Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-01-03

fceni ~ Ftst n
Mrs. Cacklc sat up on tbe ii aoor
OF Meddlc & Mnturn's great store, her
si'kcn fiounccs ripping around her am
pc form, iii. bird-of- paradise plume on
her hat nodding, ms if to give extra sig
n'hcance to every word she spoke. Her
tan kid gloves. gli'ten;ns with many
buttons, were distendcd with rings; her
lace scarf was fastened with gaudy
diamond-sct bar, and her plump visa &C
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 Ruirord, who al
ways 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
loui in public places, and indulge in
all sorts of details, ''its for wedding
present. Lemucl gave me check for
hundred dollars, and told me TO buy
nice parlor carpet for his cousin, who is
to be married next month";
'AIr. Cacklc is always so generous, &"
smiled Miss Rufrord, whose new set of
false teeth made her smiles very smiling
indeed. "a hundred dollars did YOU
say, dcara That will buy a very nice
one, indced!'
at would" said Mrs. Cacklc, sif
was goose enough TO buy it. But !
don't mean to. Cackles only a man,
and men never do undcrstnn thinrs.
What do these out-in the. wilderness
people understand about carpcts' And
what do they want of the best gradcl
No, young man, l don't want any of
the dollar-and a quarter lines. That's
too high. Haven't yoa anything for
about dollar, or ninety cents. 1t
needn't be the very finest quality, tell
you. If spend fifty dollars on it,"
turning once more to Miss Rullord,
'itll he all that is necessary, and the
extra sum I'll invest in n new satin gown
for myself. lIa, la, hal Cacklc is so
very close with his check book that
now and then have to circumvcnt
him."
"You are so witty, DEAR" Uttered
Miss Ruifori.
Nothing under dollar and twelve
cents" shrily repeated Miss Cackle,
rs the salesman came back again. 81
couldn't think of paying that. Have
you no unstable patterns-nothing
that nobody else will buy1 l'E.}c people
that want this carp,t for arc dread
fully old-fashioncd, and never will
know the difference"
"Oh, my dear, you arc too funny!"
said Miss Rufford, behind her fan.
ave have one" hesitatcd the young
cicrk-'a scarlet ground, with i'm
mcnse olive green pineapplcs all over
it. We haven't sold yard off it.
| Everybody seems afraid of it, and I
don really think"
'Lct me see it," said Mrs. Cacklc,
promptly.
The porter presently wheeled up n
mammoth roll on hand barrow; the
clerk unfolded its hideous, glaring pro-
portions where, against scarlet
ground, some monster vegetable en- :
twined itself among impossible scrolls.
"You see, ma'am, it is quite unsala-
ble," said tho clerk. 'Mr. NIeddlc
was talking of donating it to the reccp-
ton room of the Blink and Doddlc
Orphan Asylum, at"
at is a little peculiar" said Mrs.
Cackle, eying it through her lorgnettc.
Quite-ahcm what should call an
art carpet"
ooh, my dear Louisal" gigglcd Miss
Rufford.
"But very striking" said Mrs.
Cacklc.
"Quite so, ma am" said the clerk,
coughing spasmodically behind his
pocket handkerchief.
"What will you let me take it fora"
said Mrs. Cackle, in business like
way.
Eighty cents, ma'am," said tho
clerk.
Say seventy five" spoke tho custo-
mer.
1--WE couldn't, indeed, ma am. I,
cost us more than that to import it,"
! "Pll take thirty yards" said Mrs.
cackle. "Let me see" Calculating OH
the fat tan colored fingers where the
rings bulged out so obtru,ively),
"naughts naught, eight times naught'.