River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-12-11
MATCHING A PATTERN.
Desperate Efforts of a Dry-GOOds Clerk
TO Make a Sac.
London Times

One of the fascinating young men in
an uptown dry-goods store is in trouble.
1t is the custom in the establishment
from which he has just been dismissed
to discharge a man who falls to sell TO
one of three successive customers.
Swapping" is the expressive technical
term by which this failure is known in
the dry-goods business. The rule IS
not universal, but it is by no means ex-
ceptional in dry-goods stores. How
ever unjust it may be, i. has wonder
fully stimulating effect on the elegant
young men amenable to it, and when
they can not sell goods il is safe IN
ference that the customer is either SUI
pernatura'le cbdurate, impecunious, or
misery. The young man referred to
had "hIst call' one Friday morning;
that is, the first customer who entered
the store was, by tie rule OF rotation,
his exclusive victim. Next morning
this privilege would fall to the lot OF
some other clerk, and SO on to the END
of the list. The first customer snapped
him, and then went out without IN
yesting a cent. The second was in an
equally unpropitIous state of mind, and
retired without effecting a purchase.
On the decision of the third hung his
fate. His ample cheek blanched as
she darkened the doorway, tor a more
unlikely purchaser could with difficulty
have been found. An old stripped
shawl was thrown carelessly over her
shoulders, and partially concealed a roll
of calico, which the palpitory heart OF
the clerk instinctively felt that she
came to have matched. Now, if there
is ANYTHING in the dry-goods business
more narrowing than another 1t Is TO
match goods. The exact shade ana
texture has to be found, and last but
not least, the price must correspond. A
feeling of sickening despair permeated
the heaving breast of the unfortunate
clerk as he asked, swell, ma'am r
She laid down five yards and hall OF
calico of an eccentric pattern, and mt
mated that the success of great dress
making enterprise hinged on ner for
tune in finding another yard and nall
of the same material. The eyes OF the
six expectans clerks were upon Inc
doomed man. He felt that the crisis OF
his peril had come. With an appear
ance of calmness that belied the turmoil
Of his feelings, he dived under the
counter and handed out endless rolls OF
calico, varying from the radiant straw
berry and moss-rose marked to the
soberest gray. But he came not within
thirteen supplementary colors OF the
REQUIRED pattern. He burrowed in the
cayernous depths of lower shelves, and
ransacked upper ones from the top
round OF a giddy step-iadder, but he
found it not. An hour and nall aad
gone by. and his stock was nearly ex
Rausted. The proprietor OF the store
and the bookkeeper and porter had
come to witness the death struggle. SIX
times had the wearied lady started for
the door, and six times he called her
back and resumed his frenzied search.
The last calico was unrolled, and ne was
about to drop his nat and gracefully
sten down and out, when a happy
thought struck him. Excuse me,
madam" said he, "there Is one plec.e.
I overlooked. Let me see that goods;
and he took her bundle, and, diving
under the counter, hacked on yard
and half with the energy and prompt
mess Of rekindled hope. Here It's,
madam; exactly what you required,