The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-10-31
A MAGNIFICENT CHEEK.
4 Salesman Who Envied It's Collosal
Proportions.

4 Salesman who Envied It's Colossal
Proportions.
A little elderly man with timid air, and
whose thin form was covered with a long
ulster, stood undetermined in the doorway of
q well known clothier's on Broadway yester-
day afternoon gravely stroking q pair of
gray side whiskers 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 if he stood
I'm great awe of the salesman, he asked to
be shown some $40 overcoats. The sales
man, in that condescending manner
peculiar to handsome men, got some out, and
continued getting some out and in getting
some anger until he had tried on the little
man a sample of all the $40 overcoats in the
place. The customers awe seemed to grow
with the salesman's rage. He asked for each
successive coat with an eff you please" ut
tered in a more conciliatory tone each time.
When the salesman, in loud, dignifed voice,
finally informed him that he had looked at
the entire stock of $40 overcoats, the little
man calmly intimated he would take the
first one that had been shown to him, and
the salesman looked fierce and demanded to
know whether he would have the new or the
old one wrapped up.
Then great transformation took place.
The little man stretched himself an inch
higher, threw off his timid air and demanded
in loud voice whether the salesman saw the
suit he had on. The surprised salesman said
he did. Then the little man followed up his
question with a second demand upon the per-
ceptive faculties of the salesman as to
whether he saw how it had faded. The sales
man, whose patronizing air seemed to be CIV
ing way to 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 $18 in that same store, and as it had
faded so much he thought reliable house
like that should allow liberal discount on
the overcoat The salesman was now ter
rifed. He had never heard of such thing.
He called for the manager, and, that individ-
ual arriving, the little man made known his
demand for a discount. The manager OBJ
jected on the ground that the suit hadn't
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
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 a discount
of at least half the price on the
next purchase as a balm to his wounded
pride for wearing faded suit The sales
man trembled, the manager was startled and
offered the little man 81 discount, osten-
sibly to get rid of him, or perhaps, as he
said, because of his many former purchases.
The little man refused it with scorn. He
loftily said he thought the house was
reliable house, and that the just and proper
thing to do was to allow him SO on the coat
The manager smiled sardonically and said:
"My dear sir, l trust you will pardon me,
but for solidity of cheek l think you are un-
equaled in New York"
Then the little man looked scornfully upon
the manager, gathered up his ulster and
passed out. The manager returned his look
with IN 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 1 would
get on in the world!'-New York Evening
Sun.