Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-02-25

and dust have made sad havoc every
where on the lower floor of this oncel
popular old place. Rats and mice !
and beetles abound; it may be, be-
cause they find the place entirely
suitable Cor their purposes, while |
there is no very good reason why
they should be expelled
For several years after the erection
of the building it was used as a an
eral store where everything which
was thought to be needed by the
towns people and the adjacent coun-
try, was bought and sold. Butter
and eggs were brought in by the
thrifty farmers wives and exchanged |
for groceries, dry-goods or hardware.
Also such wild fruits as were obtain
able, plums, grapes. crab-apples, and
y-choke1cherries or the |
hawthorn. The above with vegetables !
of various kinds constituted a con-
siderable part of the traffic done by
barter and trade at the store.
Near the center there was long
low stove which consumed wood it
stood in a box of sand to prevent
it from setting fire to the floor. The
sand-boX also served as a cuspidor,
and in thai capacity was extensively
patronized by the patrons and loung-i
ers about the place. Modern facili-
ties for lighting purposes had not
yet come into use, therefore the room
BILE to do so by two large lamps pen
dent from the ceiling with two or
three additional hand lamps which
could be moved from place to place
at the option of the proprietor, John
Armstrong-whO had purchased the
stock soon after his arrival in the
village. Armstrong had for an assis-
tant boy of perhaps fourteen or fif-
teen years of age who rendered such
service as usually falls to the lot of
clerks in general store.
There was nothing particularly no
) ticeable about this young man save
the extreme deliberation he invaria-
bly, manifested in all he said or did;
he was not slothful, he was just slow.
Tardy he was but never dull, never
stupid. Seldom inadequate, always
tidy in dress, he was really a likeable
fellow, and proved to be a valuable
assistant to Mr.. Arc strong. Never
theless his deliberation frequently
subjected him to the criticisms of
the would-be wits of the village who
in a good-natured way made him the
target of their witticisms much to
their own apparent enjoyment. 1t
was one of those facetious custom
ers who, being at the time, in an
ironical mood dubbed him, Ginger"
a title which chung to him as long as
he remained a resident of the town.
However it never appeared to cause
him the slightest uneasiness. Per-
haps he had heard the oft told tale
of the hare and the turtle and had
treasured the lesson in his heart.
Now Ginger" said customer
stopping at the store door one NOR
ming in June,-'I want two dozen
eggs, two pounds of butter, one
pound of tea, this jug filled hold
on minute if you please" interrupt
ed the boy speaking very deliberate
Iy-"just hold on minute till l
catch up, a jug filled'-"O hang it
boy, l can't wait here all day, /
want this jug filled with molasses
and / want two pounds of coffee; do
you get it?'
Eyes, SIR" he drawled, 1--WE got
You now, all right"
well, / shall call for the things
on my way home tonight, do you
think that will give you time enough
to get them ready?"
Slowly the boy turned his big blue
eyes upon the man with a reproach-
full look and said
Yes, sir, I'll have them ready"
When the man returned in the eve
ming and called for his goods, he
found each package neatly wrapped
in clean paper and tied up with care,
the butter had been kept in a cool
place, it looked yellow, fresh and
sweet; the jug which was covered