The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-11-24
AUNT ES.

10y ~ "a A4tthAO l. 4IoICllO. vi
Esther, l never quite remember which
She was somewhere near go years of age
though only her perfectly white hair be
trayed the fact. Her skin was delicate
n unwrinkled, her eyes sparkling an6
bright, and her teeth so firm, white an6
regular that n could not but pardon
her the almost apologize coquettishnes,
with which she frequently displayed
them.
She must have been very pretty in hel
youth-indeed, / may say she was pretty
still-and furthermore, with these de.
sirable characteristics was combined o
restless activity very unusual in one OF
her years. The lively eyes, the versatile
speech, the abrupt but significant move.
ments, the sprightly walk, all led to the
supposition that the brisk 60 year old
little woman had behind her a life OF
toll and persistent effort.
Such was the fact, for Aunt Els fol-
many years ha(4 kept a little shop. Had
kept? Nay, she still kept it and was as
tireless at her post as when any profit
was to be gained by it. That the profit
Was meager enough her long life of pow
erty attested, but she had been indie
pendent, never had besought a favor
from any Il and felt, to use her own
words, that a fair proportion of good
had been hers through life.
To induce her to dine with us once a
fortnight required the most pressing in.
vitation. She came then in her gray
wooden gown Summer and winter ii
was always the same), with little founces
on the skirt and snowy crimped rufles
at wrist and throat. She brought sweets
usually for the children to nibble, at
table was animated and gay, and when
one inquired how the business p~rospered
answered Cheerfully ''she believed it
went right we'll"
And this business" of Aunt Es'!
Twas conducted in a cellar-one Of
those damp, unhealthy Amsterdam eel
lars, where to your amazement you will
find tolerably clean stalls, and in the
windows of which you will see dis.
played fruits, shoes, fishing tackle,
cooperage materials and various COM
modities too numerous to mention.
In such a cellar lived Aunt Els and at
the anne time conducted a little station
cry shop. In order to reach this sumptu-
GUS abode, which was about the size of
a birdcage, II must descend 20 steps.
Then you saw a small-a very small
table, which answered the purpose Of a
counter, on which was displayed three
or four prints, about as many letter pa
per pads of different shades, an old glove
case containing steel pens, goose quilts
and cheap lead pencils, six bottles Of ink
and four tape measures. That was all.
At the end of the year the inventory of
receipts showed nothing to waste, but in
good months Aunt Els sometimes gained
a profit of - to Is gulden.
This shop in the evening was turned
into a dining room; at night it became
a bedchamber. The counter was her
dining table, ard ON the broad surface
of a chest, upon which q mattress was
laid, she slept.
In this subterranean chamber she had
lived 40 or nor years quite decently
and free from care, boarding her little
savings like a miser and looking hope
fully forward to the time when she and
the chosen of her heart should marry.
When IS years of age, Aunt Els an
nounced to the members of her family
that she had met the man of her choice.
Like herself, he was a small merchant
smaller. in fact, for whereas she pos
sessed a shop, a table and an old glove
case with steel pens, he possessed no
shop at all, unless that could be called a
shop which would close up and be con-
veniently carried under the arm.
Karl-that was his name-was a cigar
merchant, though not one of the whole
sale sort who draw their wares direct
from the plantations in Havana. His
walking shop consisted Of a box or
case in which once reposed superfine Re-
galias, but in which, not without inward
shame, henow packed for sale his three
penny cigars. His general stock amount
ed from 100 to 200, was sold tothe work
ing or lower classes, and it required two
weeks for their disposal.
'Tis customary in Holland, when the
engagement is sanctioned by the families
Of both parties, for the engagement to
continue from one to two years. Dur
ing that time the couple are free to come
and go as they will-unchaperoned, IN
protected, save by the good God who
smiles upon innocent love.
Though Karl's business. reflected Aunt
Els. was not as profitable as her own, yet
they would marry. The marriage would
be one of inclination" for they loved
each other. A marriage of convenience,
for their commercial and social posi-
tons were equal. And better than all
it would be a marriage founded on rea-
son, for not until they had conformity
laid by a sum sufficient to establish
themselves and their children in a COM
Portable home would they ma y.
Two thousand gulden! That was the
very least, she resolved, with which she
would venture into taking a larger shop.
Then the cigar and paper business would
be united, and the chest, no longer COM
PEELED to serve both as closet and bed
stead, could return to its original uses.
From the time of her betrothal and
this resolution a great change was noted
n NJ L -