Five Hundred Dollars | Page 6

swear he sell those things because he has no more use for them,--his family all sick of tyvoid fever, and cannot live the week out. But I suppose there's some policemen just so soospicious to say I must know those things are stolen."
"And so cruel soospicions," said Mrs. Isaacs,--"and your heart so pure and white like your shirt-bosom." She meant his ideal shirt-bosom.
"Just like those evil-minded policemen," he said. "You remember how they lock up our old friend Abrahamson? So help me gracious! sent that good old man to prison, just because he buy two gold watches and two pairs of gold spectacles and an ivory-handled knife and two empty pocket-books and two silk umbrellas and a seal ring and two bunches of keys and two black wigs from a red-headed laboring man; they say he must know that two old gentlemen were robbed of that personal property."
But here his attention was diverted by the sight of two men, seamen to appearance, who were looking into the show-window.
"I like so much," he said, "to see the public enjoying themselves in my window; it give them so happy pleasure to see those lovely things; and often they comes in and buy somethings. This young man," he added, after a pause, "seem to admire those broad neck-wear; he look at both those two,--the Four-in-hand and the Frolic."
"I think he look most at de Frolic," said Mrs. Isaacs; "I think he would come in if you go outside and take him by de arm like a true frient, and bring him in. My broder Moses walk outside de whole day long, and take each man when he go by and talk to him like his own broder, wid tears in his eyes, and make dem come in and buy somedings."
But Mr. Isaacs only wrapped the long coat more closely about his linen garments, and watched the younger man as he turned his eyes away from the Four-in-hand and the Frolic and bent them on the trays in which were glittering tiers of rings and pins, and rows of watches labelled "Warranted genuine, $14;" "Dirt-cheap, $8.75;" "Doct's Watch, Puls-counting, $19.50."
"He look like he had some money," said Mrs. Isaacs. "Perhaps he would come in and buy a watch if you go out and pull him in. How can he buy someding through de glass? My broder Moses say, 'So many folks is bashful.'"
But at last the men, after talking awhile, apparently of the goods in the window, came in.
"What's the price of some of those ear-rings in the window?" said the younger. "Let's see what you've got for a couple of dollars or so."
"So help me gracious!" said Mr. Isaacs, as he took from the show-window three or four cards of plated ear-rings. "I knew you would come in to buy somethings. When I saw you look in--the very first moment--I say to my wife, 'There is a good young man that will give a present to some lovely young lady.' Yes, sir, the very words I said to Sarah."
"What's the price of this pair? I haven't got any girl to treat, but I 've just got paid off for a whaling voyage, and my lay figured up a twenty-dollar bill above what I expected, and I don't care if I do lay out a couple of dollars on my wife besides what I 've brought home for her."
"Well, sir," said Mr. Isaacs, "the good wife is the very best jewelry. Those are two dollars. But only study this pair. Hold those up to the light and take a bird's-eye view through those lovely stones, so round and large like green peas. Now look. So! Now let your friend look!"
"I 'm no judge," said the other man, "I know what pleases me--that's all. But them would make a great display, David, wouldn't they?"
"You 're right, sir," said Mr. Isaacs. "'Display' is the very word. My wife wear just the twins of this pair to the congregation, every week."
Mrs. Isaacs raised her eyebrows: she wore nothing but diamonds.
"What's the price of these green ones?" asked David.
Mr. Isaacs shrugged his shoulders.
"I suppose those are the finest articles of the kind in the whole creation," he said. "We can let you have those to-day," and he lowered his voice to a whisper, and put his hand up beside his mouth, "to close out stock--for six dollars. They cost us only last week eight-fifty, but we are obliged to reduce stock prior to removal. The building is to be taken down."
"I would like those tip-top; but I don't know--it's a good deal of money for gewgaws; my wife would take me to do for it; I guess I must keep to the two-dollar ones. I come pretty hard by my dollars, and a dollar means a good deal