The Press., 1889-08-22
THE OLD CLV MAN.

"Oh, such pretty vases, mammal' said Fanny, nearly throwing herself out of the window, in her eagerness to look after an old clothes man, who with his bag. upon his shoulder, and his basket of brittle ware upon his arm, was just that moment passing the door. "Such pretty, pretty vasesl Do let me have one, mammal"
 Now, I never, on. any account, encourage one ot those people. Ihave hitherto made it a positive rule never to1allow one of them to cross my threshold. Yet, somehow, Fanny's eyes-they are just like Psalters-looked so coaxingly into mine that, before had taken a moment to consider about it, opened the door, and the minute did SO, of course, the old clothes man came straight up the stairs, with his s.Old clol old shoenl Eny tings to change dis morning, latya'
 gsAs I had opened the door, thought it could do no harm to humor Fanny, just for once, you know; so, telling the man to wait a moment, and bidding Fanny, in a whisper, not to leave the hall until came back for \ was afraid the man might meddle with some thing while was gone),f I ran up stairs and was soon engaged In inspecting the contents of musty old wardrobe in the lumber room. There was an old office coat of Psalter's terri bly out at elbows; an old vest of brother John,s, totally destitute of pockets; little frock of Fannys, which she had outgrown year before; and a broche shawl of my own, which had been spotted with rain, and which I had placed in the wardrobe in fit of im- patience, pretending to myself that it was utterly ruined.
 It was the only thing of any value there, and, in fact, it was so good that hesitated about producing it on the present occasion. turned 1t about and looked at it over and Al>o >1-A which was stained. II could rip the border of and have it dyed, and my shawl would be as good as new again. But then 1t was so much trouble, and had a very pretty shawl and a cloak and beaded wrap besides So did feel afraid that it would be wrong to dis pose of 1t for next to nothing.
 While was deliberating on the subject, I heard some one beside me- say, ''Why don't you come, mammal" and there, if you'll be- lieve me, stood that disobedient child, not withstanding Ihad told her not to leave the hall on any account. There she was, and the old clothes man was alone down stairs. declare had half a mind to shake her we'll
 I ran down stairs immediately. There stood the peddler just where had left him, rubbing his hands one over the otheE, and looking so steadfastly at nothing that he really seemed to have cast in one of his eyes and squint in the other. Ughl what 8 villainous looking face he had-it absolutely made me shudder. He lifted the coat from the chair upon which had laid 1t, and held 1t at arms length with supercilious air. #,
 "Ahl" he said, s'dat is goot for nothings, laty Dat ish hot goot for rags. got very pretty tings in my basket. Laty, any old clos, old shoes-anyting else, latyq Little laty. want pretty tings out uv my basketa"
 'Here's frock," said Fanny, "and vest of Uncle Johns, and shawl of ma's.n
 "Ahl" grunted the man. 'The frock is no goot-not worth nothings. The vest was no use init me. The shawl was leetle better, laty. Vot you want for himF'
 II want pretty vase" said Fanny.
 "Ahl leetle laty," said the peddler, "I makesn monish init you-you too hard on me- Yell, we'll, takes de clos Dey ish worth nothing, most nothing, laty, and give you dis vase. make myself poor bar gain, leetle laty. Ughl make no monish init you;" and with innumerable jerks and moves and gesticulations he thrust little vase, with a very gaudy pattern printed on the front, into the child's hand and began to gather up the articles from the floor where he had dropped them.
 Just then happened to3glance through the window, and saw to my chagrin two of my
 
 ! the street; and really, for the moment, | would not have cared how much the man had cheated me- so that I got him out of the house before they came up. He did go at last although he amesbacx after they were in the hall to say:
 ''Next time you has better tings, laty; then we make better bargains Imake no monish init you this day, laty. Good-by. I come next week-den you hash potter tings,n
 At which speech Mrs Japonica rolled up her eyes and asked me.what the.man meant; and Miss Cornelia 'Japonica ''wondered I didn't move nearer Fifth avenue, where I would notbe subjectt to the intrusions of such people"
 The Japonicas stood a good while and talk ed away about all manner of fashionable nothings- the last concert and the last party at Mrs Highfyer's-how sweetly Screecho- Nini sang, and how elegantly Miss Wilkins vas dressed the other day. By the time they went Clara and Rosa and Dick were home from school, and Fanny was crying for lunch. So my time was pretty well occupied for an hour or more, and forgot all about the old peddler until Rosa began to fidget about the room and rummage my work box and desk for something she had lost,
 "What are you looking for, Rosap' I said, rather impatiently, as she overset box of cotton. Il wish you would bemore careful 1"
 "It's all Fanny fault, ma. iItold her not to touch 1t till I came home, i" answered Rosa.
 'sI don't care, " said Fanny; '1t was mine, too"
 ''It was more mine," said Rosa, 'sbecause I'm the biggest -warn't 1t, map'
 "What are you speaking ofa' inquired. 'sWhat was more yonrsr'
 "Why, the money pa gave us to play store with. '" said Rosa. 'sThe hank bill, you know. rna.n ,,5s. ...i,g5
 Psalter had received a bad $5 bill some time before, and, after marking 1t with red ink, had kept 1t in his pocket book until few days before, when he gave 1t to the children as . plaything. had seen 1t in Fanny 5 hand that very morniay, just bsfore the clothes man passed the window, and the moment remembered that I guessed where the note had vanished. .....4
 Ibid you have 1t when you saw your little vase in the mans basket, Fannyr' 1 said.
 'Oh, yes, ma" said Fanny. 'I recollect now, put 1t on the hall table when I opened the door. I'll, 10 and look there.n VI