin with the very incest |
Escurial lace. Isuppose these back ooun-
Try bartarians will invite me to the we'd |
ding, and I'd like 10 wear something that |
will just paralyAs themi And my hus-
band win never be any the wiser. Do
you look, Rosinal" nudging her compan-
lon, What a beautiful moquette that
tal young lady In the black silk suit Is |
ehoosingi TIE got to have something
new in my reception room next year. ] |
wish could afford"--
'The address. ma'am, plsaser' said the
clerk, pencil and pad In hand
Mrs. Cackle hesitated.
"Well, don't know" said she. ~
suppose 1t had better be sent at once,
with our card, 70 the bride. Give me the
paper, young man, II you please. I'll
writs Il down, 20 that there can't p0s-
uihly Be eny mistAke.
a7'tsu-yoU BQstas, lhs ADDED. - she