Annie Kilburn

arge, handsomely ugly brick dry-goods store, whose showy wi

b of the store was a curved plate of polished metal, with the name GERRISH cut into it in black letters; the sills of the wide windows were of metal, and bore the same legend. At the threshold a very prim, ceremonious li

Isn't it a lovely morning? You

it with his left, lifting his eyes to look her i

changes on the surface, no doubt, but you'll find the genuine old feeling here. Walk right back, ladies," he continued, releasing Annie's hand to waft them before him toward the rear of the store. "You'll find Mrs. Gerrish in my room there-my Growlery, as I call it." He

He denied them the use of chewing-gum; he permitted no conversation, as he called it, among them; and he addressed no jokes or idle speeches to them himself. A system of grooves overhead brought to his counting-room the cash from

t of thing desired or needed in a country town, with a tempting stock of articles before unknown to the shopkeepers of Hatboro'. Everything was of the very quality represented; the prices were low, but inflexible, and cash payments, except in the case of some rich customers of unimpeachable credit, were invariably exacted; at the same time every reasonable facility for the exchange or retur

or them. It was like a bank parlour, except for Mrs. Gerrish sitting in her husband's leather-cushione

ite at home here,"

ne half of the leather lounge, and leaving the other half to

r chair, seeing he had none, "Sit still, my dear; I prefer my usual perc

" said Mrs. Munger, "and I'll try to be shor

Gerrish affably. "It's my idea that a good business

e scheme of the Social Union. "I suppose I can't deny that the idea occurred to me," she concluded, "but we can't hop

ts of the honour done his wife, wit

accent, "that these people have too much done for t

dear," he cut in. "It is my opinion-Or I don't know but you wish to co

matter!" cried Mrs. Munger. "Without the gentlemen's practical

e-to acceding to unjust demands on the part of

n," said his wife, and

ffairs entirely in my own hands. I fix the hours, and I fix the wages, and I fix all the other conditions,

n the country would take such a stand, there would soon be

e occasion to be censorious and of the finer lady's opinion

t understand exact

ago, when he had that trouble in his shoe shop. I said, 'You're too concessive.' I said, 'Mr. Marvin, if you give those fellows an inch, they'll take an ell. Mr. Marvin,' said I, 'yo

for admiration, and Mrs. Munger said,

uld be saved in such cases by a

hat too many of his hands had been in his regiment, and he couldn't lock them out. He submitted to arbitration.

Mrs. Munger, w

le but once. I had a porter in this store who wanted his pay raised. I simply said that I made it a rule to propose all advances of salary myself, and I should submit to no dictation from any one. He told me to go to-a place that I will not repeat, and I told him to w

s designed to meet. If this man had some such place to spend his evenings-and bring his family if h

and a drunkard's grave, with a cup of good coffee, were not to his taste altogether; but he said: "Precisely so! And I was about to make the remar

Gerrish-first," said Mrs. Munger. "I was sure you would see it in the right light." She looked roun

ere is not an institution in this town which I have not contributed my humble efforts to-to-establish

, "That beautiful monument!" and looked at Ann

y, the projected system of drainage, and all the various religious enterprises at various time

cue: "I fancy Hatboro' wouldn't be Hatboro' without you, Mr. Gerrish! And you don'

anded Mr. Gerrish, perceptibly bris

dy." Mrs. Munger explained the point fully. She repeated some things that Annie had said in ridicule of Mr. Peck's position regarding it. "If you do

candid deference that filled him wit

urprised. He is not a practical man-not a man of the world; and I should have much preferred to hear that he objected to the dancing and the play; I could have understood that; I could have gone with him in that to a certain extent, though I can see no harm in such

s. Munger. "I neve

nd followed her husband with her eyes, as he dis

lone. I am a thorough believer in giving every one an equal chance to rise and to-get along; I would not throw an obstacle i

ne cases out of ten, that keeps

casion; but a man's home is sacred. I will not allow my wife or my children to associate with those whose-whose-whose idleness, or vice, or whatever, has kept them down in a country where-where everybody stands on an equality

ing, Mr. Gerrish, and I'm glad to have it corroborated by your expe

e-old-school smile. "You may put me down for any number of tickets-five, ten, fifteen-and you may command me in anything I can do to further t

t a person who knows his own

ce at the door; and it added, "Gl

ir!" cried Mr. Gerrish. "Come in!" he repeated,

perversity, holding the door ajar. "I see that arch-conspir

hich his unbuttoned waistcoat exposed, with its stains from the tobacco upon which his thin little jaws worked mechanically, as he stared into the room with flamy blue eyes; his silk hat was pushed back

afraid of me. Come in. We wish to consult you," cried Mrs.

