The age-herald., 1898-04-09
SHORT STORIES
 OF THE TOWN.

One of the candidates in todays election | takes the view of Richard Harding Davis | in regard to a brass band being necessary | at elections. These two celebrities agree | that an election without a brass band is
 like being married at the mayors office in- | stead of being married with ushers and | bridesmaids and rice. This candidate is | of course, perfectly confident that the band l will play for his benefit "See the Conquer | ing Hero" He has everything quite his | own way, so he says. so his friends say | But for all this hilarious condition, he has
 sometimes grown blue over the situation He said the other day to his wife, My
 dear, if you had done the proper thing you
 would have gone out and solicited votes. l Women have a great influence, Some of | them are born politicians. They can be | great 1obyists." l "It would only have made matters | worse," she argued.
 l Don't put it that way" he pleaded. i Don't talk as if matters were bad. There is not the slightest doubt of my election, l but 1t would not have hurt anybody if you | had indulged in little lobying." | "O," she said, "how could think about lobying with your away, all the time. l
 do not ever know when will see you again | when you once leave the house. I will be l glad when it is all over If should ever marry again I am going to draw the line l at candidates. These campaigns are enough l to bring on nervous prostration. I am l afraid that your health will give way" Health? I have all the health that l want" he assured her.
 "Well," she said, 'I have done everything that could. I have kept fires going half | the night waiting for you to come in. I
 have had hot milk for you to drink when 1 you were worn out with politics" She | enumerated numberless little cheerful | things that had been done for his comfort. He had been talking for twelve hours and l he silently acquiesced. It was her faith | in him after all that was worth everything. | Yesterday she said to him: "You can l count on my sausage man, my vegetable
 man and my butter man." And the can
 didate came down town this morning con- l fident of three votes.
 l There has been great deal written about the Reconsideration which is fre- l quently shown the saleswomen in the va- rious shops. Two incidents occurred few | days ago in the furry of Easter shopping 1 that were of such a nature as to test the | disposition of an angel. Two women, out l on shopping tour were insisting on being l shown every fabric that was in sight, re- | gardles of price or shade. The obliging | young woman behind the counter brought various fabrics for inspection. They were slowly examined and thrown aside for l other things until the saleswoman was quite worn out. She had become student | of human nature through daily contact with | the world of feminine shoppers, and judged l correctly that these women were only kill | ing time. It was the girls luncheon hour l and they understood that she had re- mained to serve them. After diily -dallying | for an insufferable time, one said to the other: 'Well, it is not necessary for you l to decide in such hurry" ""That is true," responded the other, "I have all the after noon before me-" She proceeded in the most leisurely way to once more overhaul | the counter In one of the other depart ments a young saleswoman was going l through a. similar routine. She did not l-show the slightest impatience, although l. there were other shoppers awaiting their turn. Finally, one of the women said 10 I the one who was apparently the purchaser, 'I would not make her take another box. There is the greatest quantity here." "Oh. | said the other, with an indifferent glance at the saleswoman, that is what she is here for.'
 There are two old darlies who have been very much humiliated recently over a cer- tain notoriety that has been thrust upon them. They are darkies of the old school, and their family honor is something that is very sacred to them. They have fol- lowed faithfully the fortunes of their ''massa and missus," and although the present war talk has brought them some fears of return to slavery, they have had another cloud over them that has made the war rumors of small moment from their point of view. A financial issue confronted them. It was a silver issue at that. Among their modest possessions is a water pitcher heavily plated with silver. There was a demand made upon their slender purse and the nearest way out of the diff fculty was to soak the pitcher. It was the first time in their humble lives that their financial affairs had reached such a crisis. It was agreed between them that the transaction be done as quietly as pos sible. The "oIe missus'' would be mortified
 to death, was the unanimous verdict. The pitcher was accordingly one sad day taken
 down to a pawn shop. The old mammy waited quietly at home. After an hour or
 two of suspense she came to her "ole
 missus."
 "Dar's a p'liceman at de do',' she began.
 '-wot ses has ter cum an Identify Aaron.
 Dey has don gon' an rested him fer
 stealth silver pitcher and fo' de Lawd,
 ole missus, it's his'n. Sammy sont ter us
 fer som money and Aaron tux our silver
 pitcher to de pawn-shop to git som mo1ey
 on hit. We couldn't fuse Sammy, an he
 in troub'l, an we had don gon giv yo' and
 masas so much troubl we made hit up
 'twixt us not to say muffin bout hit to mo-
 body. An here's my ole man done got
 hissef rested an sont fer me to cum ter
 identify him." It was sad day for then
 About dusk they both came trudging homc-
 ward. They hal the pitcher.
 ''Dis pitche caus' me CT sight CT trub'l,"
 said the old man. "Tse lib ter be or an
 gray. rse mos got bof foots in de grave