Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-07-22
WILLIAMS SPREE
By Aouise Boynton.
NTnLIAM PLUMBER was walking

WILLIAM PLUMBER was walking
wv up the village street on his way
home from the corner. In one hand he
carried small parcel done up in brown
paper. With the other, which was in
his pocket, he jingled the remainder of
his weeks earnings. This sum he in
tended to give to Melissa his wife to lay
by.
His face was thin and cadaverous.
His clothes, though respectable, were
neither new nor of very recent cut.
He went at a sober, plodding gait, and
one hand was always in his pocket. He
had the reputation of being very close.
His eyes alone contradicted the general
expression of his lean aspect. They
were blue, childEke. mildly curious,
and kind.
Williams homeward way led him past
HulPs, a recent acquisition to Centre
vile. A solid front glass, brilliantly
lighted, displayed the whole interior of
the store to the enraptured gaze of the
street. On the left side was show
case In which was exhibited distract
Ing array of candies and frosted cakes.
On the right a marble soda fountain,
running the whole length of the coun-
ter, was gorgeous with silver-plated
knobs and spigots. 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
It was believed that Hulrs was as
fine an establishment as any to be found
In the city. But opinions were divided
as to the durability of such a place.
Some denounced it as tending to levity
and extravaganza; others maintained
that it was powerful rival of the liquor
stores, and therefore to be encouraged.
William had no opinion either way.
He always passed Hull's with gaze of
grave, impersonal curiosity. He looked
at the gay windows and the glories with
in, not as he would have looked at a
quarter of a basket of Seeding potatoes,
but rather as the tourist regards the
Doge's palace. 1t was spectacle out
side the beat of his possible experience.
On this occasion, however, he was
greeted jovially by 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, slouching form, the infnitesi-
NAL package that represented his weeks
marketing, the hand in his trousers
pocket, tenderly jingling his remaining
silver pieces and coppers, all these ad-
vertised with beautiful unanimity VIII
liam's weak point. The boys assaulted
1t forthwith.
Hello, Plumber! come in and treat
u.s. said Bob Fislle, the tallest and most
influential of the group. The others
echoed the cheerful invitation. and they
all began to crowd around their victim,
pressing him to remain and be their
host.
William gazed from one grinning face
to another without the least resent
ment. Not tonight" said he, soberly.
ST haven't time to STOP" And he plodded
on into the darkness.
Such passive game was tacitly voted
mo fun;" the boys instantly found
something else to engage their atten-
ton. but to William the little Incl
dent was of much Importance. 1t was
not often that anyone asked him for
anything, even in joke. He was not
disliked or avoided, exactly. but his
reputation for cloSeness set him apart
from his neighbors. No one ever APP
preached him with subscription list,
or tried to sell him tickets for ladies'
aid entertainment, or suggested his con- |
tributing towards dressing gown for |
the minister. He and his wife were as |
much apart from the mild sociability |
and nsighborliness of the village life as
~ tkeir little farm had been in Hindo- |
stan.
And yet William was not parsimoni-
GUS by nature. Early training and ne
cessity had made him economical, and /
had fostered his saving