Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-04-22
A TALE OF A SALE.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

YNG7 RS. MASON is what we call in
JkMl in our village "a character"
and as such dearly love
chat with her when she is In the hui
NOR to be drawn out. The other af-
ternoon l called to remind her of the
annual rummage sale. She is regu-
lar purchaser, but prldlng herself on
possession Of judicial mind, she does
not feel at all called upon to approve
in the abstract of Institutions in whose
benefits she Is quite ready to partici-
rate.
"Roomage sales? don't hold with
'em! call 1t a-nisultin' of the AL
mighty. the gentry offering Him their
CASTOR clothes and what notv' she
said tartly. "Teck my word for t,
the gentry gets their fun out o. them
sales same as bazars, and times they
gets the best bargains. too"
II don't see how that can be-" said:
'the gentry don't buy at rummage
sales."
Don't they?" she chuckled. much
you know about 1t. The best bargain
ever I seed was got at rumnage
sale. Sit zee down, and donnut fidget
wi yer chair. and I'll tell zee how 1t
cum about. Twas worth half-a-soy-
ereign to me.
II was slip Of girl. in sarvice at
Squoire Hargreaves. at the hall. Well,
they had a guverness there for the
children; a tall, handsome lass she was,
as proud as IL she was duchess.
Her father had been what they call
a millionaire, but he lost all his money,
and the daughter. who had been to
college and was great schollard. went
ont to help earn living for the family.
BEFORE that she'd been engaged to be
married, but 1t was broken Off when her
father lost his money.
well, one day I was cleaning the
outside windows of the schoolroom
when Mrs. Hargreayes comes in, and,
Miss Alwyn,' says she, ! want you to
help the wears daughter, Miss Rogers,
at the roomage SALE So Miss Alwyn
said she would.
ION the days Of the sale, Mary, the
housemaid, told me she'd asked Miss
Alwyn for any of her old things to send
to the parish hall. Miss Alwyn Just
looked up, and said:
well, Mary, you can take
what's hanging on. the end peg in my
room; have nothing else l could
spare"
..There was a pink frock as fitted
Mary and lavender muslin gown.
Mary said, there's a mistake.
Miss Alwyn's always Kept that put by
so careful in her drawer, with sprigs
of rosemary between; she don't mean
that
..But Mary wouldn't listen. She'd set
her heart on the lavender gown and
took 1t down to the parish hall herself.
for we two servants had holiday for
the afternoon.
MARY took the dresses to Miss Rog-
ers' stall and got them priced. She
bought the pink one, but the lavender
was too dear. 4 can't think says Miss
Rogers, how anyone comes to send II.
It's quite Partisan creation
'.There was Mr.. Bartram M was
staying with the vicar standing by. and
he laughed. Let's see the creation, he
said; and then he looked startled.
Where did that come fromY he saws.
shortlike; and Miss Rogers said, from
Mrs. Hargreaves.' 'Hargreaves! don't
know such name! But 1t Is-it must
be the same gownp he muttered. Then
knew that he was Miss Alwyn's for.
mer young gentleman and what Mary
had done.
.AIr. Bartram tried to turn Off all the
seriousness Of the joke. Look here! he
says, that's too smart gown for your
village folk. In the interests of paro-
chial morality, l want to buy it!'
$50 he paid the price and went on
without seeing the other stalls.
Presently Miss Rogers, as was keep
ing the stall, wanted to go away for
( something, and asked me to keep an
eye on things. Miss Alwan had sold
her lot, and came round to see how we
was gettin' on.
.In moment she catches sight of
the gown, and-'Oh! she cries. NV
lavender dress! How came that here
must have 1t back; there has been a
mistake! So l told Mary, MISS says
1; but now it's sold 'Soldv she cries,
with her face as white as my apron.
mo matter. will buy 1t again. How
much was glven7' Two sovereigns.'
says /. She seemed bit set back at
that, but she pulled out her purse.
Fortunately 1 have as much she said.
Make 1t right for me, Betty And not
staying for by your leave!' she
catches up the gown and offs with II
hanging over her arm. ran after her