Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-01-21
CHAPTER X.

After his DroAk1ast was nnlsneu "A l#
went into the store and began to loot
about in the light Of his position as
clerk, and dlmly realized that BIO knew
not where to find any particular thing
whatever, nor what price 10 ret upon il
when he did find 1t. As soon as he came
in ZOO Higgins Immediately numbered
off, leaving him to mind the store AT
first he occupied himself in looking
slyly into tempting cubby holes and cor
ners. and gingerly picking up one thing
and another, specializing oftentimes up.
on its possible use.
But he soon abandoned this prying OF
curiosity, and stood silently behind the
counter waiting for his customer About
5 o'clock he arrived, small boy Of 9,
who came into the store in such a way
that he seemed to have tumbled into
the middle Of the floor without Alec
knowing exactly how. On reflection Alec
concluded that he must have stumbled
over the doorstep. But when he had re-
covered himself, the little fellow stood
staring stupidity at Alec, as much as to
say, How in the world did you come
here?" Then suddenly he beat hasty
retreat, and a moment later dozen lit
tie faces might have been seen at the
door, peering curiously in to see the
strange white fellow behind the counter
whom everybody had heard Of the day
before. Fifteen minutes later a woman
appeared at the door. She was the moth
or Of the little boy. He had gone home
and told her that the white city swell
was standing behind the counter at the
store and Joe Higgins was nowhere to
be seen. 80 the woman, after scolding
her son for not getting the spool Of
thread she had sent him for, went her
self to zee what it all meant
After pausing moment at the door
she went in and stood supporting herself
by a hand on either hip, for she was de-
cidedly we'll favored-the boys said she
was fat
Joe Higgins amt about3" she In
CURED, looking toward Alec, but not
approaching him.
Mr.. Higgins is OUT replied the
young man. is there anything can
do for your"
II wanted a spool Of Burts &c." she
answered without moving, and looking
at Alec ~ il she very much doubted hie
understanding anything about the mat.
ter whatever. By this time the children,
little barefooted girls in short dresses
and boys with broad brimmed straw
hats which had quite lost their shapes
from various drenchings, had gathered
about the woman and were staring with
dumb, vacant faces.
Thread, did you say?" asked Alec,
catching at the word spool, for he did
not know what "Burt's 36" meant.
"Burt's &c." she replied glumly, and
Alec went to little case Of small draw
ers which seemed to contain thread.
After searching for some time in several
Of them he found spool of thread with
So on it, but it was black, and the wo'
man SAID II was Of a no count Cheap
make, anyway, that Joe Higgins kep
just to make money of Of she wanted
"Burt's.
At last he found what was wanted,
but he didn't know what the price wai
and spent some time looking over tie
spool for mark. The children saw
what he was searching for, and whe1
he turned to the woman and asked
lightly if she knew the price Of it the
children cried out in chorus, "Five
cents" for they had been aching to tel
him. He handed the spool to the WON
an and took the cents she held in hcl
hand. But as she didn't move he stoot
politely waiting for her. At last shs
held the spool out to him, saying:
Is'pose you re not too busy to wral
this up, are you"
The children Uttered, Aleo>blushed
and the woman walked away
At . the stage driver came lumbeript
up to the door and threw out the mail
bag for the mail to be changed. Mr.
Higgins Immediately came lumberil
into the store and started directly TO
his place behind the little barrier O
glass covered boxes, crying out to Ale
a. II he had always done it
Come, hustle that mailbag in here
We amt got over five hours to chang
that mail-in fact, we amt got iv
minutes II Michael catches the 10 ~
train.
Alec brought the mailbag and he'll
II open while the postmaster clumsil,
and slowly unfastened and fastene'
again the packets Of mail and thel
tossed them into the open bag, AT tn
last moment 'Lisbeth came hurrying in
and with few deft movements put ev
erythinQ to rights, locked the mailba
and herself handed 1t over the counte
to the waiting Michael, who caught it
threw it on to the stage and in me
ment was driving madly away to cate
the train.
By this time half dozen men wer
standing about the store, many OF whor
were among the loafers Of the evenin
before. They stared at Alec, and Ale
lowered his eyes, for he knew what the
were thinking about, and be was think
ing Of the same thing. Mr.. Higgins wa
I IL