Norwich bulletin., 1916-04-01

seemed to think it did.> But it would, somehow, run over at times. When those times arrived, generally a ped oler'S tin-cart would stop at the door,
 In those days, be 1t noted, and in the remote wilds of the real country he tin peddler was not regarded as a nuisance nor suspected as a possible sneak-th thief. He was usually a famil- far of the household, who had been visiting it, off and on, for years, and who was met and treated as a neigh Dor and an equal. His big white horse turned up to the dor and stop ped in front of it, without a word or suggestion from the driver, knowing that here was welcome rest of half an-hour or so, during which his check less harness would allow him some re- .freshing nibbies at the green grass of the roadside.
 Four Years-old, who didn't then understand much of the laws of trade and the customs of comerce, always assumed that he came from some un-
 known metropolis far beyond the mountains, especially called to empty Our Rag-bag. For the occasion was greetings, there had to be ten min Ttes talk og the doings of the country side. What had happened to all the immediate neighbors was told him, and he, in return, vouchsafed many lit of juicy gossip, gathered in the
 
 till all these concerns had been at
 tended to that finally he came easily round to the subject of that Tag-bag.
 YourYears-old was sent to drag it out from it's dark lair,-a task which
 he was eager to perform when the wonderful peddler was right there in the kitchen, able to step on a mouse or grapple with a goblin on the in stant should one dare to show itself. e1rlI is scales, and the broom stick had to be requisitioned to reach from his shoulder to the top-of the step-ladder, 1 -Thile the rag-bag swung free between | depending from the broom-stick, and hooked thereto by spring -btlance to be weighed.
 | Next thing the question of prices l arose. Sometimes the peddler had a | hard-luck' story about how he paid
 more for rags, last trip, than he could l sell them for in town, and he couldn't ! possibly give more than three cents and a half this time. But Mother | vas strangely hard-hearted I used l tc think. and usually got the four or | i've CentS,-or even more-upOn which 1 sne insisted. That being settled, the next proceeding was an adjournment ! If the session to the cart-side, out by | -f e gate. The rags were first trans 1 frrred to huge sack, taller than the | tallest man, which hung at the rear
 If the high cart. Then its two long | side doors were flung open w;,h some 1 thing of a flourish, disclosing the en- ! tire interior, packed to it's utmost l limits with piles and stacks and hang 1 nIg rows of glittering new tin yes 1 Sels including everything from a Cus- 1 lard cup to a wash boiler. To the l eyes Of FOurYears- old the shiuing bril- 1 liance of that carts interior was as i \ onderful as a show-window at Tiff 1 any's would be to his siXty-years old l vision.
 Even Mothers eyes shone as she 1 to resist the aesthetic pull of that sil- l very caverns alluring contents. She | simply had to have some more milk
 inside and outside, tested for weigh of metal and tightness of soldering .i generally one was put on the stove with a dipperful of hot water to make sure that a certain spot didn't con- | cal a pin-ho.e leak. Then Same tho | smaller dishes. She knew how muCf
 7[a.S due for the rags she had sold. anC 1 che tried her best to keep within
 tat sum in her purchases. But i
 seldom worked out that way Almcs
 always the striking of a trial balance showed that she was in debt to th' peddler. Whereupon Four Y ears-o1C II V:Gs despatched to bring out the net ted purse in which she kept her but. ;cr and egg money, and things wert al last squared up.
 That is, for her. The really i'm