The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-02-09

A retail dry goods dealer on Sixth
avenue had couple of visitors tht
other day when he expected couple
of customers. A woman appearing tt
be about fifty years old, entered the
store in company with her daughter
O thin-faced old maid of about thirty
and when the clerk slid forward the
mother said:
"Not any dry goods to-day Where
is the owner?"
"Do you wish to see the proprietor
asked the clerk.
Hes the man."
They were shown into the Office
The merchant supposed they owned 9
village store and desired to stock up
and he welcomed them with winning
smile
envy daughter Minerva - Minervs
Bolton" said the lady by way of intro
ductiOn.
Minerva and the merchant SHOOK
hands, chairs were placed, and as the
two sat down the old lady said:
"She's one of the best girls in the
State of New York"
"No doubt-no doubt, madam"
"And after she's been in the store
one month you would not part with
her for ten dollars day." said the
mother.
"Ah-yes-yes."
"She's smart on figures, honest as ar
ld-fashioned winter, and she wouldn't
be giggling round with the clerks"
CT hardly understand you," said
the gentleman.
II want q place for Minerva. She's
signing and dying to be clerk"
"Ah! But I have no vacancy just
now"
II don't want any vacancy. l want
Minerva to be a clerk. She's just as
smart as wolf, and if she comes here
I shall, of course, do all my trading
with her. 1 don't know but I'd take
some bed-ticking home with me to-day,
for they say ticking is on the rise"
Yes-but-but-"
81 know how you feel" she inter-
rupted. "but you can depend on her.
Our Postmaster, Squire Johnson, and
heaps of others, will recommend
her. She's got good character, that
girl has. You might leave million
dollars with her and feel perfectly
safe. Minerva, if you sold four yards
of factory at ten cents yard, how
much would the whole thing come
to?"
Forty cents, of course drawled
Minerva.
"See there-see therew exclaimed the
mother. "Have you clerk in the
store who can reckon figures as fast as
But have all the clerks want, he
managed to get in.
"You might discharge that crosseyed
young clerk out there and give this
poor girl chance for her life" pleaded
the mother. eff she doesn't get a
place she will certainly go into decline
and die"
"Yes-yes-but-"
Minerva, if you sold four punches
of hair pins for six cents per bunch,
how much money would you have?"
"Twenty-four cents-any fool knows
that" replied the daughter.
"Can You beat that in this store?'
proudly inquired the mother. eff you
take her you can depend upon her. She's
always home nights, is not n hearty
eater, can put up with children, and
know your wife will like her. She car
sort O. do homework in the morning
and after dark, and so you'll be killing
two birds with one stone"
81 can't take her-nO-no. Got all
the help I want" replied the mer'
chant.
"Three dollars week and board
takes my daughter" persisted the
mother.
"Can't-cant do itl'
"Say two dollars"
"No-no!'
"That settles that" remarked the
mother, as she rose up. Il see your
object. You want me to come down to
one dollar week, but I'll see you hung
first. Come on Minerva. l did think
of looking at some bed-ticking, but
we'll go up the street. I'll get you a
clerkship where You can look right
down on this store as a horse looks dewn
on grasshopper.
Production OF AMBER.-The little
fishing village of Schwarzort, situated
on the shores of the Baltic, between
Memel and Dantzic, about two leagues