Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-10-03
THE MYSTERY. ="

I
been given to her. With the acuteness Of
| those who meet hundreds daily in this
| great establishment, she had been dag
nosed as a young woman who had come
| to choose some simple gift for comrade
| in her own walks of life. The clerk who
| came forward to serve her merely hoped
she would not ask to buy an empty jew
| ell box with the firm name therein.
There was a lad of perhaps IA years ac-
| companying the girl-a lad in i'll fitting.
| but carefully mended clothes.
| Walking up to a counter where were
| displayed the sterling silver goods, she
| asked to see some articles.
| DO ycu 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 a tiny, ema-
| ciated cucumber server and laid it on the
velvet pad.
| Without giving it more than a cursory
| glance, she asked:
| Have you nothing more attractive
than these trifing articles to show?'
| The clerk suggested she make tour
of the showcases and see If there was any
piece of which she approved. Down the
| u
figure as to attract many approving
glances. Pausing before case. she ask
ed to have shown her a loving cup. With
| i'll concealed amazement, he lifted out
| the smallest one among the six sizes dis
played.
| "Twenty-four dollars" said the clerk
| with icy solemnity.
| CHANGING at it indiferently, she said:
| ''Show me the tallest one. please"
| 1t was handed out, and, without a
| word. the girl took 1t up. looked 1t over.
held it aloft at arms length. set 1t on
| the showcase. backed away from it,
| paused with her head on one side; q 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. l will take
it."
| What address, madam" asked the
fabbergasted attendant.
| This boy will wait and take 1t when
packed"
She coolly produced six $40 bills, paid
| them away without a glance at the as
tonished clerk, walked gracefully down
the shop and disappeared in the crowded
| street.
| The money was subjected to rigorous
| inspection by the head bookkeeper and
| its genuineness vouched for.
| That was 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 ill.," 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. She
must have been buying wedding silver
| oil 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 We're 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 $3.50. 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 suburbanite by the
fiat. but later to be apoplectic handbag
| SO near to the out of town shoppers heart
and pocketbook.
| The Mystery" 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 q 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 pianolas and
| other mechanical instruments, besides
music, to hundreds Of people all over the
city and state: there is so much competi-
ton 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
ont of town dealer gets married Well,
Mr. Felsteen gets an invitation to every
wedding: that means wedding gift He
is bachelor. you know. so he asks me
to go and select the presents. All have
to do is to buy something large that
makes big show. I've asked him to let
me buy some jewelry. but mott 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.
30 now. when go to buy these presents,
l put on airs and act just as simplify as
ean-just like the swell women do But
l am ready to die laughing if l wasn't
playing a part. Mr.. Felsteen has a |
iancee. buy her presents. too. for
him. | bought her. oh. the sweetest |
iorgnette chain for Christmas present.
an opal chain. Oh, myr'