Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-11-17
w 17.H-----I.A.~S ~
THE MYSTERY. :"


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When the lovely Mystery" had first
appeared at the shop, little attention had
been given to her. With the acuteness Of
those who meet hundreds daily in this
great establishment, she had been dag
nosed as young woman who had come
to choose some simple gift for coInrade
10 her own walks of life The clerk who
came forward to serve her merely hoped
she would not ask to buy an empty jew
el box with the firm name therein.
| There was lad of perhaps IA years ace
campaigning the girl-a lad in i'll fitting,
bur carefully mended clothes.
Walking up to counter where were
displayed the sterling silver goods, she
asked TO see some articles.
/ DO you wish sterling silver or plate
goods?" asked the clerk.
The blue eyes looked at him with stern
surprise as she said:
Sterling"
The clerk carefully found tiny, eIna-
ciated cucumber server and laid it on the
velvet pad
Without giving it more than cursory
| glance, she asked:
Have you nothing more attractive
than these trifing articles to show"
The clerk suggested she make a tour
OF the showcases aud see if there was any
piece of which she approved. Down the
store she walked slowly, so graceful
! figure as 10 attract many approving
/ gianees Pausing before a case. she ask
ed to have shown her loving cup. With
! Ill concealed amazement he lifted out
the smallest one among the six sizes dis
! played.
'Twenty-four dollars" said the clerk
with icy solcmnity.
CHANGING at it indfferently, she said:
''Show me the tallest one, please
1t was handed ont, and, without a
word the girl took it up, looked it over,
| held it nloft at arms length, set it on
| the showcase, backed away from it,
/ paused with her head on one side; lit
! tie wrinkle of anxiety made its mark on
| her forehead. her lips gathered in per-
| turbed pucker and said:
What is the price,"
Sixty dollars" with unnecessary dis.
tinctness.
You may have it packed. ! will take
it"
''What address. madam asked the
| iabbergasted attendant.
This boy will wait and take it when
packed"
She coolly produced six so bills, paid
them away without a glance at the as
! tonished clerk, walked gracefully down
the shop aud disappeared in the crowded
street
The money was subjected to rigorous
inspection by the head bookkeeper and
its genuineness vouched for
That was a year ago last October and
! ever since at intervals the Mystery
! has appeared. Her entrance at the shop
was always the occasion of significant
looks exchanged between the clerks.
One clerk CHANGED TO think that the
Mystery" had not been in for some
weeks. Not since Lent came in," he
said suddenly remembering the fact
why" he cried, Il never thought Of
it before, but she never has bought an ar
ticle during Lent, last year or this.
must have been buying wedding silv
all the time
Only once or twice had the Mystery"
bought jewelry: once at the holiday sea.
son she had crowded her way to the
counter where were displayed lorgnette
chains There, selecting two of the most
beautiful and expensive Designs she took
them on approval. paying with large bills
the sum of 500 and leaving the shop &C.
companied by the inevitable boy.
I'm going TO follow her." said one Of
the interested statesmen.
Follow her he did one day. after she
had bought a beautiful toilet set in silver
deposit work He saw the boy leave her
and turn into Union square. The girl
walked with businesslike alertness until
she came to one Of the great department
stores. Here, in the reception room, she
waited until there appeared middle
aged woman, whose identity was partial
ly disclosed as the Suburhauite by the
flat, but later to be apoplectic handbag
so near to the out of town shoppers heart
and pocketbook.
The "AIystefy' greeted her warmly.
"Auntie, I'm so glad you've come. I've
got just half an hour to take lunch with
you"
:. So. seated at table in the restaurant
OF the place. their frugal meal is eaten.
/, While she eats she says:
you know, auntie. | told you about
buying all Mr. Felsteen's wedding pres
ents for him. Well, I've had more fun
this year than ever before. You know he
sells pianos and organs and pianoas and
other mechanical instruments, besides
music to hundreds of people all over the
city and state: there is so much competi
tion in our business that we have to do
everything to keep the trade. Almost
every week some music teacher or her
daughter or sister or some organist or
out of town dealer gets married. Well
Mr.. Felsteen gets an invitation TO every
wedding; that means a wedding gift. He
is bachelor. you know, so he asks me
to go and select the presents. All | have
TO do is 20 buy something large that
makes big show. I've asked him to let
me buy some jewelry. but not must be
big piece of something.
Ever since I've been his stenographer
I've had women come in our store and
put on airs TO me. and I've got sick of it.
So now. when | go to buy these presents,
put on airs and act just as simplify as |
, can-just like the swell women do. But
am ready to die laughing if wasn't