The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-03-19
THEY THAT MOURN.
BY SHAN f. BULLOCK

haggle. In corners and quiet spots of
the big market yard you saw men and
women carefully counting their little
stores of silver, testing the coins with
their teeth, knotting them firmly in re d
pocket handkerchiefs, finally slowing
them away in their long, wide pockets
as cautiously as though every siXpence
was diamond. In the streets people
were leisurely moving towards the
shops, where tills were rafting and
counters teeming, and trade, for few
hours, flourishlng, after its whole six
days OF bilssful stagnation.
A cart laden with butter, chiefly in
Ifirltins, issued from the market-yard
gate, Il man between the shafts, one at
either wheel, two pulling behind, all
inoisily Cndeayoring to keep the cart
from running amucl down hill into the
river. Close behind, like chief mourncrs
after hearse, one might fancy, came
Tim KERN and Nan, his wife-a bat
tered, slow-footed couple, heavily bur
Idened with the big load of their years,
white haired, both of them, and lean
Jas grayhounds. Heavily they shuf1ed
along i'll their clumsy boots; the man
with one aim across his back, the other
swinging Imply; the woman holding
up her skirt with one hand and gripping
with the other the handle of a big,
empty basket; both looking over the
itail-board of the cart at the few pounds
of butter for which they had shaved
hard for weeks, and for which, after
hours of haggling, they had just re-
ceived few most precious shillings
FiXedly they watched it. and mourn
fully they were bidding it a last fare
well
They passed through the gate, stray
gled across the footpath, and silently
watched the cart zigzag down the street,
run presently along the curb, and, amid
great shouting, discharge it's contents
into the packing house.
Faith" said Tim across his shoulder,
" twas cliyerly done. l wonder, some
day, they don't break their necks." He
wagged his head obviously; Nan tucked
up her skirt; the two turned their faces
up hill and set out to share their profits
with the shops. The butter was gone,
and sorrow go with it!-'twas a heart
break
Tim kcrin's share of The profits was
a shining slXpenCe, reluctantly ten
dered TO him by Nan, his wife, who now
walked a couple of steps behind him,
with is pence shut tight in her hand
and the remainder Of the butter money
tInnIAr q Sh;iIinn =.
cotton bag and safely slowed away in
the neck of her linsey-w ooIsey dress
ThreepenCC of Tins siXpence was to
buy tobacco, penny might go in the
purchase of weekly newspaper, a pen.
ny would buy a pair of "whangs"
Qcather laces) for his boots; the penny
remaining, when all those luxuries had
been honestly paid for, would buy a
whole tunblerful of frothing rortcr.
A whole tumblerful! At sight of it,
with his minds eye, Tins lips dried
and his feet went quicker over the cob
blestones.
Mans lips were tight, her brow wrin-
klcd. She was figuring. 1t would take
her to be powerfully cute to fill her
basket with the things she wanted;
tea, sugar, bacon, herring for the
Sundays dinner, a bit O. white bread,
ahd-and supposing there was penny
or two over with Knowing bargaining
there might bel, was it likely now that
MIR. Murphy, the draper, would let her
have cheap yard of narrow, soiled
lace to go around the border of her
night caps. Twopencc might do, three
pence would be sure to Aw, glory
be to goodness! did anybody ever hear
OF such romancin', such extravaganza ;
sure it was running wild her wits were!
Threepence for lace indeed!
a friend stepped from behind cart
and caught Nan by the arm. What,
was it pass a neighbor like that, Mrs.
KERN would do? Pass her ouldest
friend, Mrs. Brady, as if she was nile
stone, and never pass the time of day,
or tell how she sold her butter, or how
the world was using herself!
Och, och, Mrs. KERN" moaned Mrs.
Brady, what have | done to We, at all,
ut all?"
Nan stopped and put out her hand,
then volubly began explaining; sure,
sorrow the sight of Mrs. Brady she
had seen; sure, she never passed a
neighbor without spanking; sure, twas
walkin' along romancin' she was, fig
urn in her head, seeing how far she
could make the few shillings go. AN
how are you, MAJ m?' asked Nan, when
full pardon for her oversight had been
generously given and gratefully re-
ccived. "How are you, an all your
care?"
Meanwhile, Tim, his sixpence hot in
his palm, had taken turn through the
throng of the streets, had questioned
his neighbors about sales and prices
Gust as though he were a man of stom-
nch and capitaD, had spelt out the
time on the big market-house clock as
he stood by the town pump listening
to the hoarsc drone of ballad-singer;
and now, on the sidewalk of Main
street, stood dreamily looking through
Il shop window at pile of newspapers
which stood precariously among an
array of tobacco pipes and sweet bot
ties. If he bought u paper, Tim was
thinking, he would have whole week S
diversion o. nights; if he didn't buy