"DOWN AT THE STORE" 195 



because of rain or snow. And as truly as 

 " school kept," so truly the boy was ex- 

 pected to be there. No alternative was so 

 much as considered. But on such a morn- 

 ing as we now have in mind he went at full 

 speed, looking neither to right nor left, and 

 he thanked his stars when he came in sight 

 of the village store. That, whether going 

 or coming, he hailed as a refuge. Possibly 

 he had a cent in his pocket, a real " cop- 

 per," and felt it in danger of burning 

 through ; but cent or no cent, he went in 

 to warm his fingers and his ears, and inci- 

 dentally to listen to the talk of the assem- 

 bled loafers. 



I can see them now, one perched upon a 

 barrel-head, one on a pile of boxes, three or 

 four occupying a long settee, and one, wear- 

 ing a big light-colored overcoat, who came 

 every day, sitting like a lord in the comfort- 

 able armchair in front of the cylinder stove. 

 This last man was not rich ; neither was he 

 in any peculiar sense a social favorite ; he 

 said little and bought less ; but he always 

 had the chief seat. I used to wonder what 

 would happen if some day he should come 



