The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-31
A MAGNIFICENT CHEEK.
A saIes,nau who Envied Its CoIiOsaI
Proportions.

A Salessnan who Envied Its Coll0saI
Proportions.
A little elderly man with timid air. and
whose thin form was covered with a long
ulster, stood undetermined in the doorway Of
well known clothier's on Broadway yester.
day afternoon grnvely stroking a pair Of
gray side whiskeIs that partially covered his
sharp face He seemed to be trying to gather
courage enough to enter. Suddenly he sue
ceeded, opened the door and sided up to an
exceedingly well dressed and handsome sales
man. In low, gentle voice, as II he stood
in great awe Of tue salesman, he asked to
be shown some $40 overcoats. The sales
man, in that condescending manner
peculiar 10 handsome men, got some out, and
continued eating some out and in getting
some anger until he had tried on the little
man sample of all the $40 overcoats in the
place. The customers awe seemed to grow
with the saIesman's rage. He asked for c; III
successive coat with an ''if you please" ut
tered in more conciiiatory tone each time.
When the salesman, in loud, dignified voice,
finally informed him that he had looked at
the entire stock of $40 overcoats, the little
man calmly intirnated he would take the
first one that had been shown to him, ana
the salesman looked fierce and demanded to
know whether he would have the new or the
old one wrapped up.
Then a great transformation took place.
The little man stretched himself an men
higher. threw oil his timid dir and demanded
in q loud voice whether the salesman saw the
suit he had on. The surprised salesman SAID
be did Then the little man followed up his
question with a second demand upon the per
ceptivc faculties of the salesman a. to
whether he saw how it had faded The sales
man, whose patronizng air seemed to be Civ
ing way 70 fright, was forced TO admit that
the cloth under the collar was somewhat
brighter than the rest of the suit. Thereupon
the little man, in whitening tones, in
formed the salesman he had purchased the
suit for slS in that same store, and as 1t had
faded 20 much he thought a reliable house
ike that should allow liberal discount on
the overcoat. The salesman was now ter
rified He had never heard Of such thing
He called for the manager, and, that indvid-
ua arriving, the little man made known has
demand for discount. The manager Oh
jected ON the ground that the suit hadut
been in stock for nearly three years. Then
the little man blandly admitted that he had
worn the suit on Sundays for one year, as a
business suit another year, and had been
knocking about in it for six months, but
he said he thought as the suit had
faded, he should now get discount
Of at least half the price on the
next purchase as balm TO his wounded
pride for wearing a faded suit. The sales
man trembled, the manager was startled and
offered the little man Il discount, osten-
slbly to get rid Of him, or perhaps, as lac
said, because of his many former purchases
The little man refused it with scorn. He
loftiIy said he thought the house was
reliable house, and that the just and proper
thing to do was to allow him 50 on the coat
The manager smiled sardonically and said
my dear sir, trust you will pardon me,
but for solidity of cheek think you are un-
equaled in New York"
Then the little man looked scornfully upon
the manager, gathered up his ulster and
passed out. Tho manager returned his look
with an amused smile, but that tired and
once lofty salesman proceeded to rearrange
the stock and envy the customer his aStound-
ing cheek "Ah, me, he sighed, with my
face and figure and his cheek how | would
get on in the worldW-New York Evening
Fun