Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-01-31
ITO be Continued.)
BUYING A RIBBON.

This Young Man Was Eager 10 buy O''e
for His Girl.
PAIRING a few premature gray hairs l
an, a voung man. with an obligins dispo-
e,t,on Now that sort of disposition Is
nice thing ION your friends but source Oh
lots of extra work for yourself nave
the reputation. and suffer accordingly l
suppose that is why 1 was asked py the
vo;,np lady VINO sits reXt TO me at the Ia
bile if I did not want to DO her a favor.
Not only willing. but eager / lid her
"yyell" said she Il want to give the cat
nice new ribbon for Christmas present
Don't YOU want 10 get it for me-
Certainly"
Now. if there is anything the average
man breads. it is shopping about christ
mas time. When he gets into a crowded
store he feels that everybody suspects nm
Of being a pickpocket. and no doubt no
looks II. OF course I was delighted at the
opportunity Of enjoying myself in that
way.
what sort Of a ribbon do you want?'
asked.
SAY. girls: what sort had he better
get?" she asked of the others.
20. the same kind he has on" they
chirped; lit IS so becoming TO the dear
thing
well. now listen" she said to me. Get
a yard of No width, sross-srained, pea
cock blue Can you remember all that
20. yes" l said that's easy. You can
add a few more details if You wish
Better let ne write il down for YOU
one of the girls suggested.
'Tisn't necessary; L have little MEM
DRY left"
| wished later that had asscnted TO her
suggestion.
recalled the fact that the ribbon coun-
ter in one Of the big downtown stores was
presided oven by a sweet little fairy, and
tnither I betook myself. The store was
crowded with women. with here and there
a poor. forlorn, frishtened-looking man
acting as a packhorse. What pathetic OBJ
iects they are! I worked my way through
TO where l saw my dainty little cnchant-
ress. languidly chewing gum. She gave
me q sweet. stereotyped commercial smile
as / struggled up alongside the counter In
reply to her automatic Interrogatory look
I murmured. Il would like to see some rib /
bons. please: l want TO get piece for n !
cat"
What kind?' she sympathctically in I
CURED.
Just as ordinary tomcat,' I said.
81 mean what color?"
20. he is a brindled cat, I should say
striped like a."
Il mean what color of ribbon do you
want?" And she actually giegled. Any
young woman is likely to do that, but that
giggle upset me completely. | felt like am
orator who had forgotten all Of his speech.
except Ladies and gentlemen Blue
was all I could remember
Any particular shade Of bluc?" she in
quired, as I knew she would.
Yes. It is particular shade. Let's see
She said a-a-O. yes; I want No. ?.
cross-grained parrot blue: that's it. Came
mighty near forgetting it,
whats all that" she said with n look
of amused amazemen; on her lovely face
that made her perfectly rayi.hing.
/ repeated my statement
81 know we haven't got it in stock, and
7 never heard of any such color as that.
Amt you got it mixed?" she gurgled.
"Wen. it stumps me. Say. wait. and III
see the head of the department" And
she tripped.away. Some women who over
heard our conversation seemed to think it
mighty funny, hut women are easily
amused. ! saw some laugh The other day
at man who accidentally broke "a $50 vac
ole said you were off your trolley"
naivcly informed me There ain't no s-..
color; said maybe you meant peacoc.
blue"
That's the bird. knew It was sor1e
sort of a gorgeous fowl said 1.
And reckon you mean gros-grain, in
stead Of cross-grained2'
Did I say cross-srained?" I innocently
asked
you did"
With her big brown eyes she looked over
the stock
Il can't give you that shade in that
width. but I can give you something very
near it. The cat wouldn't know the diff
ference"
But the other would" ] said. Lets
see fl, anyway
Her smile was so enchanting and her