The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-24
Department store Girl Certain that
Man In the Most Forgetful Thing
That Breathes.
0LD-TIME HARP IN FASHION
ITS STRINGS MAY NOT BE TICKLED
BY THE IMPECUNIOUs.
Tale OF n Cuban Mosquito That Sang
the Toreador Song from Gear
men" with Spirit.


checked girl behind the counter at the de-
partment store. as she handed the perspir-
Ing young man a scent handkerchief, ito
see how many other absent-minded men
there are in town. You are not the only
one-oh.. dear. no, This is only the second
time you've rushed into the place within
two weeks to get an emergency handker-
chief, while have regular customers who
come in TO buy handkerchiefs as often as
two or three times week. We keep these
cheap handkerchiefs just for the purpose
or supplying the 'absent-minded,' as one Of
our floor walkers calls the class to which
you belong"
The young man seemed embarrassed at
this allusion to his mental limitations, but,
being newspaper worker, and in the habit
or asking questions. he recovered himself in
time to make some inquiries. II had never
struck him that the department stores de-
hberately catered to forgetful people
Yes" the communicative clerk contin-
ued. in answer to his questions, those
handkerchiefs in the blue box are all s.
centers. and. between you and me. they
aren't worth penny more than cents
apiece, either. Nobody buys them, of
course. except the men that have thought
lessly come away from home without their
own handkerchiefs. A man who has a
whole bureau drawer full Of soft linen
handkerchiefs doesn't want to invest in
any more expensive ones, and so he enters
the store alphabetically and timidly asks if
we have such a thing as scent handker-
chief. The funny part about Ii is that each
of these absent-minded fellows imagines
thai he is the only one that ever comes
away from his home without this all-im-
poi'tant feature OF his equipment. Why. 1
could mention the names of at least twenty
prominent Indiana poltans-both business
and professional men, whose offices are in
the vicinity of this store-each of whom
must certainly have a pile of scent hand
kerchiefs at his home as high as that pile
OF towels you see over there on the other
counter. There Is one man in particular
here on Washington street who is, believe,
the most absent-minded individual in all
the world. He not only forgets to bring a
handkerchief from home with him with as
tonshing regularity. but he often comes
down to his work in the morning without
his necktie some other small article Of
his wearing apparel. Sometimes when he
has come in here to buy a handkerchief he
has laughed heartily over his absent-mind-
edness, taking IL all very good-naturedly.
But on other occasions he has come in rag
ing mad and looking as If he was ready
to break out into Mt of blue language. 1
suppose his state of mind depends alto
gether upon whether his business is good
or not.
But speaking of absent mindedness,
about the funniest thing that has ever
come TO my attention here occurred re-
Gently while association of ministers
was holding its convention in Indianapolis.
One of the dignifed clergymen bought
fine linen handkerchief of me, explaining
that he had come away from the hotel
where he stopping without one. He
wanted the best that was to be had. and I
sold him a very expensive one. Then he
went to the rear of the store to see about
making a purchase OF some kind in another
department. He reappeared at my counter
in about ten minutes, carrying bundle
and looking somewhat sheepish, I thought.
He said he had bought what he wanted at
the other end OF the establishment, but In
doing so had misplaced his fine new hand
kerchief and had been unable to find IL. He
had searched all OF his pockets. he said,
and couldn't imagine what he had done
with 1t. AS he couldn't go away without
handkerchief, he would be obliged to buy
another one. He set down his bundle on
the counter and proceeded to examine the
handkerehiefs / showed him and finally
made up his mind to buy half dozen of
them. And what do you suppose he did
then? Why, he took the handkerchiefs.
which I wrapped up for him. and hurried
out Of the store. leaving his other bundle
behind. My attention was directed to an
other customer at the time, and 1 didn't
discover that he had forgotten the bundle
q Lat ~
lieve to this day that when he found that
he lad made another glorious display of
absent mindedness he was actually
ashamed to come back to the store. for
later in the day he sent a messenger boy
after the bundle. Yes; it's the men who
are the more absent-minded OF the sexes
I've about come to the conclusion that a
man is the most forgetful thing that
breathes."
Judging from present Indications" said
q prominent local musician, 1.-The old ro-
mantle days OF our grandmothers. when
the harp played such an important part In
the social life, OF all young women OF posi-
ton. are about to be revived. In the early
days OF the nineteenth century no WELL
appointed drawing room was complete with
out harp. and every girl who valued her
social position made a study of the harp
part OF her seminary training. This mu-
steal accomplishment has always held its
own. more or less. in orchestral compost
ton. as ii has quality that can be OBJ
tanned from no other instrument but when
the piano became the drawing-room instru-
ment the harp was crowded out About
twenty-five years ago there was little re-
vival OF interest in harp playing. but for
lack OF good teachers and suitable music
this revival was short-lived But harp
playing is fast coming into favor again. In
some cities IL is only fad, but I believe
that in Indianapolis at least harp students
are very much in earnest. For city of
this size we have quite number of good
harpists. Playing the harp is profitable as
\ professionalism is. OF course. IL the play
ar is really first class. II Is not a diversion
for poor folk. as a harp costs rather more
on the whole. than a grand piano. The
very lowest figure at which a good harp
Nay be purchased Is $50. and this. too. for