The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-04-16
BUT 1T DIDN'T LOOK NICE.
WHY the Cowboy Conelufed Not &c Buy
an Outfit of Clothes.

Eppinoer kept a northumberland
Dne price clothing house in Kansas
town. A cowboy came in one day with
all the ear-markS of a man whose sal
arv had been paid. Conforming to
custom Of the country. the cowboy ex-
lracted a single dollar from his roll
and spent it for drink. Then he went
about town in search Of the best suit
of clothes the market afforded.
He dropped into Eppnger's store
and at once stood revealed as a man
with money. Eppinger dropped 4
customer who promised poorly and
turned over to his son II second who
.just dropped in to match bit Of rib
bon. =" Eppinger knew what the cow
Dov wanted almost before he had been
told. His soul rose as he measured
the profits. He tackled the job with
world of system. He made the trous-
ers lead naturally TO a coat and vest,
and found hat that fairly rhymed
with the other garments. He threw IN
u pair Of galuses just to pave the way
for a display of shirts, and he sold
light ones in this line so that under
clothes would be needed. Then he
made some collars necessary by the
DreSesst of cravat-
But Eppinger's soul was not all at
peace. Solomon his son, was off
somewhere pleasuring and the wife of
his sorrows could rot stay in the store
ali day
One after another customers came
in, saw the hopelessness Of being wait
ell on. and passed cut impatientIy.
Some of them was sure to buy. and
never complained about the price.
Some of them owed him money, and
fooled about the counter just long
enough to acquit themselves of dodg-
ing Could he have waited upon them,
Epppinger would have collected many
a dollar.
Whv didn't that worthless son re-
turn? Why should Mrs. E. refuse to
stay2 How could one man do every
ervthinn? Eppinger was in agonies,
but tried to retrieve every loss bY
swelling the sales to the cowboy.
At last be had him fitted ont from
top to Toe. High-heeIed boots. with
ali tie signs in the zodiac betrayed in
red on the glossy top; corduroy trous-
ers That we're warranted to resist all
chaDarral attacks; coat and vest Of
vernilli0n hue and doeskln texture; q
broad buck hat. with a Whiplash cord
and tasSol; white shirts that buttoned
with pearl behind and biOssomed with
frills in from; heterogeneous that
keptup circulation by incessant scratch
ing. and socks that Eppinger swore
we're imported by his brother, q mill.
ionaire in New York And over all
an overcoat that was better than blank
cts. better than bed. almost as good as
q home.
That is to say, the cowboy had not
yet paid for them and put them on.
Time and again he had consulted his
pile Va :s;;'ee,"': ;sflg Il moment and then
Succumbed to Eppinger's charge, linn
ting more and more the amount he
had originally intended to spend on a
spree.
Finally the end was reached. The
goods were all heaped together =
cheering sight to the merchant, a
formidable one to the man. The lat
ter regretted the whisky some of those
clothes could buy. The formed summed
his soul in recOmpense for all those
customers neglected. He was almost
paralyzed when the cowboy said:
"WolI, I'll look around, and if I
can't DO my better III come in and
take en-"
OF course if he went out he would
never come back again, Eppin@er
swelled with injury and protest. His
face was covered with agOnized sweat,
and lis eyes and voice were full OF
tears.
Mine friendt." he said, with g
downward infection, edo you tink dat
is right? | half waited on you ant
zeen customer after customer vent
out. [ haf gin away the galluses and
the neckties and l haff droWed off
dWendy per cent on everything. | hiatt
Gift YOU nv whole shtore for halluf a
day. Do YOU tink it is right y0a say:
If cau't do no better as dot | come
10 ag'in?"
But the spell had passed. The cow
boy WAS out from under his dominion.
1t was too much money to spend for
clothes when there was whisky still
And he grew defiant
as his senses came back.
We'll" he said in tone that rang
the knell of Eppinger's hope. Il s'pose
a man has right to look around and
do the best he can"
Yes. y said the merchant lifting his
two hands in the patient resignation Of
his race, "A man hasa right to make
tam fool of hissef, but it toant look
nice"
HEFFNER's FoRTY-oNE CHILDREN. I