The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-04
Miss .Jeweft's Shop.
By Susan TEAL Perry.)


When l was child and lived in Alba
ny, there was a small shop on north
Pearl street, which was a veritable won
derland TO all the children. 1t had but
one window, and that was only as large
as an ordinary dwelling house window,
but it was filed with things that were
arranged in such an attractive way that
there was scarcely any time I'm the day
that some childs face was not pressed
against the pane. After school hours
there was such a crowd OF children IN
front of it that IL was hard work 10 elbow
ones way through II.
Girls and boys of those days were very
much after the manner OF the girls and
boys OF these days. They played the
same games and liked the same things,
only some Of the toys were different IN
some respect from what they are now.
Take, for instance, the 'jOnted dolls
which Miss Jewett used TO string on a
cord and hang across the window. You
girls would call them very old-fashioned
looking. and they would be- You girls
would not care for them now that there
are so many more attractive dolls offered
for sale, but l would really like 20 see
one Of those jOinted dolls again il would
be like meeting with a dear old friend
had lost sight Of for years. These little
dolls were made of wood, and had high
Combs, painted yellow. on top Of their
heads, and all Of them had long earrings
in their ears. Miss Jewett used TO dress
them in clothes that would take off and
put on" because she knew little girls did
not care half as much for dolls whose
clothes are sewed on.
on another cord were hung a lire Of
picture books-"C0ck Robin and His Trag-
% D. fah oh
tear has fallen: Jack and the Bean
stalk" "The House That Jack Built"
and Little Dame Cromp." Then there
were tops and whips and marbles. be-
sides funny little wooden women standing
bv high. old-fashioned churns. and when
a crank was turned they pulled the dash
or M and down. and If cream was put in
the churn. and the crank was turned
long enough, and the little women whose
hands were wired on 10 the dasher, did
really bring the butter. Every little girl
was ambitious 10 own one OF those churns
and make her own butter when she had
party for her dolls and young friends.
But the best thing Miss Jewett had
for sale was her tafy candy. She made
n herself in the little room back Of the
sbop. where she lived all alone. There |
never was. in my estimation any taffy |
candy quite as good as Miss Jewett's. |
when we asked father or mother for |
a nennv to buy taffy at Miss Jewetts. we |
ala not get a small-sized penny like those |
Won children get now, but "A large. copper |
cent 4 cent had much more individual
itv and importance in those years than
If has now. 1t was before the age Of /
"nickels." \ copper cent bought quite
large paper Of taffy, more at Miss jew
ett,s shop than at any other, so her little
customers said Molasses candy was
made i'm braided sticks. and besides that
there were sticks Of Glove lemon, sassa-
fras peppermlnt, and cream, with pink |
cinnamon sticks. all arranged 10 be very |
effective. with their different cOlors, in
the class lars that stood in the window.
Miss .Iowett must have made pans and |
mans of taffy every day, for they were
niled IN on the counter ever so high I'm
The morning. and at night they had near
10 all disappeared. one never went into
the shop without smelling fresh tafy IN
process Of making
| can hear the sound OF mat little bell
on the door giving its peculiar ring even
now when | think how we used 10 go in
70 maj shon. Miss Jewett had no clerk,
so when anv one came in, the bell an
nounced a customer. and well remember
how she looked when she came out Of
that hack room, so full Of the mysteries
Of taffy making. doll dressing, and kite
building in kite time mo kite ever sail
ed I'D as high in the sun as MISS Jew
ett's" so the boys said. She was a tall,
angular woman, but had the kindest sort
of A look on her face. and smile mat
always won the children and made them
love her. She had such a mild, yet i'm
nrassive way Of talking to the boys II
she heard them quarrelling or saying bad
words. We always felt that Miss Jewett
was very. very good person who would
49, do wrong for anything. other
storekeepers might cheat us. but Miss
Iewett never. Instead OF giving under
weight. she always gave little over;
our childish eyes watched eagerly the
EXTRA piece Of taffy she was sure 20 throw
into the scale after the weights were
evenly balanced.
on one corner of the counter there was
, nile OF little books-"The Pilgrims Pro-
yress as arranged for children" They |
we're prettily bound books. and Miss jew
.tt sold them very low, because she want
"A every child to read The Pilgrims
Progress" our fathers and mothers used
10 buy a copy for our birthday or Christ
mas stocking. We thought there was no
nook ike "The Pilgrims Progress" ] am
,fraid the children OF this generation DO
not road that wonderful book thor
,uehlv as we did. My first copy OF
Pilgrims Progress" came from
Miss Jewett's counter.
A few days ago read book on Bun