St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-15

measure, upon his politeness, is but
puppet in the hands of pair of old
stagers who are up to all the tricks of
their peculiar custom.
"Here is new pattern in summer
silks, warranted to be fast colors and of
good wearing qualities. 1t is becoming
very popular" mildly suggests the
clerk, who is becoming wearied with
running up and down the step-ladder
after eighty-seven different styles of
goods.
81 don't want that stuff" snaps Mrs.
Shopper, while her eyes pierce the un-
happy clerk. It'll fade inside of two
days. Slimpsy stuff, too, and don't
want anything that everybody else
wears"
"That wouldn't suit your complexion,
either, my DEAR" chimes in Mrs. Hop
per. TASK him to show us some of that
up there in that corner" and away up
the step-ladder goes the salesman with
faint hope, doomed to destruction,
wandering around his heart.
mo. that won't do" firmly calculates
Mrs. Hopper. sit hasn't the same color,
now that see it in the light. What is
that piece up there on the top shelt?"
Down it comes, for the clerk is but a
slave, anyhow, and down comes the de-
sired article.
"Worse than the other" is the COM
ment of Mas. Hopper. II guess you
haven't anything that want"
"Sorry we cannot satisfy you, ladies.
Perhaps if you would tell me just what
you want could show it to you" mildly
interposes the much-abused man.
"None of your impudence. young
man," is Mrs. Shoppers stern retort.
"You haven't thing in the store fit to
be seen On any woman" and she turns
angrily away.
IF they don't want our patronage
here, of course we can 60 elsewhere"
loftily observes Mrs. Hopper. Come,
Eliza. Well go down to Loom & Spin
dies. Customers are not insulted
there"
And away the outraged females
saunter dignifedly, while the floor
walker, who overheard the last remark,
slowly remarks:
''Mr. Mildly, if you can't treat our
customers with respect we must dis
pense with your services. Clear up
that counter"
That is the everyday experience of
the clerk. No small wonder that his
hair becomes Streaked with gray, that
lines appear upon his smooth brow, that
he becomes sour toward the world.
Some day the papers chronicle the sui
eide of Arthnr Mildly, and the last few
lines of the Item read:
"Mr. Mildly was employed as sales
man at the silk counter in Surah d
Co.'s store and seemed to be doing well.
No one can offer any explanation for
his suicide"
There is the widest difference mag
Unable between the woman who visits
the stores for the pleasure to be derived
from shopping and the one who goes
there to purchase. The latter knows
what she wants-and she usually wants
good deal-she selects it in a few min
utes and goes home. The shopper
never wants anything and when she
does she goes over to st. Paul to buy it
but she tumbles over more goods than
dozen purchasers would, secures sew
eral samples If she can, and goes back
home to make over her old last years
gown. While shopping she is forever
kicking. Occasionally she SO far for
gets herself as to purchase, mayhap a
spool of thread or paper of pins or a
stick of tape, does 1t with an air of con-
descension worthy of princess and
then asks to have 1t delivered. She is
the pest of the merchant. but he is
powerless against her because, as a
rule, she is possessed of not over
scrupulous tongue and she might injure
the merchants business. She fiouriSheS
as the green bay tree, and there seems
to be no relief from her peculiar prac-
tices until the millennium has become an
accomplished fact.