Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1893-11-10


81 was shopping in big Sixth avenue
store the other day with my daughter, and
we were looking at some furs heaped on q
bargain counter On the counter was .
pretty muff with purse pocket on ont
side of it, and as l admired it picked il
up, showed it to my daughter and told her
that if her father and the children wanted
to give me u present to be sure and lei
them know that would prefer muff just
like that.
"Look at this dear little purse pocket
on the side,' said, as unbuttoned the
cover of the pocket and looked in. There
to my surprise, saw a tiny lace handker-
chief and some money. Instantly the
thought struck ME that had picked up
some customers muff by mistake, and al
the same time a sharp voice sounded in
my ears, saying, What are you doing with
my muff?
81 turned around and saw tall, well
dressed woman looking at me angrily, and
| regret to say | blushed deeply at my
awkward mistake. She evidently took the
blush for Il guilty one and proceeded to
scold me loudly and insinuate that. want
ed to steal her muff and money.
ALTOGETHER TOO MEEK.
II ought to have answered her with
equal vehemence, suppose, but just here
my unfortunate meekness came into play
and reflected that my own stupidity was
responsible for putting me in II position
where ] looked like sneak thief, and that
the woman was justified in thinking SO
All did therefore was to apologize for
my action, but this seemed only to confirm
the suspicious of the woman. the shop
girls and the floor walker.
FINALLY the woman took her muff shut
off her stream of words and walked away
Seeing that had not convinced her of my
innocence, turned to the floor walker to
explain it to him, but he said he had not
time to listen. and intimated that the store
would prefer to get along without visits
from me in the future. Now wasn't that
a nice inheritance for my meekness9
After had recovered from my morti
fcation somewhat we went into another
big store to look at some hats. There were
more customers than shopgirls in the mil
linery department, and SO ] did as many
others were doing-tried on number Of
hats before the glass without waiting
for shopgirl to help me, Not find
ing any hat to suit me, | decided to
go out, and looked around for my own
hat, which | had laid down on table
as was trying others on. 1t was gone. |
looked everywhere, but could not find it,
when suddenly my daughter spied it OH the
head of another woman. who was trying it
on before glass.
OVERCOME By MEEKNEss
Going up to her, said politely. That is
my hat you have on
"'Indeed, it's not your hat she answered
holly. 4 don't care if you did pick it out.
| have chosen it, too, before you paid for it,
and intend to keep it,
Here my meekness overcame me again.
| saw that by laying my hat down among
the ones for sale had led this woman to
think it was for sale also Was she to
blamei Was not at faultS Surely So
| apologized again and was about to assert
once more that it was my own hat, when
the woman appealed noisely to shopgirl,
saying that was trying to bully her, and
producing her purse she asked the price of
the hat and declared her intention OF pay
ing for it and carrying it away in spite of
any Creature
1.-THE shopgrl looked at the hat for
moment and then said that it was not n
store hat at all, and was not made there.
Then why is it on the table for sale2
asked the woman shrilly.
81 put it there by mistake while was
trying on some hats said. 1t is my own
hat; trimmed it myself
Anybody could see it was II cheap.
second hand, hideous thing said the WON
an, now in towering rage. Take your
old rag and she threw it down on the
table and hurried out, leaving me over
whelmed with confusion and feeling like IA
guilty wretch. | suppose should have
charged her with stealing, like the other
woman did me. But, then, you know the
meek shall inherit the earth. Pm not one
of those people who want the earth, but |
am bold to say that | never yet saw meek
person who seemed to inherit rs much of il
as the other kind do. New York Tribune