The Republican journal., 1899-01-26
THE TEA-LADY.
BY LOUISE Il. BAKER.

N'A'Nt ~ s''H ~ "
igence.
THAT so?' quelied the station master
''Dave helped her out of the wagon"
THAT sop repeated the station mas
The she in question was no less per
sonage than Miss Emma Enrich, the tea
lady. Miss Enrich was young and good
looking, with soft brown hair, neatly
parted, and eyes that We're sweet and in
nocent, like the eyes of a child. She was
employed by large tea house to travel
around through country towns, introduce
ing certain kind OF tea-the best in the
market, of course; the rule being
that she remain three days at each
store from which the tea was hence
forth and forever to be sold. 1t was
in the stores that she set her table,
covering a portion of the counter with a
white cloth, beautiful to behold, and plac-
ing thereon the daintiest of tea services
Miss Enrich solicited the customers to
partake of her tea, smiling on everybody
and she also sold packages OF tea at rea-
sonable price. To each and every tea
drinker the tea-lady was pretty sure to
sell a trial package of her famous tea.
The advent of the lady at Harvest
was, however, the cause of considerable
lain ltflpuS " lltl diilNdI lHSlC
been talk, when she was up the valley of
Limestone. When therefore, in the course
OF a few days, the tea-lady, together with
her bag and baggage, the appurtenances
of the tea table making considerable bag
gage, was welcomed by Dave Kelly and
established in his store, the tongues wag
ged very freely.
For ages, as long. indeed, as many of
the Inhabitants could remember, there
had been war between the towns of Lime
stone and Harvest, situated tive miles
apart. The original reason of the war
was forgotten, but the warfare at all times
was fierce and bitter. When the Lime
ston baseball team whipped the Harvest
boys, the indignation OF the smaller town
swelled high; when Harvest carried off
first prize for its black horses at the coun-
ty fair, Limestone became sarcastic and
impeItinent. There were people in the
town of Harvest who wondered at Dave
Kelly letting the teal lady visit his store
when she had first gone to Limestone.
For other reasons, of a more serious
nature, more than a few of the Harvest
Inhabitants wondered at Dave Kelly.
While both Limestone and Harvest
were situated in a local option district,
it was we'll known fact that the right
eous law wnked at the back door liquor
business, and that the United States
license ostentatiously announced its
presence in the printed form conspicu-
ously pasted upon certain soap boxes in
certain cellars. To say the least, Dave
place for lady; yet the tea-lady arrived
on Thursday morning, and she was to
remain for three days.
stTpS - said Dava kally hluStarinU
outside the store; ''she's to be here for
three days. She was up at Limestone for
three days.
''And one of them days is Saturday
night, " said old Billy Stephens.
''She was up at Limestone for three
days. repeated the storekeeper.
Dave kelly's store was goods
one, and its owner was growing into a
rich man. The tea-lady admired the
store very much. She said, innocently
enough that it was better building
and carried larger stock than the store
at Limestone; and although this was DO
indisputable fact, she Immediately won
the respect of every citizen in Harvest.
''Ehe lady is charmed with the
town, said the blacksmith, coming out
from the store with a package of tea
''She's fixed things up mighty fine ON
the COUNTER
''Sbe saws she never did see such hills
as the folks have to climb up yonder at
Limestone" said a farmer, engaged in
unlocking horse. The farmer also
carried package of tea
did she call you to the counter to
drink" asked the blacksmith.
THAT was the way of it," answered
the farmer, with laugh. ''Td never
had 40 TO Hf
accord"
"Dave, he's tickled to death that the
tea-lady is pleased with the store,'' con
tinued the blacksmith. ''She says straight
out what she thinks.
''Sle's a perfect lady, said the far
mer, enthusiastically. eff | was Dave. -
he added, ''if L wouldn manage to put
her on the cars before Saturday night
''She was three days at Limestone
said the blacksmith
Those three days at Limestone proved
a wonderful argument in favor of the tea
lady remaining three days at Harvest,
even though one of the days was Satur-
day night.
Limestone ain t goin' to get ahead
of Harvest ag' in in hurry, if | can help
it, said Dave Kelly.
''In that Kelly is right was the uni
versal verdict.
When Saturday night arrived Dave Kelly
had considerable work to do The tea
lady had given it out that she wanted Har-
vest to beat Limestone, and the customers
were plentiful.
Ssh h-Ln' ordered Dawes muffled voice
outside the store. "There's to be no
swearin' around these premises. Remem-
Der there lady in the store.
''Cracky!' calculated a regular Sat
urday night customer, staring open
mouthed through the glass doors; ''ef she
amt started high-fyin festival, fer
Shore
''She's wantin' Harvest to beat Lime
stone,' explained the storekeeper, ''Git
in and sample her tea''
''She looks powerful like she is set
down in her home, Dave" said the sta
ton master; '"pon my honor she do
Watch how quick her hands air goin'.
swear eff she don't make purity picter
for Saturday night
''You' re right" assented Dave, grave
ly; 'she do make a purity picter for Satur-
day night. Iu be-
blessed, eh, Dave?" queried the sta
ton master.
"Blessed is good word,'' said Dave,
and he laughed.
But the store was a very strange region
even to its owner on that Saturday night.