Year: 1879

| The week after it doubled again. The
4 fourth week Maxwell had to consider
! the purchase of a new team to deliver
| the goods. ff


Six months passed, and the business
of the store exceeded the business of all
the other stores combined. One of them


had failed, and the other had actually
been scrubbed and painted Such is the
force of example. And still the wonder
grew. Weston has thrifty mind. 1t
can see cent in bargain with Hol-
landish clearness. The Maxwell system
was accepted fully. 1t was delightful
| to visit drawing-room, to have pret-
| ty girl make cup of tea for you. Ay,
| twenty cups il you wished and having
tasted, you could buy with knowledge.
Did you wish olives, figs, sugars, cheese,
or bread? Sit down and try them.
This is so much, that SO much. These
are the samples. Eat, test, ponder, and
select. You cannot see the goods; food
in the mass is essentially vulgar. Select
and pay The goods will be delivered
according TO sample. No one was ever
permitted to pass beyond the parlor.
| Within the interior rooms the packers
filled the orders with neatness, dispatch
and silence.


Did the purchaser wish flour? The
pretty girl brought a tray full of sam
Piles, with plates and water. One could
make dough, and even try it in a gas
oven, if desired. Oil was shown burn
! ing in lamps; this light is so much a
gallon, that so much, and so on from
lamp to lamp.


The store was a reception-room, shop
ping social Jea-tasting. with gentle
man to preside. Maxwell took the or
ders, welcomed the arriving guests, took
the cash, and bade good-speed to part
ing friends. They came as buyers, and
departed feeling themselves guests.
At home, everything turned out ex-
actly according to sample, in more than
liberal measure, and in the most ex-
quisite order, the very team being care
fully covered with white cloths. No un-
couth youth begged for orders at the
door; no collector rang dunning bell.
| The heather builds temple to his
gods in princely splendor, and it is said
he pays for the work thereon. The
Christians church is often in debt. So
it was at Weston. The First Church was
about to be closed on account of the I'M
paid interest on its debt 1t was a mat
ter of great grief to the handful of peo-
pie who attended there, and they met at
the church in solemn and unhappy mood
one stormy Saturday night to deliberate
over the impossible. In the midst of the
dismal proceedings small girl timidly
opened the door and looked in. She had
It letter for the clerk of the society. Some
body took it, and she disappeared. The
clerk opened the letter, and there fell out
piece Of paper, crisp and rustling. The
clerk glanced at the note. and, picking
up the paper, thrust it quickly into his
pocket. Curiosity was aroused, and
some one asked what it meant. A check.
Oh, marvellous A check for the overdue
interest-$493. SO. Whose check? The
clerk said the matter was to be conf
Dental. The meeting broke up in joyful
mood. The church was safe for the
present. That night the clerks wife
knew it. On the Sabbath everybody
knew it. The check was signed Thomas
Maxwell"


Did it make any difference? Not at all
He was still "the groceryman.n Beings
could not receive him. They even re-
had only half of hired pew in the back
row, were he sat every Sunday with the
sextons daughters They did send a
vote of thanks, but it came by mail. Not
a soul spoke to him about it save the old
minister. Some said it was bid for
trade. r 1t


Shortly after this the fire-engine house
took fire, in derisiOn, and ingloriously
burned down. The next morning the
village carpenter was hard at work haul
ing lumber to the ruins. The fire COM
pany, volunteer association, composed
chiefly of working-men and young me-
chanics, said, Wherefore do ye this?"
And straightway he said, in the language
of the period, Maxwell GIN me the
order, cash on the nail" Thereupon
they went with one accord to the grocery
store and gave three cheers for the pro-
prietor. Persons of fine mold said,
Another bid for traden Maxwell
heard thereof, and thought it over.
Every man of the fire company was
already a customer. Moreover, nine
tenths of his trade came from other
towns and villages.


Time went on, and the new ideain the
grocery line flourished nightly 1t was
the wonder of the trade, and dealers
came from afar to see how the thing was
done. Sensible fathers from the city
came with requests that their sons be
taught the new business. 1t was u new
business, for the grocery man Of the
period knew none of these things. Peo-
| pie patronized him because they must
They came to Maxwell's because it was
a pleasure. They came, and saw, and
bought much, for tile business was
| founded on recognized law of human
nature.


Meanwhile the Object lived on and on,
apparently Indifferent, but really keenly
alive to all She attended parties and re-
ceptions, and heard people speak of Max


well only in slight and contempt, and
she heard il all in cowardly silence. ar


At last her eyes were opened. She
was put on some charity committee in
the church to visit the poor, and, to the
surprise of all, she really did SO, which
was unusual for committee-woman
| Everywhere before her had gone another.
He had thought his ways unknown, but
| the widow and fatherless were garrulous
| in his praise. She came back wiser and
| happier woman.


! That night there was reception at one
Of the most fashionable houses. The
paclor was full when she entered, and
she made her way slowly to the side OF
the hostess Just as she stood by the
hostess, at the head of the room, a young
male person, in the wholesale millinery
line, remarked that some person doings
were quite on level with Maxwell's.


" What do mean by that?" said aclear