Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-24

"Well, they are here. Have you seen
our beautiful Romeo and Juliet?' Here
1t is. Only S3"-and the odd cents,
whatever they were.
The gentleman concluded he would
have some fun quietly, so he looked
over his glasses at the young lady and
asked
''Who is the painter of this Romeo
and Juliet"
Painter exclaimed the young lady.
SIT isn't painting, it's book.
''Ah. beg your pardon. Who is the
author-I didn't mean painter meant
author"
The young lady blushed and then raj
lied.
"Well." she said, eff you don't know
who wrote Romeo and Juliet | don't
think there is much use showing you
the book"
Possibly not" the gentleman re-
piled. But | am a stranger in the
city and have been fooled so much
since ! came to Chicago that thought
might venture to ask who wrote
the beautiful book which YOU have add
vertiscd.'
This was long speech. Tue gentle
man intended it should be, for during
it's delivery the young lady peeped into
the front of the book, and shutting il
quickly. said in decided way: "Mr.
Shakespeare wrote it. Maybe you have
heard of him.
She uttered the last sentence in a
mean way-the way in which only a
woman can utter Il mean sentence. 1t
was scorn and hatefulncSS and triumph,
all in heap.
The gentleman replied: at seems TO
me have. Have YOU his other works"
There was no improperly in TIE
query. and yet the young lady blushed
again and looked at the man as if she
could kill him. Then light broke over
her face, and the look of triumph came
back to her eyes-the look which comes
into the cats eyes when it discovers
that the canary is asleep.
Il will sec," she said, and in her face
was Il OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES express
sion. Then she gidcd TO the end of the
counter where the hairless headed floor
walker was posing IN his Sunday school
attitude She whispered to him and he
shook his head. She glided back TO the
place of beginning and said in 4 firm,
you-are-a-wrctch tone of voice: mo.
sir: we had his other works, but they
have all been sold
IL am sorry to annoy you. said the
gentleman, but can you tell me where
| could get Shakespeare iIiawatha' in
the same binding as this? The publish
cr's lis; must he in your house.
The young lady bit her under lip until
all the blood in her beautiful facc-for
She is a beautiful girl-ruShed To the
place OF attack. 4 woman'S intuition
is quick. She knew this man was in
tent upon mischief and yet there was
nothing in his speech or manner to
which she could take exception.
She again had recourse TO the piouS-
looking floor walker, who said something
and smiled. She returned to confront
the man whom she now hated. She in
formed him in hurrying way that this
Romeo and Juliet" was the only one OF
Mr.. Shakespearc'S works in the house,
and that the house had no publisher
list.
VERY we'll" said the gentleman. II
will look at this, if you please. and see
whose version it is, if you have no OBJ
lection"
Certainly" she replied. And the
way she said it.
He looked at the copy for half hour.
1t seemed whole afternoon for the
young lady. Then he said to her;
"Of course it is not your fault. |
don't blame you or your house. You
could not have known this. OF course.
You will pardon me, of course.
This was one time when she had moth
ing to say. She stood like piece of
statuary that is to be ratified off for a
fair.
The gentleman seeing her position
continues "According 10 this edition
of Romeo and Juliet Juliet kills her
self, when the truth is she was smoth-
cred to death by Othello with pillow.
The book is Il fraud
II had not read it," the young lady
answered in Il subdued manner. Il am
here to sell bookS-not to read them. .
she concluded.
''Of course not" the gentleman re-
|
Browning's Melodies?' he asked.
You mean Mother Goose"
"No. mean Mother Browning. She
used to be Mother Goose. but she is
married"
The young lady put pin in her hair
and said something about thigh time
she was"
where is the soap counter" asked
the wretch.
"Second aisle to the right. That way
The young lady felt relieved when he
asked her for the soap counter. 1t was
an indication that he was going. But
he fingered.
maybe you have it here, he said. Il
want a book of poetical quotations. |
have made bet with friend OF mine
that Campbell is the author of the line
while there's life there's soap, and it
occurred to me might find it at the
soap counter, but maybe you have it
| here"
81 think YOU will find it in the second
aisle to the right" she said with indif-
ference.
"Find WHAT" he asked; 'the book on
quotations Or"
No" she shrieked, 1.-THE soap"
And she left him standing there while
she went to wait on. an old gentleman
who was looking at the juvenile prints
Of Noah's ark at the far end OF the
counter.
"Wlll Christmas ever come this year,
she murmured as she went away.
| A Thoughtless Critic.
.Judqe.