The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-20

were up on!ail the varying shades and
styles of dress goods and ribbons. brands
of thread, proprieties in Innings, trim
mings, etc.. ad nauseam.
Young Hepburne Worth-that isn't his
name. but it will DO as we'll as any other
had lived III his coy little home on North
Meridian street, five years. ever since he
came to Indianapolis to invest his capital
in a manufacturing enterprise that was
prosperinR to such degree that he was fast
growing rich. And in all these years he
had entered the portals of dry goods estab-
lishments but once. Then it was to sur
prise his wife with new dress. He still
held in bitter memory the vexation
of soul he had endured during that
terrible ordeal as we'll as humiliating
recollection of the friphtful monstrosity
that had been created from his purchases.
1t more than surprised his wife; it gave her
nerves a shock they did not recover from
In o month. HIDE it as much as she could.
he could not helD seeing her embsrrass-
ment and noting the fact that nobody but
himself and the servants was ever permit
ted to see her wearing It Worth then and
there swore oil, cordially damned ali dry
goods stores. and, when he had any more
surprises planned for his wife. commits
stoned some of her lady friends to execute
them.
on he had other grievances against
such establishments. His book-keeper
had formerly been employed in one in
Kansas City, and had more than once told
him how the prOprietors ground down the
poor female clerks to starvation wages.
and then had their wraps and lunch
baskets searched before they left tho store
In the evening. He had told him that
the elaborate system of checks. change
making aud wrapping had all been wrought
OFT with the one END In view of keeping
clerks from stealing. and, furthermore.
that the newspaper stories about these
houses employing detectives. ostensibly AS
foor-walkers, but really to watch Gus
toners were only too true. sad comment
as they might be upon human nature.
Worth despised all this from the bottom of
his seul. There was good deal OF sentl-
ment in his business. in the relations be-
tween himself and his men, both at the
benches aud at the desks. He knew that
any of them would 60 through fire and
water for the good OF the concern, and he
knew that be was always ready to
do all he could to tighten their work, in
crease their lncomes-they Werc on profit
sharing basis--or assist them In any way.
His CONTEMPT for the ''women's stores" was
complete. He was q total stranger to them.
and WAS glad of il.
But his wife did not share bis antipathy
in the least She was persistent shopper,
bought large quantities and know the face
of every clerk. where every thing was to be
found. and the price of nearly everything
In every big dry goods store in Indianapo-
lis. Last Sunday evening Worth and his
charming little wife. sitting as usual after
dinner. both in one big leather chair. in
front of the bright fire IN their library, fell
into "reminiscences of their wedding jour-
pey. Together in memory they again went
through countless furniture, bric-a-brac.
China. dry goods and carpet stores In New
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Worth
had enjoyed those shopping excursions.
He had had-llke every other bridegroom
more ready cash than he ever expected to
have again. and had delighted in buying
was her frat trip East. and he had found q
keen pleasure in seeing her pretty blne eyes
expand in wonder and In explaining to her
all he knew about everything. He finally
lights that he remarked: much as hate
dry-goods stores, sweetheart NINE / be-
lieve IN go shopping with you again some
day inst for old times sakew
"Oh! Will you. Hepburnei" che replied.
"Thatll DO just lovely! Let's 90 to-mor-
row! You are never very busy on Mon.
days. I'll hurry through every place we
60 so as not TO tire You. Now won't yon.
dears" She know she could buy every
thing III sight if he were along. whereas
II alone, she would he economical
There was no resisting her appeal and
Worth deliberately decided to smother his
antipathy, take no account Of time and
make an afternoon of it,
Thus began this true story. The next
Rftern Don was rather misty. hut they
donned their mackinroshes and braved the
weather 10 try TO snatch from prosaio dry
goods stores some OF tho romance of their
wedding journey. Worth stood il manful
ly for full hour in the first store. tagging
about after his wife and producing the
necessary cash every few minutes Final
~. however. he ventured to ask lovingly,
store.
"Only q minute. dear" she answered
sweetly. I've inst got to get veil for
Mrs. Jones and then we're done. Oh, yes,
around to the cheap cutlery tray, THIRD
aisle. right hand side near the 'front.' and
get themi"
Yes, he could and he did. He found the
tray and got the scissors. Then he saw Q
pair of tweezers and nail-fle, both of
which he happened to need. On the next
tray, too. he saw big Rhinestone brooch.
which would DO just the thing for the cos
tune he was having m ade for some private
thsatricals. He bought them. They came
to SLIT. By diving into o side
pocket where he kept newspaper pennies
he made the exact change. politely de-
clined to have them wrapped, and drop
ping them loose into the side pocket of his
the thought that he had, for once, beaten
the system" and gotten his things with
out delay.
They trotted off contentedly to the next
big department store to find some feather
trimmings, and spent half an hour getting
them. Then Mrs. Worth happened to re.
member that she needed some wire for .
hat. She wOnld inst 60 up to the third
floor. and would only be gone a minute.
"All right said Worth. "PIl 60 down to
the basement and view the monstrosities
In china. You can find me there when you
come down."
She disappeared and he went to the base-
ment, where china, knIck-knacks and triDk-
cts of all kinds were stored In profusion.
| After few minutes he became aware that
| rs be moved about examining this and
that quiet young man was following
him. not only with his eyes but literally.
The young man was apparently q
| fioor-walker. but still be was not
showing customers about Ii occurred to
Worth that he was probably one of those
] dry goods-store detectives that he had read
and heard abont In an instant the humil-
iating consciousness flashed upon him that
the young man was watching HIM. Evil
IDENTIFY he was suspected of being q thief!
The very thought made bis cheeks burn.
Just then the young man bent sharper
| look upon him and Worth felt hat ba W aa