The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-08-26
Hom to Manage a Grocer.
BY ELvlRA F. FROEMCKE.
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

THERE are few people who study,
ever so briefly, the daily irritating
cares of grocer's life. The large trials
he bears with quietness that APP
proaches the calm of despair. AS for the
smaller ones, no one knows of them.
He does not tell the vexing cares of
a cold morning, when everything that
should pour remains solid and unyield-
ing; when corks will persist in COM
ing forth and bringing with them fluids
which should stay quietly in their glass
or stone bottles. When eggs, fruits and
vegetables are frostbitten or frozen
into uselessness, and when butter and
cheese crumble to atoms under the
sharpest knifeblade.
Nor does he mention the trying spring
and summer days, that abound in busy
life, when the fly, maggot, the roach
and red ant infest every article from
biscuits to molasses. Fancy how great
a patience is necessary to meet and
overcome these trifles and don a smil-
ing countenance to meet customers. 'D'-
There was once boy who asked his
father whether there were two or three
SIS in customers. "Only two," growled
the father, who was a long-suffering
grocer, "but if made dictionary it
should have three, and I'd put two in
the first SYLLABLE
Grocers here in Montreal differ in
their business ways quite as much as
do our friends in the states. There is
a shop that we frequent, because it has
flavor of independence, which is ever
attractive to Yankee. 4 I B..
1t is kept by three brothers, great
lanky sons of Tipperary, who are mild
enough to contradict the fighting repu-
tation of that celebrated county. They
are quiet, respectful, and yet sufficient
~ self-assertive to gain the confidence
of stranger. Sometimes they are ap-
proved, quite as often they are not;
but their shop is thoroughly clean,
the quality of their goods even, they
seem fair, and we like to trade there.
Said one brother to me: '-. ~ /
eve don't do much speechmaking,
but we'll give We satisfaction if We trade
with u.s." and they have done SO. &: ii
One morning I stopped in to order
some groceries. The shop was full,
and had to wait awhile. When al,
were served approached the counter.
and was about to give my order when
in rushed tiny, excited old Irish wom-
an. She was clad in a black gown and
blue-checked apron. Her small, keen.
wrinkled face had the tint and surface
of an old-fashioned dried apple. Her
lips were thin and we'll turned down
at the corners, and her shrewd little
blue eyes showed cleverness and the fire
of termagant. She wore fluted lace
cap inside her bonnet, and the white
framework showed off her peculiarities
perfectly. "A /. T.. !.
She was excited, for every point of
her lace frill quivered indignantly, and
a small pink spot burned on each cheek.
In one hand she carried an uncovered
bottle of some sort of sauce in the
other a small paper bag. She swept
up to the counter, and utterly forgot
my errand in the breeze Of Indignation
she brought along with her. .s
''sYees call yerselves honest min, !" she
anorted.
"Oh, come now, Mrs. Mullany, = mildly
protested the grocer. X 3
'sNow an now; / want none Of we're
spalaver. Look at that sarse. = She.
shook It In his face. .'Oi stint for Wor-
ces-ter-shire sarse, and ye stint me that
CanaiinS stun. and said it was as good