The Van Buren press., 1896-04-04
THEY THAT MOURN.
aY SHAN r. BULLOCK.

y >
women carefully counting their little
stores Of silver, testing the coins with
their teeth, l1notting them tifmly IN red
pocket haAdkerchiefs. finally slowing
bhem away in their long. wide pockets
as cautiously as though every sixPenee
was a diamond. In the streets people
were leisurelg moving towards The
shops, where tills were rafting and
counters teeming, and trade. for lew
hours, iloalashing. after It's whole slT
days Of bilssfal stagnation.
A cart laden with butter, chiefly in
frlins, Issued fram the nlaTiet-yard
gate, man between the shafts, one at
either wheel, two pulling behind, all
noisilY endeagoring to keep rhe cart
from running amucl5 down hill into the
river. Close behind, ike chief mourners
after hearse. one might fancy, came
Tim KERN and Nan, his wife-a rat
tered, siow-footed couple, heavily bur-
dened with the big load Of their years,
white haired, both of them. and han
as graYhounds. Heavily they shHfied
along IN their clumsy boots. the han
with one arm across his back, the other
swinging IMPLY the woman holding
up her short with ono hand and gripping
with the ether the handle of a 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 hagglng. they had just re-
eeiged few most precious shiIlirgs.
F'ixedly they watched it. and mourn
fully they were bidding il last fare
well.
They passed through the gate, strag-
gled across the footpath, and silently
watched the 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. wonder, some
day, they don't break their neeles." He
wagged his head obviously; Nan tucked
up her skirt; the two turnds their faces
mp hill and set out to share their profits
with the shops. The butter was gone
and sorrow go with itl-'twas heart
break.
Tim KerIn's share of the profits was
a shining slxpenee, reluctantly zen
dered to him By Nan, his wife, who nov
walked a couple of steps behind him
with 18 pence shut tight in her hand
and the remainder of the butter money
| loniY shilling or two) tied fast Ia &
cotton bag and safely slowed away in
the neck Of her Insey-w oolsey dress
| ThreepenCe Of Tins sixpenee was t.
buy tobacco, a penny might go in thu
| purchase of a weekly new spaper. a pen
ny would buy q pair of swhangs'
/ (leather laeesl for his boots; the penny
remaining, when all those Injuries hac
been honestly paid for, would buy I
whole tgpsblerful of frothing porter
4 whole tumblerfal! At sight of It
with his minds eye, Tins lips dr1ec
and his feet went quicker over the cob
| blestones.
Mans lips were tight, her brow wrin
klcd. She was figuring. It would taxi
/ her to be powerfully cute to fill hel
basket with the things she wanted
tea, sugar, bacon, a herring for tn:
Sundays dinner, bit o. white bread
| and-and supposing there was penny
OF two over with knowing bargaining
/ there might bel, was it likely now tina
Mr.. Murphy, the draper, would let ne,
have a cheap yard of narrow, soilet
/ lace to go around the border of he
night caps. Twopencc might do, three
| pence would be sure to Aw, glor7
be to goodness! did aaybody ever hea
of such romanein', such extravaganza
/ sure it was running wild her wits were
Threepence for lace indeedl
A friend stepped from behind car
and caught Nan by the arm. What
was it pass a neighbor like that, Mrs
KERN would do? Pass her Guides
| friend, Mrs. Brady. as If she was mile
stone, and never pass the time of day
or tell how she sold her butter, or hoy
the world was using herself
"Och, och, Mrs. KERN" moaned Mrs
Brady, what have / done to ye, at all
at alp
Nan stopped and put out her hand
then volubly began explaining; sure
sorrow the sight of Mrs. Brady sh
| had seen; sure, size never passed
nsighbor without spanking; sure, 'twa
walkin' along romancin' she was, fig
urn in her head, seeing how far sh
4 could make the few shiilings 90. "AT
how are you. ma'am?' asked Nan, whe
! full pardon for her oversight had bee
| generously given and gratefully re
ceived. How are you, an all you
/ care p
Meanwhile, Tim, his sixpence hot
his palm, had taken a turn through tn
| throng Of the streets, had question:
| his neighbors about sales and price
gust "a though he were man of ston
ach and capital), had spelt out tn
| time on the big market-house clock a
he stood by the town pump listenin
/ 10 the hoarsc drone of ballad-singer
| and now, on the sidewalk Of Mai
street, stood dreamily looking throug
shop window at a pile of newspaper
which stood precariously among a
array Of tobacco pipes and sweet bor
ties. If he bought paper, Tim wa
thinking. he would have whole week
diversion o. nights; If he didn't bu
II. he would save the price Of anothe
tumblerful O. a heavy hand fell o
| his shoulder.
Hello, Thai" said mis- neighbor, Sha
Crogan: "havin' a wee squint at III
sugnr-sticks. Is il ye are2"