The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-06-04

way that showed just ahe"u'
Ever since Mrs. Hodgson had toiu
them the wonder of the Caiedoiitah
rag market. Helen had been deter
mined to come. She had finally per-
shaded Warren to meet her early anu
20 with her this Afternoon
The underground had brought tnem
out in twenty minutes, and they
planned to see the market ana get
back to London in time for dinner
They had reached the end OF the
street now, and Helen caught her
breath at the scene before them. IN
a great fenced-in space was a mass OF
stalls. horses, wagons and a motley
swarm of people
The rag market The Caledonlan
rag market, To Helen, who reveled
in rummaging through old things, the
very name was enticing. The dusty
windows of every antique or even Sec
ond-hand shop held for her alluring
possibilities. And now to explore this
famous old rag market.
Huh, this is a rum place" shifted
Warren. "Where'd they get all this
junk?"
Listen dear" shaking his arm ex.
citedly. Lets start here, and go up
one lane and down the other-so we
won't miss a thing"
There we're no regular stalls. EV-
erything was spread out on the ground
on old pieces of carpet or sheeting'
and back Of each lot was a ram
shackle cart and the patient donkey
or horse that had drawn it.
Eyer own price, lady" urged the
man as Helen paused before an amaz
ing mass of odds and ends-eyery
thing from old jewelry to old shoes.
Business brisk in glass eyes to-
day." Warren poked his cane at a
box of artificial eyes. You've got a
full line there-assorted colors.'
Yes, SIR grinned the man, take
yer choice-tuppence each"
By the next lot sat an old woman
as weird as her stock. There were
tin foot-tub, globe for goldfish, 6
clothes wringer, bronze Atlas shoul
dering clock, a plush album, ant
irons, old lace, bedraggled feather
boa, a rusty rat trap, and odd piece:
of old pewter, china and brass.
Dear, did you ever play that game
where they carried around a lot O
things on a tray, and you wrote then
down from memory"
BE a tough job remembering
these" chuckled Warren. Where il
blazes does all this junk come from
that's what gets me-"
"Oh, London's so wonderful full
Of old things. And this rag market il
only on Fridays"
THE weeks collection, Ell? All
here we are!" Warren swung hi
cane over basket of false teeth
May need 'em some day. How abou
laying in a supply?"
ooh, how awful! Do people rea
ly-"
Sell me good upper set cheap tt
" day." asked Warren.
But the man, resenting this face
tiousness, glared at him angrily.
Dear, don't make fun, and don
poke at things with your cane" whi
- pered Helen Some of them don
! like it."
=. who cares?" shrugged Warren
y You just pounce on the freaks
). things. There's lots of interestin
things here-I know there are. Dea
8 you 60 along that side while l stay @
this. Mrs. Hodgson said we shouldn
y be together anyway-theyll thin
: we're American tourists and put U
the prices"
"All right, suit yourself. Only T.
not going to hang around a woma
long,"
E At stall just beyond a woman W;
:. haggling over the price of an old bl,
y meat platter. Helen, interested, Dire
b nearer.
4. I'll give you one and six
,r. 1.-TWO bob, mum, not penny less
~ y; The woman shook her head, la
Of down the platter and started off.
or Take it along for one and a ia
g ner," he called after her. my t,
mi sons is in the war, lady. Let a DO
" " man make enough to feed their k
dies"
I The woman stolidly put the plat
1 In her huge shopping bag, and Hell
| followed her, keenly observant. s
| watched her buy a lace scarf, a
1 canter and candlestick, paying I
: more than half the prices asked.
r. This was Illuminating for II waa q