The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1897-07-28
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. WILLIAMS SPREE. !
BY louise Boynton.
,>e~o>o~es~e>e>e>S

WILLIAM PLUMBER was walking
w 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 cadaycrous.
His clothes, though respectable, were
neither new nor of very recent cut.
He went at 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, childlike, mildly curious,
and kind.
Williams homeward way led him past
Hulrs, 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 a 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.
1t was believed that Hulfs 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
quarter of basket of Seeding potatoes,
but rather as the tourist regards the
Doges palace. 1t was spectacle out
side the beat of his possible experience.
On this occasion, however, he was
y
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 Will
liam's weak point. The boys assailed
it forthwith.
Hello, Plumber! come in and treat
u.s." said Bob Fiske, 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.
II 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
d1sliked or avoided, exactly, but his
reputation for closeness set him apart
from his neighbors. No one ever APP
DfOlNha6 vxit nj or
or tried to sell him tickets for ladies'
AID entertainment. or suggested his con-
fributing towards dressing gown for
the minister. He and his wife were as
much apart from the mild sociability
and neighborliness of the village life as
II their 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
circumstances had fostered his saving
turn. His wife was prudent and thrifty;
tney had no children, and their wants
We're few. To LAY by" therefore, day
after day, week by week, year in and
year out, had become the working n.y.
pothesis Of both their lives. Chief
OF their simple diversions was the
counting of their store and studying
ways to increase 1t. No other scheme
OF life had ever occurred to either Of
them.
But tonight an altruistic impulse be-
gan vaguely to agitate the gray matter
oI Williams brain. why shouldn't l
treat themY he said to himself, in an
experimental way. The thought grew
familiar and even pleasant as he walked