Morning journal and courier., 1889-05-31
wRAT DID THE CARD SAY.

A Correspondengss Adventure In a
 New York Dry Goods Store.
 New York Letter in the Hartford Courant.]
 Iwent into shop last week about nine o'clock in the morning, when it was pre- sumed, if ever, would get willing service; 1t was then before the clerks would be fa- ready made. A plainly dressed little lady, whose cotton gloves even to regenerate eyes were betrsying, had, however, got there be- fore me, and was in quest of the same arti- cle. Two young women, to whom the duty of selling waists was assigned, were talking earnestly. They were pretty girls, 8 blonde and 8 brunette, dressed chsrmingly in fresh spring ginghams. sSurah waistst' inquired the blonde. "You'd take thirty-six. We ain't got no thirty -six-and, as was coming along, he said stop minute, and said no, I was late already, an he said"-"Will you kindly look and see whether there is any thirty eight9" said the lady. "Thirty six Is your numb mber," replied the blonde beauty i'm patiently, 'an' we're out of thirty-six, an told him te get along, an he said he would pay the fine if there was one to pay" "Wiu you look into your stock for thirty-eighta" again interrupted the customer. "We took
 
 hauling over things to look at what ain't there," put in the brunette. "Oh, what did you do thens He's awful handsome for dark man." "Young women" ," said the lit- tie would customer, with . calmness and severity that astonished me as much as if a field mouse had turned to rend me. 'tyou strike me as remarkably useless persons to be drawing wages, and think it my duty to mention my opinion to a floor 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 8 shopgirl, that turned my head away to avoid what I supposed would be their terror, anger and consternation. What then were my emotions when the brunette deliberately sang out: "Will you kindly walk this way, MT. Collen2" and large, somewhat portly gentleman, in Prince Albert coat, who had been treAdinR his mill up and down since my arrival, arrested his steps at the counter. ''This here lady," said the blonde, "wss ask ing for waists and none of what we had in stock fitted her." "You neither looked in your stock nor took my measure" said the lady, s'and your manner was very imperti- nent." ''Is that 80, Miss Ricea" queried the man of the brunette, with an engaging snile ''No, indeed" said this young lady. "she's been hinderin' of us and taking our time, talking an goin' on." "Then, madam" said the floor walker, q can't make Q eom- plaint, since there are two to your one. These young ladies nave been here for long time, and shouln's like to do 'ena injustice; I guess you'd better move on." Whether, indeed, the moral courage of your cerrespon- dent 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-tash- toned reticule and pulled out written, not engraved, card. What was on that card must also remain a mystery to us all, for I did not decipher it. But 1t had the effect on the healthy Hebraio gentleman that might have been produced by the tiniest stab of a poisoned arrow. He turned deathly pale. He stammered out an apology that was a cry for mercy. He then turned on the girls; and need not tell you here that our despot was @ coward in his abuse of them. I only know that lost my desire to try on waists if the frightened, sobbing girls were to serve me, and that as came away I saw the slight fig ure of the little lady, now terrible in her an- ger, suggesting Mrs. Be Done By as You Did in "Water Babies," making for the private office.
 Ladies embroidered fchus are just the