The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-10-16
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MAJ HEN the prosperous though unpro-
wv gressive firm OF Casper w. Leslie
& Co, grocers, hired him they
thought they had secured an ordinary
clerk, and gave themselves no further
concern. They already had force o.
about a dozen clerks. beside half a dOz-
en- delivery teams. They had hired CLERKS
for twenty years, and it was TO them a
troublesome and vexatious proceeding.
They frowned at first at his slight
frame, but when he put PROSTATE SUI
gar barrel on end with easy uncOncern,
all objections were Immediately with
drawn.
His surname was the leveling one of
Smith, and his Christian name-highly
Christian-Hezekiah. His mother
called him ''Zeke" and his companions
Breezy
Breezy entered upon his work whist
ling i'm supreme content. He was at the
bottom of the commercial hill, and was
preparing TO run up To the top. lie had
no star-high ambitions to make him
dream, no love affairs TO make him for
Getful, and no vices to keep him from
doing his best. There wasn't d lazy
tendon in his body. He was not tall
II he had been, he would have been
lazy. He was short, thin. black-eyed
nervous and muscular. Before his pom
deroUs companions got an idea through
their heads Breezy was half way done
with the action. A few thought he was
a genius; but they were mistaken.
Breezy was innocent of the smallest
spark. He just had a heavy capital OF
nervous energy that MADE him work
while others were content to lounge.
They put him behind the fruit cOun-
Ter. His first act was to clean il up and
d
way of doing business" he muttered,
quite like an experienced grocer. scowl-
ing at the hidden waste and slipshod
displays of his predecessor. When he
was through with the counter there
was absolutely no fault to find With it,
But he was not satisfied. He went into
, the cellar and started 20 saw and
nail some boxes to make recep-
tacles for various things back of mis-
counter
What are YOU doing here?" said the
pompous and obese superintendent.
finding him at work.
oh" said Breezy CareIessly. Tn
just getting some boxes in shape to put
dirt and tools in at my counter"
We nave got carpenter to DO that.
salG the superintendent, with displeas-
ure; get up where you belong and
tend TO your customers"
Breezy went up and finished the
boxes later when the superintendent
was absent. He cleaned the fruit on
his stand four times a day. 1T gets
so blamed mussad up." ne said briskly
10 fellow clerk who looked askance
at the action.
The other clerk didn't" replied his
companion suggestively.
"Didn't he?" said Breezy coollv.
ct course the clerks laughed at him.
His tie was awry and of Objectionable
hue, and his trousers lacked the proper
cut and crease.
The fruit trade was slow. and Breezy
was highly impatient. The superin-
tendent compelled him to stay behind
his counter and he had to gaze impa-
tiently over the busting crowd of the
store. which seemed TO stop at every
other counter but his. Twice. when the
superintendent was not about, he made
a personal canvass among the shoppers
and secured a number OF sales The
third time he was discovered and per-
emptOrily ordered back
After closing time Breezy was alb
sent-minded and restless. The noise
of the overhead cash system; the aroma
of freshly roasted coffee, of bacon and
of cheese; the click Of the weighing
scales, the sGraping of the busy scoops;
the shrill staccaIo Of the register bells
and opening drawers; the rustic of the
wrapping paper: the shuttle of hurry
ing feet; the rumble of the drays on
the CObbles outside: the inCessant hum
of voices, and the ever-changing piano.