Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-04-14
THEY THAT MOURN.
BY SHAN F. BULLOCK.

the big nGrketyard you saw men and
women carefully counting their little
stores of silver, testing the coins with
their teeth, knotting them firmly in re
pocket handkerchiefs, finally slowing
them away in their long, wide pockets
as cautiously as though every sixpencc
was diamond. In the streets people
were leisurely moving towards the
shops, where tills were rafting and
counters teeming, and trade, for few
hours, fourishing, after its whole six
days of blissful stagnation.
cart laden with butter, chiefly in
firkins, issued from the market-yard
gate, man between the shafts, one at
either wheel, two pulling behind, all
noisily endeavoring to keep the cart
from running amuck down hill into the
river. Close behind, like chief mour1&fs
after hearse, one might fancy, came
Tim KERN and Nan, his wife-a bat
tered, slow-footed couple, heavily bur-
dened with the big load Of their years,
white haired, both of them, and lean
as grayhounds. Heavily they shuffled
along in their clumsy boots; the man
with one ann across his back, the other
swinging Imply; the woman holding
up her slsirtwith one hand and gripping
| with the other the handle of big,
empty basket; both looking over the
tail-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 thry were bidding it last fare
well.
| They passed through the gate, stray
gled across the footpath, and silently
watched tile cart zigzag down the street,
run presently along the curb, and, amid
great shouting, discharge its contents
into the packing house.
Faith" said Tim across his shoulder.
"'twas cliverly done. 1 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 heart.
| break.
Tim Kcrin's share of The profits was
shining siXpence, reluctantly ten.
dered to him by Nan, his wife, who now
walked couple of steps behind him,
with 1s pence shut tight in her hand
ana the remainder of the butter moncy
(only shilling or two) tied fast in a
cotton bag and safely slowed away in
the neck of her linsey-woolsey dress
Threepeneo of Tins sixpence was to
buy tobacco. penny might go in the
purchase of weekly newspaper, pen.
ny would buy pair of "whangs"
Qeather laces) for his boots; the penny
remaining, when all those luxuries had
been honestly paid for, would buy
whole tumblerful of frothing porter.
A whole tumb,erful! at sight of it.
with his minds eye, Tins lips dried
and his feet went quicker over the cob.
blestones.
Mans lips We're 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, bit o. white bread.
and-and surprising there was penny
or two over with knowing bargaining
there might be), was it likely now that
MIR. Murphy, the draper, would let her
have q 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 goodnessl did anybody ever hear
OF such romancin', such extravaganza:
sure 1T 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, us 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. Kerin," moaned Mrs.
Brady, what have done to we, at all,
at 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
neighbor without spalling; cure, twas
waikiki along romancin' she was, fig.
urn in her head, seeing how far she
could make the few shillings go. "An'
how are you, ma'nm?" 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
(Jnst as though he were man of stom-
ach and capitaD, had spelt out the
time on the big mnrlet-house clock US
he stood by the town pump listening
to the hoarsc drone of IL ballad-singer;
and now, on the sidewalk of Main
street. stood dreamily looking through
shop window at pile of newspapers
which stood precariously among an
array of tobacco pipes and sweet bot
ties. If he bought paper, Tim was
thinking, he would have whole weeks
diversion O. nights; if he didn't buy
1t. he would save the price of another
tumblerful o. A heavy hand fell on
his shoulder.
Hello, Tim!" said his neighbor. Shan
Crogan; Shawn wee squirt at the
sngar-sticks, is it We are?"
Jaw ay," answered Tim. turning:
Jaw ay! I was just lookin' at the pa
pers there, an wonderful what an ojus
lot o. news they give us nowadays for
o penny. Enough TO keep one goin' for
week.
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