The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1909-04-07
No Longer for Sale

duCNAlOh at a Ahuip6Nhs bNNh
case.
Il can't imagine" she remarked
to her visitor why | ever thought ]
wanted to sell that! 1t would be
now. l have the tender protecting
feeling toward that case that I'd
have toward a crippled child! It's
been browbeaten and snubbad all
shifted at ever since | put the notice
in the paper inviting an anxious pub-
lie to come and purchase 1t. | didn
specify that 1t was mahogany.
Just said 1t was sectional.
For days afterward entertained
the populace. 1t began ringing the
bell while the newspapers were still
damp from the presses. 1t seemed
that most of the population Of Chi
cago had been sitting up nights for
& holding its head or wringing its
hands waiting for a notice to appear
saying that some one had n book
case for sale and in its relief ana
Joy at the appearance of the notice
It couldn't get to me fast enough.
"A genial gentleman and his sec
ond wife were the first. | knew she
was his second because she said 1t
was so hard to keep furniture look
ing decent with a boy rampaging
about the house. If 1t had really
been her boy, you know. she would
have excused the scratches on the
ground that Willie had such high
spirits. They looked at the case and
read all the titles of the books. Then
1T won't do at ALL she said. We
wanted an oak instead OF mahog-
any!'
"As they went downstairs a wo-
man came up. She had a sharp nose
and she eyed me most suspiciously.
She demanded II this was where a
bookcase was for sale. Even when
said yes she still was doubtful. |
don't know she said. You never
can tell these days. What's wrong
with 1t? / suppose you've rubbed
over all the scratches with kero-
sene so they don't shown
Il assured her that had l known
that kerosene worked such magic
| certainly should have done so and
then | ushered her in. She stared
at the case in a hostile manner.
"H'm!' she communed with her.
self. I believe it would just fit in
that recess-no, It wouldn't. Any
how, it's too low. That is, If 1t isn't
too high. In fact, I'm sure it's TOO
high. Thank goodness, | have wits
enough to see when | am about to be
taken in! Then, of course | don't
want it, anyway, because I'm look
ing for an oak bookcase. You are
sure you haven't an oak one?'.
The next time l peered out over
the chain on the door a distinguish
%ed-lookng young man dawned on my
vision. | resolved to sell him the
bookcase, so | welcomed him with a
sweet smile. He seemed impressed.
He said he wanted a bookcase the
worst way for his office. OF course,
| added, the price made no difference
to him, l knew, and he said no, in
deed, that 1t was just a fad of his,
this picking up secondhand book
cases.
He said it was a lovely case and
Just his idea If the right thing. Then
l. regretted that l had not asked
more for It.
Just as | had decided what I'd
get with the money he took on a
panied look. Dear, mel he said.
1T wouldn't do at all, would it?"
why not?' l queried.
You see. I'm looking for oak
he said, smiling brightly. All my
office furniture is oak
That was a hard blow.
Two women came soon after-
ward. One of them wet her finger
and rubbed the wood and seemed
hurt to find that the color did not
run. She asked me If l would please
take the books all out so she could
see how deep the case was. l nearly
broke my back dong so, while shd
and her friend sat and rocked. They
conversed In cheerful, ~leisurely tones
about cousn Sallie and her daughters
marriage and how hard 1t was to
shop nowadays. Occasionally they
would look at the bookcase and then
break out again into conversation.
Finally one said to the Others
Are you rested enough to go now,
Abbie?' Abbie said she was.
"As they went out of the door one
of them said to me: 1t isn't oak.
We wanted oak
II can't clearly remember the 9TH
ers," finished the young mother.
They are an undistinguisnable mass.
The only point about which | am
clear is that they all wanted oak and
none of them remembered to ask as
to the oakiness of the advertised
article until after he had almost de-
cided to take 1t.
so I'm waiting till some one with
mahogany virus in his blood comes
along!"-Chicago News.