The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-05-24
OLD CLOTHES.

out TO breakfast one morning. 'Tve
taken bad money, and no more know
from whom than know the Koran.
And what is more" added Mr.. Patti
pan, 81 shall offer it to some one if /
carry it about with me, and get into
difficulties. I'll leave it 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 regions vaguely spoken of as
''down- town. and Mrs. Pattipan
looked at the counterfeit note, and in
order that she might not mako some
mistake herself tore it across the mid die
before thro wing it back into the china
bowl.
'Mr. Pattipan never observed suffi-
GENTLY" she said to herself. :.His or :
'gans of reflection are large, but his Or
gans of observation are small"
Mrs. Pattipan had studied phreA0logy
in her youth, when it was fashionable
to do SO, and lad habit of attri buting
peoples virtues or failings to their
bumps. Then she went about her
household duties, ordered the dinner,
scolded the servant, arranged her bu-
reau drawers and attended to Mr.. Patti
pans blttons, and in the middle of
this task heard the door, bell ring. 1t
rang twice without being answered.
cook and Sara Jane being in deep
quarrel, occasioned by the reproo is of
their mi:tress-so Mrs. Pattipan, hay
peeped over the ballustrades 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 little old fellow with a benevolent
smile, who pushed his basket into the
door as an entering wedge, and said
very softly and tenderly and with per-
suasive waves of his hand from the
cheek outward:
'Laty-dear laty-a-me- able laty,
will you not exchange some ole clo'es
which are of no goot, for SONS elegant
new vases wien will make you always
some pleasure ven you look at dem?
Elegant vases! Oh, you shall see DEM"
NO" said Mrs. Pattipan, "no,
think not"
But the woman who celebrates with
an old clothes man at the door is lost.
The basket wedged itself further in.
ut viii cost noding do look at dem,"
faid the old clothes vender. 1t will be
a pleasure and cost noding."
Very we'll" said Mrs. Pattipan, al
don't really promise, you know; YOU
never give much for the clothes. /
think your acquisitiveness is more large
iy developed than your bcncvolencc.
Seems to me so, looking at YOU"
MADAME is very good" said the
old clothes man, waving from him the
compliment he fancied lie had received.
l go in-danls."
lie entered the parlor. Mrs. Patti.
pan rested herself on chair near the
window, and the old clothes ex-
hibited his stock of common vases. at
which Mrs. Pa;tipan looked contempt
uou,ly.
Finally regarding her with an acute
eye the clothes man restored all these to
his basket, and saying:
mo, desc are not to madamc's SUI
pcrior taste" put his hand in his pocket
and drew forth little ornament of
very beautiful CHINA Cupid with a
butterfly on its shoulder. 'Zerc." he
said, spreading both hands abroad.
low about zis.'
"Well,' said Mrs. Pattipan, 'fhis is
lovely"
''And zerc is no more; e come from
Paris. said the old clothes. man.