autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第22节

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yesterday　by　his　lovely　daughter；　and　who；　in　every　respect；　was
entitled　to　wear　it；　as　she　would　have　adorned　it；　receiving　back　the
price；　with　a　view　to　put　it　in　the　fund　he　is　already　collecting　to　meet　the
demands　of　his　creditors。　It　is　due　to　the　very　respectable　firm　of
Bobbinet　&　Co。　to　add；　that　it　refunded　the　money　with　the　greatest
liberality；　at　the　first　demand。　We　can　recommend　this　house　to　our
readers　as　one　of　the　most　liberal　in　OUR　city；　（by　the　way　the　editor
who　wrote　this　article　didn't　own　a　foot　of　the　town；　or　of　any　thing
else；）　and　as　possessing　a　very　large　and　well　selected　assortment　of　the
choicest　goods。〃

The　following　words〃we　take　this　occasion　to　thank　Messrs。
Bobbinet　&　Co。　for　a　specimen　of　most　beautiful　gloves　sent　us；〃　had　a
line　run　through　in　the　manuscript；　a　little　reflection；　telling　the　learned
editor　that　it　might　be　indiscreet　to　publish　the　fact　at　that　precise
moment。　The　American　will　know　how　to　appreciate　the　importance　of
this　opinion；　in　relation　to　the　house　in　question；　when　he　is　told　that　it
was　written　by　one　of　those　inspired　moralists；　and　profound
constitutional　lawyers；　and　ingenious　political　economists；　who　daily
teach　their　fellow　creatures　how　to　give　practical　illustrations　of　the
mandates　of　the　Bible；　how　to　discriminate　in　vexed　questions　arising
from　the　national　compact；　and　how　to　manage　their　private　affairs　in
such　a　way　as　to　escape　the　quicksands　that　have　wrecked　their　own。

As　some　of　my　readers　may　feel　an　interest　in　the　fate　of　poor　Eudosia；
I　will　take　occasion　to　say；　before　I　proceed　with　the　account　of　my
own　fortunes；　that　it　was　not　half　as　bad　as　might　have　been　supposed。
Mr。　Halfacre　commenced　his　compromises　under　favorable　auspices。
The　reputation　of　the　affair　of　the　pocket…handkerchief　was　of　great
service；　and　creditors　relented　as　they　thought　of　the　hardship　of
depriving　a　pretty　girl　of　so　valuable　an　appliance。　Long　before　the
public　had　ceased　to　talk　about　the　removal　of　the　deposits；　Mr。
Halfacre　had　arranged　every　thing　to　his　own　satisfaction。　The　lots　were
particularly　useful；　one　of　them　paying　off　a　debt　that　had　been
contracted　for　half　a　dozen。　Now　and　then　he　met　an　obstinate　fellow
who　insisted　on　his　money；　and　who　talked　of　suits　in　chancery。　Such
men　were　paid　off　in　full；　litigation　being　the　speculator's　aversion。　As
for　the　fifty　dollars　received　for　me；　it　answered　to　go　to　market　with
until　other　funds　were　found。　This　diversion　of　the　sum　from　its　destined
object；　however；　was　apparent　rather　than　real；　since　food　was
indispensable　to　enable　the　excellent　but　unfortunate　man　to　work　for
the　benefit　of　his　creditors。　In　short；　every　thing　was　settled　in　the　most
satisfactory　manner；　Mr。　Halfacre　paying　a　hundred　cents　in　the　dollar；
in　lots；　however；　but　in　such　a　manner　as　balanced　his　books　beautifully。

〃Now；　thank　God！　I　owe　no　man　a　sixpence；〃　said　Mr。　to　Mrs。
Halfacre；　the　day　all　was　concluded；　〃and　only　one　small　mistake　has
been　made　by　me；　in　going　through　so　many　complicated　accounts；　and
for　such　large　sums。〃

