Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-05-30
A MIGHTY MEAN THING.
Making Game of a Chicago Girl Tenn
pornrily In Charge of Book Counter.

season. and sell the volumes at waydowr
prices that would make the authors groan
Sometimes these book counters, or stalls
are placed in charge of a young lady who
has all the necessary qualifications fol
making one buy, but is utterly destitute
OF the sort of information the buyer some
times wants before he makes purchase
1t isn't the fault Of the young lady. She
could puzzle man very quickly Ii She
were over in the embroidery department
| and man went there to purchase. But
she Is sent to the book stall by the man
! ager, who doesn't stop to inquire whether
she knows anything about books, and the
result Is that the young lady is often
quizzed In way that makes her cheeks
Jingle.
A gentleman Yves at one of these book
stalls just before Christmas, docking over
the bargains"
Have you seen the beautiful books
which we advertised todayi' asked the
young lady behind the books.
| The gentleman said he had seen the ad-
vertisement, but not the books
Indeed, the young lady replied. "Well,
they are here. Have you seen our beauti.
ful Romeo and JulictY Here it is. Only
81 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
Julietp"
Painter" exclaimed the young lady
1t isn't painting, it's a book"
"Ah, beg your pardon. Who is the au-
thor didn't mean painter--I meant au
thorf"
The young lady blushed and then raj
He'd
WELL" she said, ''if 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 a stranger IN the city, and have
been fooled SO much since came to Chi
cago that thought might venture to ask
who wrote the beautiful book which you
have advertised"
This was a long speech The gentleman
intended it should be, for during it's de
livery the young lady peeped into the front
OF the book, and, shutting it quickly, said
In decided way; "Mr. Shakespeare wrote
It. Maybe you have heard of him"
She uttered the last sentence in mean
way--the way in which only woman can
utter mean sentence. 1t was scorn and
hatefulness and triumph all in heap.
The gentleman replied: 1T seems to me
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 light broke over her face, and the
look OF triumph came back to her eyes
the look which comes into the cats eyes
when 1t discovers that the canary is asleep.
u will see," she said, and in her face
was you-haven't-g ot-me-yet 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 head.
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"
II 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 thisS The publishers list must
be in your house"
The young lady bit her underlip until all
the blood in her beautiful face-for she ia
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
manner 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.
peare's works in the house, and that the
house had no publishers list.
Very well, said the gentleman II will
look at this, If you please, and see whose
version 1t is, II you have no objection"
Certainly" she replied And the way
she said It'll
He looked at the copy for half hour. 1t
seemed 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 a 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 pillow The book is q
fraud"
IL had not read it," the young lady an.
swered in subdued manner ~ am here
to sell bookshelf to read them" she con
cluded
"Of course not" the gentleman replied,
relenting. Have you Mother Brownings
MelodiesS" he asked.
you mean Mother Goose?'"
No. mean Mother Browning. She
20. lNa Al..l
ried"
The young lady put a pin in her hair
and said something about high time she
was"
Where is the soap counterp" 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" he said. 81
want book of poetical quotations. | have
made bet with friend of mine that
Campbell is the author of the line While
there's life there soap and it occurred to
me might find it at the soap counter, but
maybe you have it here"
II think you will find it ia the second
aisle to the right" she said with indiffer.
ence.
Find WHAT" he asked; 1.-The book on
quotations ORR
No." she shrieked, 1.-THE soapr
And she left him standing there while
she went to wait on an old gentleman who
was looking at the Juvenile prints of
Noahs ark at the far end of the counter.
"Will Christmas ever come this year2'
she murmured as she went away.-Chicag,