Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-08-18

Singular Mistake u . Yesns Han.
An incident occurred one day last week
1t dry goods store on South Pearl street,
which shows the danger that attaches to
equivocal speech, and the consequent ne
cessity of clear and lucid style among
the masses.
At this dry goods store there is hung up
in q very prominent place at the front
large placard, announcing in tall type,
!" Linen DrilliDgs at Half Price. Last
THURSDAY morning, about IL O'Clock,
Young gentleman ffoan the town OF Knox
was slowly sauntering along the streets,
RECALLING himself with the sights Of the
city. Passing this dry goods store, he
cast his eye in at the door and caught
sight of the placard alluded to, Linen
Drillings at Half Price," The words
deeply moved him They came - great
temptation. He reflected on the past
state of the weather, which had been 20
unendurably hot, he judged the future by
the past, and as he looked ahead to melt
ing weather for q month or more, there
were no suggestions Of the cool, the
breezy. the bracing, in the sound OF
August. Coupled with such thoughts,
were others in regard to his summer
wardrobe. He was badly of for sum-
mer clothing; he had but one poor
pair of tight trousers; but one coat in
which wooden entered not; 30 he felt
fervently as he pondered-how lily pre-
pared ne was for the coming caloric.
Therefore, the sign-"Linen Drillings at
Half Price"-opened up way OF supply
ing his pressing need, which, It seemed to
him, he ought not to slight. He walked
on past the door for some distance, count
ing up his spare funds and reaching de.
cision. Finally. he turned round and
walked back, and past the tempting port
ais, into the store. He requested that he
might be shown some drillinGs, some
linen drillings, something good, Ind nice,
you know, adapted to making him COM
Portable suit against the tropical hours
He was told by the gentle kid-glove girl
that drilling, linen drilling adapted as he
had indicated, was to be found at such
counter. To such q counter goes the
young gentleman from Knox, and his re-
quest being made known he is forthwith
deluged with drillings, at the hands OF an
agile salesman. A critical examination
ensues; there is testing OF fabric, artistic
judging of the merits of colors, and the gen.
eral preluding. At length Knox makes
selection, and inquiries the price per yard
of "this piece" "rhe price per yard OF thst
piece is Atty cents" says the salesman.
Gall right" says Knox, "you may slice
me off about ten yards OF that, l reckon
No sooner said than done. The cutting
straight, the doing up neat, the tying
strong, were but the work OF moment
Knox receives his bundle, puts it under
~ -, %aLns ruoH of chin v,lo otprc from
his veet pocket, and proceeds to count out
two dollars and half He counts the
amount over twice, to be sure Of preclud-
ing mistake. and then hands that sum to
the young fellow behind the counter.
Young fellow behind counter. How
is this, my friend, you haven't given me
enough"
Knox. "How do you make that
out: didn't you mentien that the price
of this stuff was fifty cents yardf"
Young fellow behind the counter. ITO
be sure did, and you asked for ten yards
at that price, so that your bill is five dol
lars"
Knox. an bet my bill amt five dol
lars-Look at that sign board. young man |;
don't it say Linen Drilling at Halt
Price" You said the price of this ere
piece chose was fifty cents yard; half
Of fifty is twenty-five. and ten times
twenty. five il two fifty-stranger, you
can't climb me, I've travelled"
Thereupon the young gentleman behind
the counter called for the proprietor, and
put the case in his hands for adjustment
Proprietor proceeded to explain placard.
Pointed out that the words in question
were intended for general decoy service,
and had no special meaning; that the
rendering the sentence in the Knox trans
lation did not at all do justice to the idea
intended to be conveyed. But 1t was no
use. 1.-TWO dollars and half, or keep
your stuff" was the ultimatum insisted on
by the stout young yeoman, and he was
not TO be moved or compromised. 30,
finally, as other customers in the store
came up to see what the excited talk
meant, the proprietor, who didn't care
for "scene," told Knox that he could
take his bundle and go; and 60 he
did, asking the young lady at the kid.
glove counter as he passed her, II half OF
fifty was not twenty five. She replied,
with q smile, that it was. "Thats what
said all the WHILE" said Knox, and he
passed into the outer air.
The rest Of that day the proprietor of
that dry goods store wore brow Of gloom,
and when he was asked in the evening
what made him look 90 sick, he answered,
Knor oonsica--Aloany Esening Journal
A Brave Railroad Engineer.
The Altoons (Pa) Sun says: Mrs.
Joseph Burns, living near the Branch