The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-01-25

vously. for big circle had gathered around
and he inferred from overheard chance re-
marks that he was suspected of being eth
er drunk or crazy and probably both. At
this unpleasant l1uncture a short, thickset
man pushed his way quietly into the crowd
and asked:
Whats the matter here?'
The form of the question was imme-
diately recognized by Smith. He grasped
the newcomer by the arm.
You are the store detective, aren't you?"
he asked eagerly.
I'm one Of them said the man. "Any-
thing wrong?"
Are you a good detective?" asked Smith
anxiously.
'Oh. l guess I am good enough"
YOU'RE the man I'm AFTER" CRIED Smith
slipping a bill into the hand of the other.
If you are the real thing in detective,
Just sleuth out the toothbrush counter for
me and take me there.
That amt SO hard as 1t might seem to a
stranger" replied the detective, and within
three minutes he had landed the wanderer
against a counter on the second floor. where
he secured place behind customer to
whom the ahopgirl was explaining that try
ing a toothbrush before purchasing was
against the rules of the establishment The
customer responded with some heat that she
guessed she wasn't going to buy no tooth
brush without she had chance to see
whether 1t felt right or not and departed,
leaving her place to Smith. Two other
women scfouged in beside him, however.
and jabbed and poked and showed him until
he was ready. to fly. but that he was too
tightly wedged in. The result was that he
got into condition of mental confusion
again. and lowered between toothbrush and
soap. 80 that, by the time he came to be
waited upon, he asked the clerk II she had
any. toothbrush soap. Realizing his mistake
as soon as it was uttered. he would have
been glad to recall it, but the weird demand
was already on its travels: The first girl
languidly asked one Mag if she had ever
heard of toothbrush soap. Mag hadn't, and
she passed it on to Sadie, who didn't believe
there was any such thing. but thought if
there was Mrs. Biggs. would be sure to know
about it, so Mrs. Biggs was referred to, and
she appointed an investigating committee,
and the whole vicinity rang with tooth
brush soap.
In the course Of time word came back to
Smith that they had no toothbrush soap, but
they had something quite as good that
would do for cleaning all kinds of brushes;
patent cleaning combination warranted to,
etc. At the end Of the Grafton Smith ex-
planned in. quaverng' accents that he had
made mistake and wanted just plain soap.
He meant to say just plain toothbrush, but
got ratified again. Thereupon Mag, Sadie,
the investigating committee and all the
other girls behind the counter said in weary
monotone:
-down-seven-to-th -right-across-
hail. and at that point the unfortunate
man fled and got down stairs by piece of
unlooked-for luck, having blundered upon
the staircase while looking for the elevator.
He decided to go away and think out his
course before trying any further, and won
dered il there wasn't a smoking room some
where around the place: While he was look
ing for some one who might tell him, he
caught sight of fine line of stockings wav-
iv1y rc,t In, = ho
remembered with thrill Of distress that
Mrs. Smith had. been particularly insistent
about the stockings So, fOrtifying his soul
with the thought that it would soon be over,
he advanced to- the attack. At the point
where he brought up there was no empty
space near the counter and the girl who had
that part of it to- attend to was on a little
ladder making a very high reach for box.
AS she turned to step down. having got the
box, her eyes looked directly down into
Smiths. Selling the opportunity, he leaned
eagerly forward and asked:
Have you got silk stockings?'
The girl came down like a flash after one
startled glance from her feet to Smith. Her
face was red but here was twinkle in her
eye. She bent swiftly over to the girl next
her and said, in tones not so low but that
they were audible to Smith
Get onto the fresh geezer wantin to
know if me stockin's are silk. I'll have to
strike fer screen next time the missus
chases me up them high shelfs.'
This was the last straw for Smith. In
two seconds he was out of the aisle, going
anywhere to get out Of the way His pro-
i gress was one long line of apologies to
women who addressed him as clumsy
BRUTE Finally he was caught in a general
movement and carried to a spot to which
a long line was tending. He passed a floor
walker stationary by a miracle of static
resistance amid the current and cried out
to- him, pointing to the unknown ahead
Whats that?"
Rear exit said the man. What are
you looking for?''
That it," cried Smith. with thrill of
joy.
Diving head foremost into the thick of
the tumult, he made his way in one glad,
destructive rush through ruin and devasta-
ton and the shrieks of the despoiled and
trodden to freedom again.