San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-12
The CRAWLING MERCHANT.
Row He Satisfied Desire to Get Even
with People Not Trading with Him.


1t was a small and saturnihe merchant
in the shopping region who 'nused as fol-
lows: THE big stores swallow the small
ones, and my b Isiness has been inst about
gulped down by the cormorant on the cor
ner. These great concerns offer advantages.
All right. But l get even with some OF
the ladies who 20 by my door to buy else,
where. | have plenty of time to stand be.
hind the glass door ana watch the trap
that I've set for the shoppers that neglect
me. The disk that covers my coal shute
has dozen little round holes that | take
good care shall be kept open to pinch the
ferrules of unwary pedestrians umbrellas.
This morning business was dull, so | went
to my door and watched.
"A fat woman was coming along. She
wore a fur bordered cloak with dignity.
On she came, and with her silk umbrella
swung like pendulum with each alter.
nate step and Immediately came to the
ground in a sturdy fashion that delighted
me to see. Why is it that everybody swings
an umbrella in the same way? Forward it
goes in graceful movement when the left
leg advances, and, bang! it hits the ground
when the right foot is planted On came
the fur cloak. Would she be eau III?
held my breath in excitement and LyS my
self my after dinner cigar she would. Sine
was right over it now.
THE umbrella came down straight, and
it's point slipped with the ease of uncon.
sciOusness into the waiting hole. But
there was nothing unconscious about the
way the woman stopped. She held firm
hold of the umbrella head, and was whirled
IL lasso. The most surprised look came
into her face, and all her dignity seemed to
dribble through the stick into the coal hole
below. A man or two carrOmed against
her, just rs though she was an ordinary
being, and the very fur on her cloak lay
close, in sympathy with her feelings. This
is the sort of 1--we to catch, and | chucSled
as she worked her umbrella backward
and forward until it came up, a trife
scratched.
THE next victim was lady who carried
high her haugh y head. Her umbrella had
a bamboo handle. / knew this by the way
it flew through the air. There is no sense
of fun in our ,tolid woods, but You just
give piece of bamboo half a chtnv5 and
it can make picnic for a whole streetful
The lady was paralyzed She felt her UNI
brella give her "A violent blow on the hand,
and when she looked down to demonstrate
it wasn't there When she turned in a
dazed manner and watched it flying down
the sidewalk she gave cry of despair and
started after it. The bamboo completed its
eccentric flight by catching policeman on
the ear, and then lay as silent on the
ground as though it wasn't laughing its
ribs through the silk Its owner picked it
up and looked timidly at the policeman.
Il once caught u heel in my trap-a
long, slender pointed heel, so foolish of
construction that only devotee Of fashion
would wear it, and so charming in look
that any foot would have been improved
by it. The owners ankle was sprained,
and she sat for an hour in my store while
mamma and the carriage were coming
put on my very best manner and thought
had quite conquered her, and indeed she
frightened up very muCh-so much that
she thought she wouldn't need to wait for
mamma, and she left on foot. l didn't
miss the napkin rings and the silver salt
cellar and the ring until the next day, and
was quite bitter for some time against
the sex, but this is the only thing my trap
has cost me, and it is cheap at the price"
New York sun.