Year: 1877

n New StOTy.


On the last day OF the old year Mrs.
Bi mber entered her shop and served her
cut toners abstractedly, for her mind was
full of trouble. She was the most cheer
full and sprightly of little women, with
bright, keen, blue eyes, ruddy bloom
In her soft, wrinkled cheeks, and flaxen
hair arranged in stiff curls about her
forehead f; but to-day the demand of q
small boy, in shrill tones, for bottle of
Bamber's Drops failed to produce the
delight usually manifested by her under
such circumstances. Bamber's Drops
was the remedy of her Late husband for
Bamber believed in it firmly with the
ardor of sanguine nature and loving
heart. The late DR.. Bamber's star had
set in sadness and gloom before an un-
sympathizing world had consented to
take his panacea by the teaspoonful.
As far as the will of one fragile and very
determined woman could make the
world rescind its objections Mrs. Bam-
ber had prepared herself for the battle.
When the small boy had taken himself
off with his purchase she leaned her ell
bow on the counter and sighed deeply.


"To think of the Platts coming to
this If Archibald was alive, instead of
only his wife He knew q deal about
law, poor dear, and needed to, what
with imitators and spurious articles to
injure the trade. would sell out and
give them every penny if could find
purchaser, and it wasn't all so sudden.
Archibald was grateful to his dying
breath, and I'm not likely to forget that
we owe everything to Dr. Platt. Dear,
dear Five thousand dollars, or fore
closed mortgage. tell you it's pure
spite in that Hiram briggs he don't
know how to behave himself yet as
rich man"


Mrs. Bamber's gaze strayed anxiously
about the place, as if searching for a way
out of her difficulties. Did the clew
actually lie in her grasp without her be-
ing aware of it9 The shop was very
tiny, but ex1uisitely neat, and the variety
of articles for sale, which made it almost
q museum, was arranged with certain
artistic perception of harmonious color
ing. The late DR.. Bamber had been
chemist, and one side of the place was
still devoted to those medicines which
woman may dispense without being
licensed apothecary; but the rest of his
stock had been removed across the way
to the new drugstore, which was grief
to Mrs. Bamber's soul, and replaced on
her shelves with few books, stationery,
and gay worsteds.


"Why should not be the apothecary
after Archibald2" she had said to DIR.
Platt, with an energetic nod of the
head. Don't know as much as Pey-
ton


Peyton was the rival over the way.
DIR. Platt, a rosy, good-natured gentle
man, had made some soothing response
calculated to mollify feminine vanity,
and suggested the stationery department
as fresh field of usefulness.


Mrs. Bamber's eyes rested on the vol
umes opposite, package of valentines
in which the town indulged at the proper
season, jumping jack dangling help
lessly from nail. Never by any chance
did her gaze wander TO the shop win
dow. She went over TO the other side
and opened show case, which contained
fat pin-cushions and impossible pen
wipers, articles made by old ladies of
the reduced -gentlewoman type and pre-
sented here for sale.


81 believe that would sell my own
soul to raise the money and help them
out of trouble" said Mrs. Bamber, vehe-
mently; and then she took up a pin
cushion as if in hopes it might turn to
gold in her hand. "Pooh these things
have lain here for years. What good
are they9"


An aquarium occupied place in the
center of the shop--a crystal house
where silky fibers of seaweed grew about
mimic grottoes, and fish of metallic hues
flashed through the water. A guilty
pang smote the little woman at the sight
of il. In all these years Of hard work
and lonely widowhood the aquarium was
the only extravaganza she had allowed
herself, and often would she spend her
time of rest gazing into the miniature
water-world. If she could now give the
money il had cost to the Plstt family