River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-07-29
WILLIAMS SPREE.
BY house Boynton.
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wv up the village street on his way
home from the corner. In one hand he
carried a small parcel done up in brown
paper. With the other. which was in
his pocket, be jiugled the remainder of
his weeks earnings. This sum he in
tended to give TO Melissa his wife to lay
by.
Ills face was thin and cadavcrous.
His clothes, though respectable, were
neither new nor of a very recent cut.
lie went at a sober. plodding gait, and
one hand was always in his pocket. He
had the reputation Of being very close.
Ills eyes alone contradicted the general
expression Of his lean aspect. They
were blue. chiIdlike. mildly curious.
and kind.
Williams homeward way led him past
IuI's. a recent acquisition TO Centre
vile. \ solid front glass, brilliantly
lighted. displayed he whole interior of
the store to the enraptured gaze of the
street. On the left side was a show
ease in which was exhibited a distract
ing array Of candies and frosted cakes.
Ga the right a marble soda fountain,
running the whole length OF the cOun-
ter. was gorgeous with silver-plated
knobs and ;, igots. Pure fruit juices
and ice cream were offered. Seats were
placed for customers along the front of
the counter and there were silver
plated holders for the glasses.
1t was believed that Hu,rs was as
fine an establishment as any 10 be found
in the city But opinions were divided
as to the durability of such a place.
Some denounced il as tending to levity
aud extravaganza; others maintained
That IL was powerful rival of the liquor
stores. and therefore TO be encouraged.
William had no opinion either way.
lie always passed HulI's with a gaze of
grave. impersonal curiosity. lie locked
"a the gay windows and the glories with
in. not as he would have looked at a
quarter of basket Of Seeding potatoes.
but rather as the tourist regards the
noge's palace. II was a spectacle out
side the beat IT his possible experience.
On this occasion. however. he was
greeted juyially 10y . group of young fell
lows who were hanging about the door.
They were lively, idle youths. with no
object in life but the vague design of
amusing themselves. and they eyed
William with considerable glee. The
meager, sIouching form. the ininitesi-
NAL package that represented his weeks
marketing. the hand in his trousers
pocket, teuderly jingIing his remaining
silver pieces and cOpVers, all these ad
vertised with beautiful uuanimi'y VII
liam's weak point. The boys assailed
il forthwith.
Hello. T. mber, come I'm and treat
us said Bob Fiske. the taIIest and most
influential OF the group The others
echoed the Cheerful. Invitation, AMI they
all b. gan To crowd around their victim.
pressing him TO remain and be their
host.
William gazed from one griuning face
10 another without the least resent
meut. Not tonight" said he, soberIy.
Haven't time to stop" And he Plodded
on INTO the darkness.
such passive game was tacitly voted
mo fuu;" the boys instantly found
something else TO engage their atten-
tjou: but To William the little mel
dent was Of much Importance. Il was
not often tha. anyone asked him for
anything. even in joke. lie was not
iisIiked or avoided, exactly. but his
reputation for clOsencSs set him apart
rom his ncighbOrs. No one ever ap-
preached him with a subscription list.
5r tried 10 sell him tickets for a ladies'
aid entertainment. or suggested his con
IA
the minister. lie and his wife were as
much apart from the mild sociability
and neighborIiness Of the village life as
II their little farm had been in IIindo-
stan.
And yet William was not parSim1ni-
Gus by nature. Early training and ne
CesSity had made him economical. aud
circumstances had fosteTed his saving
turn Ills wife was prudent and thrifty:
they had no children. and their wants
were few To lay by." therefore. DAY
after day, week by week. year in and
year out. had become the working nv
pothesis of both their lives. Chief
Of their simple diversions was the
counting Of their store and STUDYING
ways To increase IL. No other scheme
81 life bad ever occurred 10 either OF
them.
But tonight an aitruistic impulse be-
gan vaguely To agitate the gray matter
IF Williams brain. Why shouldn't 1
treat them2" he said 10 himself. in an
experimental way. The thought grew
familiar and even pleasant as he walked
along. by the time ne had reached
the turning. his mental processes
brought him 20 fun stop. 1T NAV
take rs much as two or three dollars"
lie reflected. but III do il. I declare 1
will"
He turned back. The gilded youth
of Centrevillc. roosting on the railing
in front Of Hull's. were a good deal
surprised when Williams gaunt dglIre
appeared again in their midst.
Look here, boys" he said. slowly.
His face was luminous with the light OF
heroic resolve. i've made up my mind
10 treat you"
THE deuce you navel
''Great ScOtt!"