The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-06-28

Shopping Expedition of a Man Who Oidn.
Mind the Expense

Mind the Expense.
He was one Of the old-timers of Pos.
sum Ridge settlement and was down
at the county seat for the first time
since the war. He Went poklng apou,
the streets peering into the stores ano
shops with the air of a man who had y
deep-seated purpose in view. He wen,
on until he came to "a large dry=goods
| establishment, where he halted for q
minute as if undecided whether to enter
Or pass on. Finally he blundered in.
and. striking the first clerk he came to.
he said:
Say, mister hev yer any thing in
this ere shebang es nd he suitable fer
er birthday gif' fer the ole 'oman?"
why. yes" the clerk stammered
out, Il expect so. What would YOU
like TO buy?"
wal, thar yer got me. stranger.
I'm derned if know what 'ud suit
What have you been in the habit of
getting for the occasion?''
'Thets jest it, young Teller. hain't
never bought any gift afore, and it's all
new to me. Ter see, it's this ere way:
Men the ole 'onan's been married uiDh
ter sixty year ! say it's sixty past.
but she holds out stgin me the. it's
gwine Onter sixty, but ole 'Squar Bee
son. who jined us, says I'm right, an
the ole 'Scuar's mighty level-headed
man. Yer know Their Squire, reck-
on?"
Yes. | know the Squire. But about
the present."
''Yes. that's jist what I wuz gittin'
at. Wal, yer see, as | said; men the,
ole 'Oman's been er joggin' erlong ter
gether all them years up thar on Pos
sum Ridge, an sort o. h,>npin' our
selves in Their craps an out. an we
hain't thought much er putin on no
style, ner nOthin' O that sort. But
t'Other day fell ter readin' er leetle
piece what sOrter set me ter goin' ir
my mind. an felt like es eff | hain't
done jest fair by the ole oman, an
KEEP er thinkin'. an by gum, ther fust
thing | knowed I'd done ies' plum b
made up mer min ter git 'er err BIRTH
day gif. want ter s'prise 'er'
YES, and you want something real
nice, l supposed"
''That's what mister. Sumpin' rale
han some that'll kin'er make up fer all
them gifts what she didn't git. An
cont keer eff it costs er right smart,
nuther, fer Their ole 'Oman's been moutv
faithful all them years. an hain't
never kicked on dom Their feedin' an
gittin' in Their wood an shuckin' out
Their fodder in Their winter, an helpin'
in Their hay stackin' an sech like in
Their summer"
''Well, now. here is a nice dress
pattern that would suit first rate"
'.Thet's kin'er nice, stranger Whut
does it come at?''
Ten dollars"
Say, l reckon that wouldn't suit.
Yer see got 'er er caliker gowna las
fall. am
well, then, how is this wrap at eight
dollarsp"
won't do. guess. She's got err
shawl, an, asides, thet's leetle grain
MORN keer ter pay"
Here are a pair of slippers at five
dollars"
II reckon don't want them, nuther.
Els said, ther ole 'oman's been faith
full, an hain't never kicked agin keep
in up her eend o. Their work. an
want ter s'pise 'er with sumpin' rale
nice, but, yer see, don't want ter go
too high"
"Well, here is a pair of slippers at
two dollars. That's low enough, isn't
itp"
That's gittin' down some, but I'm
afeerd it's er leetle mite too high yit."
about how much are you willing to
pay?"
81 hain't going ter be perticler, mis-
ter, fer started out ter git sumpin'
nice, even if it does come pooty well
up, but | wanter be a leetle keerful.
Lem'me see, what does them thar ban
banners come at?"
ssTen cents"