The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-06-27
AT THE EXCHANGE DESK
Experience in Bargain Store Pictured
An Example of Serene
Composure.

If you want to stamp upon your minC
the beauty Of serene composure buy 9
bargain in haste. repent at leisure and
return it to the exchange desk of the
store whence it came
Present yourself before the little win
dow and wait until the young person in
side becomes aware Of your presence
This will take some time. On the whole
If you are not a person of unlimited
leisure you had better announce yourself
distinctly, showing your package violent
~ forward.
Do not imagine You will receive the
slightest attention. The exchange girl i;
absorbed in CONCENTRATIONS in compari
son with which you are as dirt beneath
her feet. She does condescend to unite
the parcel, however, with the tips Of hel
fingers; she glances at it, losses it behinC
her, and proceeds to write. A bored OK
preston sits upon her face, but she says
nothing.
You suggest that you prefer the re-
turn of your money.
She is as silent as the sphinx.
You repeat your suggestion little
louder
This affects her somewhat. The i'm
FEASIBILITY Of her countenance is family
tinged with scOrn. but resolves instantly
into it's fixed Indifference.
Maybe she is deaf. You shout an in
curry as to whether it is the custom
Of this store to refund customers
money. -,
again. and close ;s SHARPLY on snme
times" if you choose to be hopeful.
After more scribbling she open! bel
Inns wide enough to snap. Name
nIeose." which you tell her right cheer
fully. being unselfishly glad to know she
is not actually dumb or tong..tied.
The slip is filled out, torn Off and laid
on the desk, and she calmly returns to
her own meditations. 1t Is early in the
3ov and no one else has yet intruded
Shifting from one foot to the other just
TO vary the monotony of waiting you
wonder by what process.
That slip is being converted into l.90
as it lies on the desk. by and by you
ask if you will have to wait long.
No answer.
You repeat.
She does not lift her eyes. She says
something icily about "a boy" and hel
tone scores you for presumptuous foo
that you should seek to understand the
mysterious wonders she performs.
1t is ter. minutes before a boy dawns
on the horizon. In that time you discover
the futility of disturbing the even tenor
of her way She is the moon, and YOU
may bark away like fool of a dog, but
you cannot ruff]e her composure or wiring
word from her lips.
You feel cheered to see the boy step of
| in sprightly fashion with the tiny sir
of paper. Twenty minutes you wait fol
his return. No boy, no paper, no money
The sphinx is unaware Of your exist
ence.
You consult your watch and demand tt
know if there is any method of hasten
ing that boys temperance.
NO." she says abstractedly.
| You inquire what he is supposed to bt
doing
She opens her lips to reply, but recon
siders and shuts them tight Her indif
ference is whitening. You subside. FIT
teen minutes pass. In heavens name
where is that boy?
| You could bear it better if she evincet
! the slightest concern. But she does not
A fly on the wall would attract a larg
measure of her interest.
Fret and fume if you like to feel small
| In the face Of her serene composure. Yo,
get nothing but scornful, icy contempt
| If you have morning paper 20 81
down somewhere and read. Within al
hour and quarter from the time you en-
| tered the store you may safely return t.
the desk and receive your money.
! You go away wondering if it would no
be quite as expeditions and vastly les
eXasperating if the young persons il
charge of exchange desks were supplant
ed by genuine wooden dummies. -Phila
J delDhia Evening Bulletin