Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-03-24
A DOUBLE DEAL.

"A ~ " ~ A%-A@A4 ~ ->~~A
When the cid peddler came to the
door with those extremely pretty vases
Mrs Christy felt that they were the
very things that she wanted in her
spare bedroom, and so, instead of say
ing "No!' when he politely requested
her to see if she had any "old clothes
to change for some splendid vases, she
allowed him to come in and sit down
while she went up stairs to rummage
and camedown with some old garments
of her husbands and a shawl of her
own, which certainly she never should
wear again, unless it was Mt night, for
it was a fashion which went out before
she was married.
1t came to her mind that she was
foolish to leave stranger alone SO long,
but the old man was sitting quietly
where she had left him, and looked so
much like a benevolent old patriarch
that she was ashamed of remembering
that the spoons were in the pantry and
the pantry unlocked. However. he was
quite worldly enough to drive hard
bargain, and to the coat, vest and shawl
she had to add gown that might very
well have been worn often again.
However, it was not ready money,
and she felt that the vases-good imita-
tons of very costly ones-were lovely.
She carried them into the spare room,
and they made the mantelpiece quite a
different thing. Returning to the din
ing room, however, shock awaited
her. Her husbands overcoat, which he
had unwisely left at home that day, be-
cause it was unusually warm, was gone
from its peg on the hall rack, and,
opening the pantry door, she saw that
the spoons were gone with it. They
were only plated, but no one likes tc
lose anything in that way. Besides. she
felt greatly to blame for it..
The old man had been gone a long
while. and, though she sent messen'
ger for police officer, he gave no hope
of catching the thief or of getting the
things back
"Was there nothing else gomez" the
man asked.
Mrs. Christy looked about her and
discovered one thing more-a forged FL
note. She had it given to her by somt
one year before. and she found that
it was worthless and had writer
across the back, "This is counter
felt" and added her name, and some
how she kept it in her workbasket.
The old man had spied it with hi
glstening black eyes and had helped
himself to it.
"At all events, he can't pass it, ,
laughed Mrs. Christy. II feel littl'
conscled when remember how provok
ed he will be.
Hell pass it somehow, said thu
policeman as he walked away. promis
ing to report the case.
But Mrs Christy. when she remem
bered that the overcoat that had beer
stolen was worth eS and the plated
spoons at least 81. found it necessar.
to 20 to her own room and have a goot
cry. 1t was not SO much the value O
the lost articles as the feeling that j
was her fault, and that her HUSBAND
might possibly so far forget himself a
to tell her So At all events, she woul'
lose a little of that fine character TO
good sense with which, to her grea
satisfaction, he had endowed her.
The day did not pass very pleasant
ly. Callers came and she could not hell
telling her story. but it was a joke t.
the best intentioned among them, ant
as the dinner hour approached she fel
very much indeed like running away.
However. of course. she was obliged
to stay. Her daughters were paying
visit to some cousin. and there was n
one else to preside at table. Besides
she could only have put off the evil mo
ment. She went up stairs and got on
some spoons she kept in reserve ant
waited for the impending moment Sh
hoped that her husband would. at least
be in good humor, and not-as whe
things went wrong with nina littl
cross.
Mr.. Christy, however, returned tina
evening in high good humor. Moreover
he had an overcoat upon his arm. Coul
it be that he had come back for it, afte
all, and the theft had been limited t
the spoons and the counterfeit ban
note2
II thought you went without you
coat. she said. with little rejoicetg
leap of the heart. as she seemed to recoe
nize the garment by it's form and colol
! But Mr.. Christy laughed:
! $50 did. he said. $50 did. Nc
this is q new coat. bought 1t for Wi
liam. Ny son William Is as tall as
am and nearly as stout, and this fit
me snugly-snugly. / came across it i
a queer way. It is quite bargain. 70
see, it looks entirely new"
Eyes. it certainly does" said Mr.!
Christy. land exactly like yours. tot
dear. Aren't you jesting2"
mo. no. no. said her spouse. "Yo
snow only bought mine week ag'
presume it is the newest style, an
William has none yet. He means to g
cheaper one. So today, while W,
in the Office, in walked an old man
veritable old gentleman.
"'Sir. says he. 4 am man vi
does not find himself getting on we
and am forced to try going about amor
the gentlemen. I am tailor. ha,
made an expensive overcoat for gel
tleman. Ten pounds was the price, al
he did not pay me. So when he had
on his back one day l said, "Sir, pr
me-" And he said, 'You wait until
am. ready"
| "rvry we'll sir ! viii writ. But