THE VILLAGE STORE. 351 



and sundry other articles. At its end, next the street, is the 

 powder and shot department. The sight of the powder-can 

 always inspired me with awe, and its possible explosion, 

 coupled with carelessness on the part of the boyish clerk, gave 

 me visions of flying tea canisters, paint jars, mouse traps, 

 clothes lines and the rest of the odds and ends usually found 

 in connection with the grocery department of a " well kept 

 country store." " A quarter o' powder, pound of shot," was 

 the sentiment generally given in by those seeking ordnance 

 stores, and was responded to by the storekeeper with the gravity 

 befitting a dispenser of those death-dealing articles. The scales 

 for weighing these were also used to balance tea, which was 

 proper, as one variety of the nerve-destroying herb was known 

 as " Gunpowder." Close by stand the balances which test the 

 weight of groceries, mackerel and nails. Over these the 

 customer of an inquiring mind leaned while his purchases 

 were tried in the balance. I could always estimate a man's 

 intrinsic moral worth by his actions at such times. Were he 

 unduly thrifty he would appropriate a piece of cheese before 

 the weight of it was announced ; if an " all, all honorable 

 man," he would wait till after and then gorge himself with 

 saccharine sweetness or that other production, the use of which 

 would make his breath smell like that of the lord-mayor of 

 Limburg. Mackerel, I always noticed, were never interfered 

 with by either class, but the former would generally inquire 

 if due allowance was made for the brown paper in which the 

 salty fish were wrapped. The considerate questioning of the 

 merchant sounds in my ears as it did in days gone by. " Do 

 you like a sharp cheese or a mild ? " " Will you have the mild 

 Rio or the strong ?" " How did that last tea suit? " were the 

 stock questions. When I was a boy the coffee was always 

 sold raw. Before being roasted it had to be picked of all 

 forei.iin matter. I have in my mind an old lady, of an 

 economical turn, who used to save up all this waste and return 



