The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-09-11
Rememberinq.

Once upon time when the Fair
mont court house sat in dignified re.
treat at the rear of lawn Just beyond
the old Mt City hotel building, the
tall white pillars which guarded its en-
trance used to look out through the
foliage OF breeze stirred branches over
the dusty macadamed street, at tiny
store which was located there. This
was Daddy Bakers shop. and, to the
children OF that day It contained more
of value than the Spanish ever dream.
ed into the tabled wealth of the Incas
The most imprisoned oratory of the
lawyer in the seat OF justice across the
way never stirred human emotions
equal to that which made small hearts
beat rapturously and childish eyes to
widen before the multitudinous Won
ders of that shop. Surely that spacious
solemn old court house must have en-
We'd the popularity of its insignificant
neighbor and the Mountain City Hotel
certainly arched its iron balcony eye
brows at an enthusiasm which it had
failed to draw from its many frequent
ers. Daddy Baker himself the owner
and dispenser OF the joys of the shop
was one of the quaintest and most in
dividual personalities that may be pro.
duced out of our city's past. I can see
him yet behind the diminutive show
case, smallish oldish man at that
time, little bent, with hair and beard
fast greying. He was the last man in
the local village to cling to once IA.
vcred custom Of wearing a shawl. 1t
was a large. heavy gray affair with
fringe. 1t blew about voluminously
in the wind and my pony used to in
variably take fright at it IL passed
this old gentleman on his way to and
from his shop. Daddy Bakers horse
of business we're rigidly enforced. All
the kings horses and all the king
men could not make deal with him
when lunch time came. The last small
purchaser received his change bit
hurriedly and though you might bran
dish your nickle enticingly before his
eyes and beg at the top OF your voice
for the especial tablet you had set
Your heart on, fearing lest Johnny
Brown might hurry back and possess
it before you, you accomplished moth
ing. The swarm of youngsters were
firmly showed out and the door locked
beyond argument while Daddy Baker
fastened away for his noon dinner.
Older people must have appreciated
the appearance of the shop, but doubt.
less discreetly did their purchasing
during the hours when school was III
session, for memory does not recall
any adult forms or faces excepting the
owner. 1t is quite possible that our ell
ders fastened their shopping when
the dismissal bell rang, realizing the
futility of lingering in the face OF
the demands of the troup of devotees
who were rapidly on the way to take
possession. There in this this shop,
purchased my first fairy book-oh,
rapturous occasion! 1t was Grim's
Fairy Tales, and that night an imagin-
alive child hardly slept a wink after
reading the story OF the Princess and
the Golden Ball. The sound Of that
repulsive green frog as it "squashed
squashed' across the floor to Jump on
the couch OF the frightened princess
kept the small reader shiveringly out
OF the embrace Of sleep almost the live
long night. Strange as It may seem
80 a oAANsy NAiAN At4IuAAo CANl d ulSlluNl
treasure in childhood memories, l do
not recall that Daddy Baker had any
candy among the other desirables to
be purchased there. There may have
been candy, but if so, other things so
appealed to this particular fancy that
no reCollections OF having ever seen
or purchased any, but oh, the other
things that were there! All sorts Of
alluring books and small toys. We got
our school supplies there, our primers,
copy books, first readers, our geogra-
phys and arithmetics, and no matter
how dull they afterward proved and
how sick We grew at the sight of them,
still in that first moment of possession
and spotless neTness they gathered
10 themselves an attractiveness that
was irresistible. The school books Of
course were things which must be had
and it took no special ability to dis
pose OF them, any shop or salesman
could have done that, but where Daddy