Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-11
Play Came
True

Eleanor skipped along the country
roads, singing. She was going to the
store.-the wonderful store Uncle
Henry kept in the little country village
where she and mamma were visiting:
the store which had candy counter
on one side, with oil kinds Of lovely
things from the hve-for-a-cent candies
to those marked forty cents a pound
Then came the grocery counter, and
on the other side one counter held
dry goods, a few dolls, bolts OF cloth,
some cheap toys, and on the counter
next to that was soda fountain and
ice cream.
In the middle Of the store were piled
cans OF crackers, bags of -four, and q
stand with apples, peaches, few LEM
ons and oranges, and over the very
center hung great bunch of bananas.
All her life of six years Eleanor's
favorite play had been to keep store.
Day after day she sold make-believe
goods over make-believe counter to
her dolls, and to make-believe GUS
toners. Often an overturned box
would be counter, and her toys
would be the stocks, which she
would sell over and over again and
count imaginary change.
Now she was going to Uncle Henry's
store, and see how he did business,
and she was sure she would learn a
great deal to add to her play when
she went home.
Mamma had said she might go ond
meet Uncle Henry and come home to
dinner with him. And perhaps
mamma knew how she felt about
stores, which was the reason she let
her go whole half hour before Uncle
Henry could leave to come home.
He was all alone and very, very glad
to see Eleanor, and gave her one of the
store dolls to play with. Son wom-
an came in for some percale, and
Eleanor was free to roam where she
would. She gazed at the candy in
the glass case, then she wandered
over to the groceries.
The woman left, and a little boy
care in for a soda; then there were
n. -hore customers for few minutes,
and Uncle Henry showed her the till,
where the money lay in little round
divisions that lookeG as if round
ball had been laid here and there and
had followed out the wood
The door opened, and a man came
in. He was old, yer old, Eleanor
thought, for his he was white, and
his face was wrinliled. oh, so wrink-
led; but he was very tall and he'd
hemself so erect h made Eleanor
think Of the soldiers marching on
Decoration De.
But to Eleanor's surprise he Gid
ont ask Uncle Henry for anything. Nc,
he spoke to her, and his eyes twinkled
as he asked, Are you waiting on cut
toners today. MADAME"
Eleanor looked at Uncle r my. who
smiled, and the old man continued, IT
would like to buy some candy; will you
sell me some?"
Eleanor went behind the candy
counter, and waited with a humping
ucdl u w as OuClc l1Suly 6OlAS w
allow her really to sell some really
thing to really person? He SURELY
was! She was so excited she &C
hardly listen to what the old man was
saying.
"Now. what kind of candy would
you choose?" he asked. What do
you think is the best kind?"
Eleanor helped him select two large
chocolates. with candied cherry in
side and two mint marshmallows. and
stick of pink and white peppermint.
She handed them to him in a paper
bag gravely took the nickel he hand
ed her, and gave him one cent in
change. Then he held the bag out to
her.
81 haven't any teeth" he said
politely, $50 cannot eat them. Will
you be kind enough to eat them for
me-"
What a delightful customer! In
few minutes Eleanor was seated on
his knee, and learned that his name
was Uncle Nat to all the boys and
girls he knew. He was the most I'M
derstandingest uncle. He knew just
how she felt about keeping store, and
he thought it would be lovely if she
came down every noon to see Uncle
Henry. He agreed with her that a
month Of Moons was long time. and
perhaps Uncle Henry would let her
wait on some of the other customers
when she had gained experience.
| Then they walked home to dinner,
Eleanor with hand in Uncle Henry's
and one in Uncle Mats until they
came to the parting corner.
! After that. every noon. Eleanor
came to the store, and every noon she
waited on Uncle Nat. Sometimes 1t
was candy, sometimes ice cream, and
once Uncle Henry showed her how to
mix soda, and this most delightful
customer and Uncle Nat. in one in
sisted that she have one, too, with
him.,
And the very last day Of her stay,
Eleanor with dancing eyes, sold Uncle
Nat the very favorite doll she had
seen In the showcases oil summer.
| And at Christmas time Uncle Nat
smiled over a very crooked pin-ball,
made with real little girl stitches with