The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-08
A MIGHTY MEAN THING.

Some of the downtown merchants put in
stock of books just before the holiday
season, and sell the volumes at waydown
prices that would make the authors groan.
Sometimes these book counters, or stalls,
are placed ia charge OF young lady who
has all the necessary qualifications for
making one buy, but is utterly destitute
of the sort of information the buyer some
times wants before he makes a purchase.
1t isn't the fault of the young lady. She
could puzzle a man very quickly If she
were over in the embroidery department
and a man went there to purchase. But
she is sent to the book stall by the man.
aget who doesn't stop to inquire whether
she knows anything apout books, and the
result is that the young lady is often
quizzed in a way that makes her cheeks
Jingle.
A gentleman was at one of these book
stalls just before Christmas, looking over
the bargains"
Have you seen the beautiful books
which we advertised today" asked the
young lady behind the books.
The gentleman said he had Geen the adj
vertisement, but not the books.
Indeed, the young lady replied. well,
they are here. Have you seen our beauti-
full Romeo and Juliet? Here it 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.
1T ISN'T painting it's book"
"Ah, beg your pardon. Who is the au-
thor-I didn't mean painter meant au-
tbors''
The young lady blushed and then raj
bed
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 replied.
"But am stranger in the city, and have
been fooled so much since l came to Chi
cago that thought might venture to ask
who wrote the beautiful book which you
have advertised"
This was long speech. The gentleman
intended it should be, for during its de-
of the book, and, shutting it quickly, said
III a MI OHdhcS pIOOC
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 a mean sentence. 1t was scorn and
hatefulness and triumph all in heap.
The gentleman replied: ut seems to me
I have. Have you his other works."
There was no improperly in the query,
and yet the young lady blushed again and
looked at the man as if she could kill him.
Then a 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.
81 will see," she said, and in her face
was a you-haven't-got-me-y expression.
Then she glided 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 / cad.
She glided back to the place of beginning,
and said in firm, you-are-a-wretch tone
of voice, mo, sir; we had his other works,
but they have all been sold"
Il am sorry to annoy you" said the gen
tleman, but can you tell me where could
get 'Shakespeare's Hiawatha' in the same
binding as this? The publishers list must
be in your house."
The young lady bit her underlip until all
the blood in her beautiful face-for she is
a beautiful girl-rushed to the place of at
tack. A woman's intuition is quick. She
knew this man was intent upon mischief,
and yet there was nothing in his speech or
TO which she could take exception.
She again had recourse to the piOus look
ing floor walker, who said something and
smiled. She returned to confront the man
whom she now hated. She informed him
in hurrying way that this Romeo and
Juliet" was the only one of Mr.. Shakes
peares works in the house, and that the
house had no publishers list.
Every WELL" said the gentleman. II will
look at this, if you please, and see whose
version it is, if you have no objection"
Certainly" she replied. And the way
she said It'll
He looked at the copy for half hour. 1t
seemed a whole afternoon to 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 par
don me, of course"
This was one time when she had nothing
to say. She stood like piece of statuary
that is to be ratified off for fair
The gentleman seeing her position con-
tinued:
According to this edition of Romeo
and Juliet Juliet kills herself, when the
truth is she was smothered to death by
Othello with a pillow. The book is
fraud"
81 had not read it, the young lady an
-.
to sell books-not to read Them" she con-
cluded.
''Of course not" the gentleman replied,
relenting. Have you Mother Browning's
he asked.
You mean Mother Goose''"
NO. l mean Mother Browning. She
used to be Mother Goose, but she is mar
ried"
The young lady put pin in her hair
and said something about high 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 lin
gered.
Maybe you have it here" be said II
want a book of poetical quotations. have
made a bet with a friend of mine that
Campbell is the author of the line While
there's life there soap, and it occurred 10
me i might find it at the soap counter, but
maybe you have il here
Il think you Will find it in the second
aisle to the right" she said with indiffer-
ence.
Find what" he asked: "the book on
quotations orr
No" she shrieked. the soap"
And she left him standing there while
she went 70 wait on Rn old gentleman who
was looking at the Juvenile prints Of
Nnah,s ark ~ Z hn far md ~ . he cor, rtar