〃I　had　hoped　ALL　was　settled；〃　answered　the　good　woman　in　alarm。　〃It
is　that　unreasonable　man；　John　Downright；　who　gives　you　the　trouble；　I
dare　say。〃

〃Heoh！　he　is　paid　in　full。　I　offered　him；　at　first；　twenty…five　cents　in　the
dollar；　but　THAT　he　wouldn't　hear　to。　Then　I　found　a　small　error；　and
offered　forty。　It　wouldn't　do；　and　I　had　to　pay　the　scamp　a　hundred。　I
can　look　that　fellow　in　the　face　with　a　perfectly　clear　conscience。〃

〃Who　else　can　it　be；　then？〃

〃Only　your　brother；　Myers；　my　dear；　somehow　or　other；　we　made　a
mistake　in　our　figures；　which　made　out　a　demand　in　his　favor　of
100；000。　I　paid　it　in　property；　but　when　we　came　to　look　over　the
figures　it　was　discovered　that　a　cypher　too　much　had　been　thrown　in；
and　Myers　paid　back　the　difference　like　a　man；　as　he　is。〃

〃And　to　whom　will　that　difference　belong？〃

〃To　whomoh！why；　of　course；　to　the　right　owner。〃



CHAPTER　XIII。

　When　I　found　myself　once　more　in　the　possession　of　Bobbinet　&　Co。；
I　fancied　that　I　might　anticipate　a　long　residence　in　their　drawers；　my
freshness；　as　an　article；　having　been　somewhat　tarnished　by　the
appearance　at　Mrs。　Trotter's　ball。　In　this　I　was　mistaken；　the　next　day
bringing　about　a　release；　and　a　restoration　to　my　proper　place　in
society。

The　very　morning　after　I　was　again　in　the　drawer；　a　female　voice　was
heard　asking　for　〃worked　French　pocket…handkerchiefs。〃　As　I　clearly
came　within　this　categoryalas；　poor　Adrienne！in　half　a　minute　I
found　myself；　along　with　fifty　fellows　or　fellowesses；　lying　on　the
counter。　The　instant　I　heard　the　voice；　I　knew　that　the　speaker　was　not
〃mamma；〃　but　〃my　child；〃　and　I　now　saw　that　she　was　fair。　Julia
Monson　was　not　as　brilliantly　handsome　as　my　late　owner；　but　she　had
more　feeling　and　refinement　in　the　expression　of　her　countenance。　Still
there　was　an　uneasy　worldly　glancing　of　the　eye；　that　denoted　how
much　she　lived　out　of　herself；　in　the　less　favorable　understanding　of　the
term；　an　expression　of　countenance　that　I　have　had　occasion　to　remark
in　most　of　those　who　think　a　very　expensive　handkerchief　necessary　to
their　happiness。　It　is；　in　fact；　the　natural　indication　that　the　mind　dwells
more　on　show　than　on　substantial　things；　and　a　proof　that　the　possessor
of　this　quality　is　not　content　to　rely　altogether　on　the　higher　moral
feelings　and　attainments　for　her　claims　to　deference。　In　a　word；　it　is
some　such　trait　as　that　which　distinguishes　the　beautiful　plumage　of　the
peacock；　from　the　motive　that　incites　the　bird　to　display　his　feathers。

In　company　with　Miss　Monson　was　another　young　lady　of　about　her
own　age；　and　of　a　very　similar　appearance　as　to　dress　and　station。　Still；
a　first　glance　discovered　an　essential　difference　in　character。　This
companion；　who　was　addressed　as　Mary；　and　whose　family　name　was
Warren；　had　none　of　the　uneasiness　of　demeanor　that　belonged　to　her
friend；　and　obviously　cared　less　what　others　thought　of　every　thing　she
said　or　did。　When　the　handkerchiefs　were　laid　on　the　counter；　Julia
Monson　seized　on　one　with　avidity；　while　Mary　Warren　regarded　us　all
with　a　look　of　cold　indifference；　if　not　one　of　downright　displeasure。

