Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-01-04
QUEER DETECTIVE WORK
How the Big Stores Find Out What
Rivals Are Doing.
Clerks Sent Out on DnrgAin-PurchasInE
TOurS-Rnorts That Arc Made to
ialk Their Designs-HustlN
Is the Word.

The proprietor of one of the largest
ary-goods stores on Fourteenth street
sat in his Office last Monday morning
looking over some marked advertise
ments in the Sunday newspapers. Pres
emily he rang for the superintendent and
that gentleman came in.
MIR. Johnson" said the merchant,
''these advertisements that l have
marked here are worth inquiring into.
II SCENE thOt oome Of our competitors
are Offering special Inducements at this
!. time in the matter of holiday goods.
y Attend to this at once, please, and let
me hear from you"
Mr.. johnson bowed. took the papers
and walked out. He devoted about half
of the next hour to carefully reading
over the advertisements referred to by
his employer. Then Mr.. johnson
turned around and. nodding to one of
his clerks in his office, said:
II wish you would find Miss Williams
in the bric-a-brac department Tell
her would like to see her at once"
The clerk went out, and in few mo-
ments returned with young woman.
She was very pretty, demure and in
telligent-appearing girl. She was well
dressed, and seemed to know why she
had been sent for. She looked up at the
superintendent with an inquiringglance
rs she said:
"You sent for me, Sir?"
''Miss Williams" said Mr.. johnson.
''we will have to send you out again
to-day"
Miss Williams simply nodded, smii-
ingly, and then Mr.. johnson took the
marked papers and spread them out be-
fore her. A long conversation followed.
Miss Williams made notes from the ad-
vertisementS as she read them and re-
peated them over to herself number Of
times as though committing them to
memory. The superintendent said to
her:
''Now, would like to be able to re-
port this matter to the firm by tomorrow,
and II you are very spry you will be
eble to get around to all these parties
to-day before six o'clock"
Miss Williams now withdrew to the
room in which the clerks hung their
wraps. In few moments she came out
with bonnet gloves and wrap, looking
not unlike many Of the stylish young
women who were coming in to start their
days shopping When she stepped out
into the street she looked up and down
for q moment as though undecided
which way to go. Then she pursed up
her pretty lips into a pout, nodded her
head in a knowing way and tripped of
at lively pace toward Fifth avenue.
She had not gone tar before she saw
throng of shoppers going into one of the
big stores. She followed in their wake,
and although the crowd in front of her
was very large she managed in some
way to get near the front at each coun-
ter with very little difficulty. At one
of the counters she remained for some
time.
II want to see some of that surah silk
you have advertised" she said.
The clerk took down several bolts of
the silk and she examined it critically.
thank you," she said.
A moment later she was at another
counter, where large wax dolls were
being disposed of to hungry crowd of
hh0ppers. There we're several clerks at
Ahis counter and the foor-walker also
happened to be standing there. He let
his eye fall upon Miss Williams and be
seemed TO recognize her. He stepped
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