m, and dropped his burlesque

k I found she had stolen a march on me. But I'm going to make Ellen bring me at once. I don't think I've been in your house

touched by something gent

entleman," said Mr. G

"Well, I'm glad you've come back to the o

ve minded, Ralp

me, for a while, I suppose. But you'll get used to it. It's got more of the modern improvements, I'm told, and it's more public-spirited-more snap to it.

y; that would be just the atmosphere for you," said Mrs. M

uth Hatboro' you want to

and it isn't

That's what I have to continually impress upon the reprobates who come to me. I say, 'It don't matter what you've done;

id, "Mr. Putney is one of Hatboro's

e lawyer, with mock-tenderness.

overweening pleasure in her acquaintance with both of these superior people. "

ney. "Why, it's really Miss Kilburn's affair," she began; and she l

link the past. You don't have to be a hypocrite in a place where everybody's seen you in the gutter; that's the only advantage I've got over my fellow-citizens, and of course I abuse it; that's nature, you know. When I began to pull up I found that tobacco helped me; I smoked and chewed bo

willing to drop the invited dance and supper, if it was thought best, though I must say I

s to sacrifice principle to expediency shows what a reform will be wrou

Munger. "We want a

inks," said Putney. "I guess you bett

e merchant nervously. "I can't agree w

who expects a sarcastic rejoinder. "It would be a bad precedent. This town is full now of a class of persons w

if you happened to hurt their wives' and daughters' feelings. And how are you going to manage? Aren't you afraid that they will hang around, after the show, indefinitely, unless you ask all those who have not received invi

s. Munger, "you must allow

the men away from the rum-holes. Yes,

at cost price," said Mrs. Mun

But you see it would be rather aw

nie. "I hadn't though

ns of yours, Annie. He grows up in a community where there is neither poverty nor richness, and where political economy can show by the figures that the profligate shop hands get nine-tenths of the profits, and starve on 'e

the working-men since he lost the boycotte

do every day of the year with impunity; and I lost the case. I expected to. I told 'em they were wrong, but I did my best for 'em. 'Why, you fools,' said I-that's the way I talk to 'em, Annie; I call 'em pet names; they like it; they're used to 'em; they get 'em every day in the newspapers-'you fools,' said I, 'what do you want to boyc

you are, Mr. Putney

e, Mrs. Munger,"

o enjoy, Mr. Gerrish, and Mrs. Gerrish by his leave, even more than the others. "But you're not candid. All this do

king, hey?"

shir

glass windows framing the room, which Mr. Gerrish used for keepi

et's put the case to him." He opened the door

at the open door. He was a tall man, with a slight stoop; well dressed; full bearded; with kind, b

d Mrs. Gerrish you know. Present you to Miss Kilburn, who has come to make he

n the doctor had greeted the ladies. "But we want your advice

Putney, doctor!" s

woman's attempt to be arch, "I'll try to keep within

the doctor was shaking with laughter when Putney came to an end with unbroken seriousness. At each repetition of the facts, Annie's relatio

hed the doctor, shutting his e

laughing matter," said

id Mrs. Munger, trying, with the inef

t laughing." be

rhaps," sugg

nger," he resumed. "But it isn't a professional question, you know

utney. "That's what M

r. "You ladies will know what to d

out of the door, and suddenly came back to offer Annie his hand. "I beg your pardon, Ann

th you, Putney,"

she said. "We've taken up Mr. Gerrish's time most uncons

Gerrish, with a genteel prol

nheeded hospitality over the superfluous politeness of Putney and Dr. Morrell in putting Mrs. Munger and

his town that my wife hasn't tried to p

imself down with ano

questioned if it were not undignified. She felt that it might be