The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-07

| because it wouldn't stretch,
And you won't try 1t on for me?'
No, she replied. Not at that
| price
How am going to tell anything
about it?' ] asked in despair. IL Won
| know it won't stretch and I am not SO
| certain now that l come to think of it
that l do wear a six?'
am sure / don't know she an
swered in SO Indifferent a tone that my
blood congealed and cold ehills ran
umn.
Then 7 am afraid 1 can't take
AS you please said she. And was
dismissed.
! consulted my memorandum book
as l wandered disconsolately down the
aisle. Inc next item was a handker
chlef. The fioorwalker directed me to
the handkerchief counter, which I
round with less difficulty, having be-
come familiarized, what with much
wandering up and down, this way and
that, and sidewise, with the store. The
counter was spread with handkerchief
of every shape, color and variety. I
found a vacant place and stood patient
ly awaiting my turn. The shop girls
We're exceedingly busy. They rushed
hither and thither. waiting on the
| crowd. Everybody in New York APP
pSdIeu u nave Sei6Cleu lHaL DaTIlCu-
lar day to buy handkerchiefs. / drew a
handkerchief box toward me and looked
at the top one. liked it. / looked up
at the clerk.
- What is the'--I began.
'Ca-s-s-sh!' she yelled.
What is the price began again.
"I'll wait on you directly said she,
and with that she fed to the far end of
the counter hid herself behind pile Of
handkerchiefs and dozen or so Gus
toners and l saw her no more.
Il corraled another clerk. How
much is this? began.
" TIL wait on you directly she shout
ed as she passed me on the fly
'Ca-s-s-sh!'
Il knew how that was by this time.
1t was her busy day. 1 never laid eyes
on her again. I fingered the handker-
chief and sighed. I wanted it awfully.
but how was I to get it? There was
the money in my pocketbook to pay
for it if l only knew the price. They
wouldn't tell me the price. they
wouldn't wait on me, they wouldn't let
me buy it, I gathered it up. How pref
ty it looked with the ends sticking out
and the middle all crumpled up in my
hand! They wouldn't let me buy belt
or pair of gloves. Surely they would
let me buy the handkerchief
How much is the banker be-
gan again as another shop girl alighted
for second in my vicinity.
I'll tell you pretty soon,' said she.
I'm busy now. Ca-s-s-sh!'
II sighed again. Evidently the only
way to buy things in that store was to
break in at daylight and nail the clerks
as they came in from breakfast Here
after. I concluded, that was what
would do. But I wanted the handker-
chief that very day. l was going to a
little party in the evening and I wanted
to carry it, I stuck 1t IN my muff just
to see how It would look. It had very
fetching look there. / wished somebody
would come along and sell 1T to me. At
that moment a clerk came up
''Have you been waited on?' she
asked, and the tone of her voice was
sharp.
Il was past speaking. She turned
disgustedly away and proceeded to
wait on another customer. And there
7 was with the stolen handkerchief
sticking out of my muff! If l put it
back they would all see me- Besides,
it was all wrinkled up. How could 1
stralghten 1t out and put it back in the
box with the crowd looking on.
couldn't. If did would be denounced
at once as repentant thief and locked
up. because no matter how repentant
thief you are you are always locked
up. I moved away from the counter
L
tioorwalker. He knew me by this time.
I had been there all day.
Did you get what you wanted? he
inquired urbanely enough now that it
was all over. and I was branded for
life, in my own eyes at least. as thief.
Yes I painted, and sped past him
for fear he would read my guilt in my
eye.
II rushed outside. There on the cor
ner of the street was a huge policeman.
I think in all my life have never seen
so large policeman. He looked stern
ly at me. I held my breath as I went
by him. OF course he saw the hand
kerchief sticking out Of my muff. How
could he help it? l felt the handouts
clanking on my wrists.
L boarded the car, sat down and took
to trembling. Everybody in the car
was all eyes and those eyes were fixed
on me, particularly those of the con-
ductor. Finally the reason of this pen
etrated my brain. I had failed to pay
my fare. Coming to myself l handed
it over, Whereupon he removed his eyes
and fastened them upon the latest ar
rival, who had also failed to pay her
fare. The handkerchief burned my
fingers, but, after all, was it my fault?
1t appeared to me that I had been the
victim of circumstances. Those clerks
wouldn't wait on me.
"A pretty young girl boarded the car.
She took a seat by me. AS she did so
she glanced admiringly at the handker-
chief. She sat by me for 10 or 10 min
utes. Then she left the car. I felt for
the handkerchief. 1t was gone! /
breathed a sigh of relief that She had
admired it so much as that, got off the
car at the next street and walked the
rest of the way home. I needed the
fresh air.
II maintain that I was no common
thief. AS say, there was a combina-
ton of circumstances arrayed against
me; besides which was severely hand
icapped by the fact that about the only
way to buy things in some stores is to
steal them.'--New York Sun.