Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-01-16
BUTTONS.

/
Mary blushed and looked guilty, al
though she hastily disclaimed any knowi-
edge of the person alluded to.
allow should | know where he Isl i
don't even know his name. ! can't inn
agine why you girls are always teasing
me about him." And Mary petulantly
went on with her work of rearranglng
the disordered showcase and with femi-
nine tact displaying the newest goods in
the most conspicuous places.
But. despite her disclaimer, pretty
Mary was thinking more about But
tons" than she was willing TO confess.
In fancy she could see his broad shout
ders and the half bashful. half conscious
smile on his face as he appeared before
her counter on the previous week He
certainly was strong young man. She
could tell that by his brown. muscular
hand. And besides there was such an
honest look in his eyes. She recalled his
hesitation. too, when he asked for the
buttons. from which the girls had nick
named him, and Mary argued from his
righteousness and his respectful manner
that he must be entirely different from
the young men whom she encountered
on her way home al night and whose
bold glances of admiration always made
her blush.
a hundred times day Mary found
herself looking down the long store
toward the door, expecting and even
hoping, although she did not confess the
hope TO herself-that he would come
again. Twice he had been there already,
and, to tell the truth, he had bought
enough buttons TO keep him in those use
full articles for five years. What he could
want with so many buttons was more
than Mary could divine.
In anticipation of his coming Mary ar
ranged and rearranged the buttons in
the case There was an almost endless
variety of buttons. China shirt buttons.
bone coat buttons, wooden buttons GOV.
cred with cloth: glass buttons. iris tinted.
reflecting the gaslight in cleaning rays.
But not one of these shone SO brightly as
the eyes which had met hers over the
counter for one brief moment and then
had been hidden by the long lashes which
dropped over them.
The chances of his coming back seemed |
very small indeed to Mary when she re-
membered that he had bought two cards |
Of shirt buttons and enough trousers
buttons 10 start small store.
Il wonder if he is going TO sew them
on HIMSELF" said Mary to herself, a |
smile indcnting two dimples in her /
cheeks IF he does. he will have but /
ions all over him
In fancy Mary could see him sitting in 1
MS shirt sleeves with slender needle
his clumsy thumb and foreiin-
ger. trying to fasten button on his
ihirt. She could see it all The com
pressed lip. the slip of the needle as il
itole under his thumb nail. the muttered
and she laughed at her
thoughts in such a merry way that the
ioor walker censured her, and she re-
nmed her work with a conscious blush.
But the memory of Buttons" gradu-
lily faded from Mary's mind rs the
weeks went by. He did not put in an
appearance again, and as the girls
topped their chatting there was nothing
eft for the interest to feed upon. Then
anne the anti-poverty fair, in which
,reat many of the girls were interested.
Their sympathetic hearts were attracted
" the golden hopes of a possible era
when all want. all misery. all poverty
would be done away by the new theories
which were so rife in this city What
omforts. new dresses. unlimited ice
hose magic words -anti-poverty"
And so, urged on by her desire to help
he community at large, and perhaps
coping Just little that she was going to
Ne benefited personally by the movement,
larry entered into the fair with all the
cal of zealot
She was assigned to take charge of
tand containing articles of vertu and
la -, |
n assortment of sleeve buttons, most
eautiful array, made of gold. pearl
nyx, and some inlaid with precious
tones.
Every night after the store closed
larry hastenod, sometimes very tired and
ootsore from standing all day, to Madi-
on Square garden. There were prettier ,
iris than Mary behind some of the
ounters. but none with more demure
nd winning manner, none with a more .
unshiny smile or brighter eyes, and so
he table over which she presided had no ,
ick of customers.
One night when the band was playing ,
nd the bunting shining in the gaslight ]
larry looked up and found Buttons" !
her. AS their eyes met he
hammered:
"Oh, excuse me, miss. | didn't know
was you. | just called around to see !
IF
IF WHAT" said Mary, kindly, anxious J
} relieve his embarrassment. !
The young man fingered his cane I'M {
asily, and carefully averted his gaze :
rom Mary, for he could feel that she an !
cipated his want. Then he mustered :
p courage and blurted out:
.If you had any buttonsw 8
Before she could reply he added has !
ly: /;
THE fact is that those shirt buttons /
ought of you down at the store had
Ich small eyes that | could not get the
lread through them. 1t may be that
he thread was too coarse. But, con /,
,und it all" he continued. his embar- +
lssment melting away before her as $
ring and sympathetic smile. I've i
I'd 10 pin my shirt collar together ever a
nee came to the city Besides that, o
1u can imagine what job it is for me y
pin one of these stifily starched col s
rs around my neckr G
But thought gentlemen were in the e
lbit of wearing collar buttons" said 5
n. I