The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-04-12
OLD CLOTHES.


from whom than know the Koran. And
what is more" added Mr.. Patdpan, 'I
shall offer it to some one if l carry it
about with me, and get into difficulties.
I'll leave il here
He put it into the china bowl full Of
visiting cards that stood on a table in the
corner of his wife's parlor as he spoke,
kissed her, and took his way to those re-
gions vaguely spoken of as down town"
and Mrs. Pattipan looked at the counter.
felt note, and in order that she might not
make some mistake herself tore it across
the middle before throwing it back into
the china bowl.
"Mr. Pattipan never observes sufficient
ly," she said to herself. "His organs of
reflection are large, but his organs of OBJ
servation are small.
Mrs. Pattipan had studied phrenology
in her youth, when it was fashionable to
do SO, and had habit of attributing
peoples virtues or failings to their bumps.
Then she went about her household
duties, ordered the dinner. scolded the
servant, arranged her bureau drawers and
attended to Mr.. Pattipan's buttons, and
in the middle of this task heard the door
bell ring. 1t rang twice without being
answered-cook and Sara Jane being in
a deep quarrel, occasioned by the re-
proofs of their mistress-so Mrs. Patti
pan, having peeped over the balustrades
for some seconds, descended the stairs
and opened the door herself. Through
the glass she could see that it was only a
peddler of some sort, who would be sent
away at once, after which she would at
tend to the culprit below stairs.
AS she opened the door she saw upon
the steps without an old clothes man with
basket of china on his arm. A fat lit
tie old fellow with an immense nose and
benevolent smile, who pushed his bas-
ket into the door as an entering wedge,
and said very softly and tenderly and
with persuasive waves of his hand from
the cheek outward;
"Laty-dear laty-a-me-aible laty, will
you not exchange some ole clo'es which
are eof no goot for some elegant new vases
vich will make you always some pleasure
ven you look at dem2 Elegant vasesl Oh,
you shall see DEM"
ANO3 oatu WIS., oVeipdii3 hOs L nhhh
not"
But the woman who deliberates with
am old clothes man at the door is lost. The
basket wedged itself further in.
'It will cost noding to look at dem, y
said the old clothes vender. sit will be
a pleasure and cost noding"
"Very WE'LL" said Mrs. Pattipan, 81
don't really promise, you know; you never
give much for the clothes. think your
acquisitiveness is more largely developed
than your benevolence. Seems to me SO,
looking at you"
''Madame is very good" said the old
clothes man, waving from him the com
pliment he fancied he had received. 81
go in-danks"
He entered the parlor. Mrs. Pattipar
rested herself ON chair near the window
and the old clothes man exhibited his
stock of common vases, at which Mrs
Pattipan looked contemptuously.
Finally regarding her with am acute
eye the clothes man restored all these tc
his basket, and saying:
mo, desc are not to madame's superior
taste" put his hand in his pocket anC
drew forth a little ornament Of very beau
tiful china-a Cupid with butterfly OF
its shoulder. "Zere" he said, spreading
both hands abroad. Sow about zis2'
"Well, said Mrs. Pattipsn, "that i
lovely"
"And zere is no more; e come from
Paris, said the old clothes man.
"Oh, he is sweetf' said Mrs. Pattipan
"I'll see what have"
And upstairs she rushed, and gathering
from drawer and closet all the old panta
looms with baggy knees, and all the oil,
coats with frayed cuffs and greasy col
lars which were in the house, laid then
at the feet Of the clothes man.
But now it was the old mans turn t
be scornful.
''Zese ragsl Oh, madame not zese rag
for my lofely Cupid from Parisg"
sighed, reproachfully. Madame will fin
somezing else; she will not expect ze poo
old clo'es man to cheat himself. Madam
has some pretty silk dress-a cloak,
shawl-madame will seer
Madame, who could not give up tn
idea of possessing the Cupid, now tina
B I
again. She searched her drawers, he
wardrobe, but really she had nothing
Suddenly it occurred to her that she ha
a broche shawl and that she never wol
it. Shawls were out of fashion, and
she hated anything it was a shawl turne
into cloak. The thing would lie thel
useless for years, or she should give it
. Mr.. Pattipan's Aunt Jane. She woul
never wear it again, that was morall
certain. Why not buy the Cupid with il
She unfolded the shawl and felt an VI
! usual contempt for it, it looked so ol
fashioned. It had cost S25 when it va
4 bought, and was as good as ever; b'
4 what an ugly thingl Yes, she would d
q iti She carried It down stairs therefor
and the clothes man condescended to q
h cept it. However, he also put into h
= bag the old cloth garments,
II viii not leave zem about 10 troub
madame, he said; 81 viii oblige her
carrying zem away
Mrs. Pattipan returned to her parl'
n to adore her Cupid-certainly veI
4 lovely little being.
a ''How / admire itl It's my idealit
n and my form, suppose, she SAID b
coming chronological again. Il shou
7. have been an artist, having form al
i color 30 largely developed
n Then she placed it on the cabin
y shelves, and as she retired to distanC
D. 10 observe the general effect, saw thu
J. the counterfeit bill that she had throw
into the china bowl after tearing il aero
had vanished. The old clothes man ha
!. ttaken it-there could be no doubt Of tina
''But he was 50 acquisitive he cou
not Withstand temptation" said Mr.
PatGpan. "Well, hope he will NJ
pass it on some poor person, and / don
!. care II he gets himself into trouble-l
y deserves Il"
= At all events she had her lovely Cup
-how much better than an old sha'
that she detestedl Still, she would u
y rnauri,u fha old ahassrl ar the nnafa 70 III