St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-05
WHAT DID THE CARD SAY?
A Correspondents Adventure in
a New York Dry Goods Store

A Correspondents Adventure in
New York Dry Goods Store.
New York Letter to Hartford Courant.
went into shop last week about 9
o'clock In the morning, when it was pre-
sumed, if ever, l would get willing
service; it was then before the clerks
would be fatigued. asked for black
surah waists, ready made. A plainly
dressed little lady, whose cotton
gloves, even to regenerate eyes,
were betraying, had. however, got
there before me, and was in quest
OF the same article. Two young
women, to whom the duty of selling
eStly. They were pretty girls, blonde
and brunette, dressed charmingly in
fresh spring ginghams. ''Surah waists?"
inquired the blonde. You'd take sc.
We amt got no 36-and, as was COM
ing along, he said stop minute, and l
said no, [ was late already, an he
said"-''Will you kindly look and see
whether there is any 1872" said the lady.
''Thirty-siX is your number" replied
the blonde beauty impatiently, IAN
we're out of SO. an told [ him to get
along, an he said he would pay the fine
if there was one to pay" Twill you
look into your stock for 3S?"
again interrupted the customer. 1--WE
took stock last night, an we're not go
ing to be hauling over things to look at
''Oh. what did he do then? He's awful
handsome for a dark man." young
women" said the little would-be Gus
toner, with a calmness and severity
that aStonished me as much as if field
mouse had turned to rend me, ''you
strike me as remarkably useless persons
to be drawing wages, and | think it my
duty to mention my opinion to a
f1oor-walker" This blood-curdlIng
threat SO astOnished me. who would
as soon have mentioned death in the
presence of Louis XIII. as a floor
walker to shop girl, that l turned
my head away to avoid what | supposed
would be their terror, anger and con-
sternation. What then were my emo
lions when the brunette deliberately
way, Mr.. COhenp' and a large, some
what portly gentleman, in a Prince Al
bert coat. who had been treading his
mill up and down since my arrival, ar
rested his steps at the counter. This
here lady," said the blonde, was ask
ing for waists, and none of what we had
in stock fitted her." you neither
looked in your stock, nor took my meas
ure." said the lady, land
your manner was very imperti-
nent." "Is that so, Miss Rice?"
Queried the man of the brunette, with
an engaging smile. mo, indeed" SAID
this young lady, ''she's been a hinder
in of us and taking our time, talking
an gOin' on" sThen madam" said
the floor walker, 81 can't make COM
plant, since there are two to your one.
These young ladies have been here for
long time, and | shouldn't like to do
'em injustice; | guess you'd better
move on" Whether. indeed, the moral
courage of your correspondent would
have enabled her to bring her testimony
to bear on that of the customer
with the cotton gloves, we will
never know. The old lady put her
hand in an old-fashloned reticule, and
pulled out a written, not engraved
card. What was on that card must also
remain a mystery to US all, for | did
not decipher it. But it had the effect on
the healthy Hebraic gentlemen that
might have been produced by the tiniest
stab of poisoned arrow. He turned
deadly pale. He stammered out an
apology that was cry for mercy. He
then turned on the girls; and need not
tell you here that our despot was a cow
ard in his abuse of them. | only knew
that | lost my desire to try on waists if
the frightened, sobbIng girls were to
serve me, and that as came away l
saw the slight figure of the little lady,
now terrible in her anger, suggesting
Mrs. Be Done By as You Did in water
Babies" making for the private office.