Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-09-29
BUYING A DRESSING GOWN;
OR WHAT 3Edf#Ei
Came of Calling . Bill Counterfeit
BIZ MRS. n. A. DENIsON.

BIZ MRS. n. A. DENIsON.
" What is the price of this dressing
gown, sir ?" asked sweet faced young
, girl, entering the elegant store Of Messrs
Huntley & Warner, in city and the street
that shall be nameless. .....,.. ..f.. ... .
; 1t was a cloudy day. The clerks loung.
ed over counters, read papers and yawned
The man to whom Alice Locke addressed
herself was jaunty and middle-aged.. lie
was the head clerk of the extensive estab.
lishment of Huntley & Warner, and ex-
tremely consequential in his manner to
customers. ...
"That dressing gown We value at six
dollars-you shall have it at FIVE, as trade
is dull to-day." ,.r ....
! Five dollars =, Alice looked at the
dressing gown longingly,f and the clerk
looked at her. He saw that her clothes,
though made and worn genteelly, were
rather common in texture. and that her
face was very handsome. How it chang.
ed +! now shaded, now lightened by the
varied play of her emotions. That clerk
could almost have sworn that she had no
more than that very sum, i've dollars, in
her purse. .... r... ..-.-.
The gown was very good one for the
price. 1t was of crimson shade, tolera-
BILE merino, and lined with the same ma
terial
II think-" she hesitated moment
"think I'll take it," she said, then seeing
in the face before her an expression she
did not like, she blushed as she handed
out the very bill that the clerk had made
up his mind to receive. .-
Jennius," cried Torrent, the head elk.
in quick pompous tone, "pass bank
detecter."% ...-. ......
Up ran a tow headed boy with the
pamphlet, and up and down ran the clerks
eyes from column to column. Then he
looked over with sharp glance, and ex-
claimed
That's counterfeit bill, Miss"
., how pale the sweet face grew.
Counterfeit oh, no, it cannot be -
The man who sent it could not be SO care.
less; you must be mistaken, air."
Pm not mistaken, I'm ueeer mistaken
q, .A&
presume, of course, you did not know it,
although SO much bad money has been
offered us of late, that we intend to secure
such persons as pass it. Who did you say
sent it p - -a-.-.-......
"Mr. c., Of New York. He could
not send me bad money" said the trem-
bling frightened girl.
Humph, humph |" said the clerk.
Well there's no doubt of this you
can look for yourself. Now don't.let me
see you here again, until you can bring
good money, for we always suspect such
people as you that come on dark days
with well-made story"
But SIR"
You need make no explanations,
Miss" said the man insultingly.
Take your bill, and next time you
want to buy dressing, gown, don't At
tempt to pass counterfeit money :" and as
he handed it the bill fell from his hand,
Alice caught it from the floor, ard
sprang into the street.
Such a shock that young girl had never
received in her life before. 1t was the
FIRST insult she had ever known, and it
burned her check aud panied her heart
Straightway, indignant and grieving, she
hurried to banking establishment, found
her way in, and presented the note to
noble looking man with gray hair and
prepossessing appearance, and faltered
out
Is that bill bad one, sir ?"
The cashier and bis son happened 70 be
the only persons present. Both noticed
her extreme youth, beauty, and agitation.
The cashier looked narrowly and handed
it back, with polite bow, and proloned
look, saying
. 1t is a good bill, young lady
~ know it was y cried Alice, with
quivering lip-"and he to dare"
| She could 60 no further, but entirely
overcome, she bent her head and the hot
tears had their way.
II beg pardon-have you had trouble
about it 2" asked the cashier.
20, sir, you will excuse me for giving
way to my feelings, but you spoke so
kindly, and l was so sure it was good -
And think, sir, such men as ono of the
clerks in Huntly h Warmers should be re-
moved. He told me il was counterfeit,
and added something that, if my father
had heard, | don't know but he would
have killed him. ! knew the publisher
would net send me bad money.
"Who is your father, young lady !?
asked the cashier, becoming much inter-
ested.
"Mr. Benjamin Locke, sir.'
"Benjamin-Ben Locke-was he ever
a'erk in the Navy Department at WASH
lngtol,n
% '",we removed from there." re-
picu n.oe' inc then"--she hesitated
ne mas not d. well-and--w are
somewhat reduced. ~.why do tell you
these things, sir n
"Bsn I.oekc-reducsd !" m~,,ured tho
1eAshier Miha man who Was the