〃What　beauties！〃　exclaimed　the　first；　the　clerk　at　that　moment　quitting
them　to　hand　some　gloves　to　another　customer〃What　delightful
needle…work！　Mary；　do　YOU　purchase　one　to　keep　me　in
countenance；　and　I　will　purchase　another。　I　know　your　mother　gave　you
the　money　this　very　morning。〃

〃Not　for　that　object；　Julia。　My　dear　mother　little　thinks　I　shall　do　any
such　thing。〃

〃And　why　not？　A　rich　pocket…handkerchief　is　a　stylish　thing！〃

〃I　question　if　style；　as　you　call　it；　is　just　the　thing　for　a　young　woman；
under　any　circumstances；　but；　to　confess　the　truth；　I　think　a　pocket…
handkerchief　that　is　to　be　LOOKED　at　and　which　is　not　to　be　USED；
vulgar。〃

〃Not　in　Sir　Walter　Scott's　signification；　my　dear；〃　answered　Julia
laughing；　〃for　it　is　not　so　very　COMMON。　Every　body　cannot　have　a
worked　French　pocket…handkerchief。〃

｛Sir　Walter　Scott　=　British　novelist　and　poet　（1771…1832）；　often
compared　with　CooperI　have　not　located　his　definition　of　〃vulgar〃｝

〃Sir　Walter　Scott's　definition　of　what　is　vulgar　is　open　to　criticism；　I
fancy。　The　word　comes　from　the　common　mind；　or　common　practices；
beyond　a　question；　but　it　now　means　what　is　common　as　opposed　to
what　is　cultivated　and　refined。　It　is　an　absurdity；　too；　to　make　a　thing
respectable　because　it　is　common。　A　fib　is　one　of　the　commonest　things
in　the　world；　and　yet　it　is　scarcely　respectable。〃

〃Oh！　Every　one　says　you　are　a　philosopherESS；　Mary；　and　I　ought　to
have　expected　some　such　answer。　But　a　handkerchief　I　am　determined
to　have；　and　it　shall　be　the　very　handsomest　I　can　find。〃

〃And　the　DEAREST？　Well；　you　will　have　a　very　lady…like　wardrobe
with　one　pocket…handkerchief　in　it！　I　wonder　you　do　not　purchase　a
single　shoe。〃

〃Because　I　have　TWO　feet；〃　replied　Julia　with　spirit；　though　she　laughed
good…naturedly〃but　here　is　the　clerk；　and　he　must　not　hear　our
quarrels。　Have　the　goodness；　sir；　to　show　me　the　handsomest　pocket…
handkerchief　in　your　shop。〃

I　was　drawn　from　beneath　the　pile　and　laid　before　the　bright　black　eyes
of　Julia；　with　an　air　of　solemn　dignity；　by　the　young　dealer　in　finery。

〃That；　ma'am；〃　he　said；　〃is　the　very　finest　and　most　elegant　article　not
only　that　WE　have；　but　which　is　to　be　found　in　America。　It　was　brought
out　by　'our　Mr。　Silky；'　the　last　voyage；　HE　said　PARIS　cannot　produce
its　equal。〃

〃This　IS　beautiful；　sir；　one　must　admit！　What　is　the　price？〃

〃Why；　ma'am；　we　OUGHT　in　justice　to　ourselves　to　have　120　for　that
article；　but；　to　our　regular　customers　I　believe　Mr。　Bobbinet　has
determined　to　ask　ONLY　100。〃

This　sounded　exceedingly　liberalto　ask　ONLY　100　for　that　for
which　there　was　a　sort　of　moral　obligation　to　ask　120！and　Julia
having　come　out　with　the　intent　to　throw　away　a　hundred…dollar　note
that　her　mother　had　given　her　that　morning；　the　bargain　was　concluded。
I　was　wrapped　up　carefully　in　paper；　put　into　Miss　Monson's　muff；　and
once　more　took　my　departure　from　the　e