The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-06-25
Copyright by s. s. Mcclure Coz


had secured an ordinary clerk.
and gave themselves no further
concern. They already had force of
about a dozen clerks, besides half
dozen delivery teams. They had hired
clerks for twenty years, and it was to
them troublesome and vexatious pro-
ceeding. They frowned at first at his
slight frame. but when he put pros
trate sugar barrel on end with easy
unconoern, all objections were imme-
diately withdrawn.
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 whis-
ting liz supreme content. lie was at
the bottom of the commercial hill, and
was preparing to run up TO the top.
He had no star-high ambitions to
make him forgetful, and no vices TO
keep him from doing his best. There
wasn't a lazy tendon in his body. He
was not tail. If he had been he would
have been lazy. He was short, thin,
black-eyed. nervous and muscular. Be
fore his ponderous companions got an
idea through their heads Breezy was
halfway 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
heavy capital Of nervous energy that
made him work while others were con-
tent to lounge.
they put him behind the fruit
counter His first act was to clean it
UP and "fix things" generally. such
a rum way of doing business he NUT
tered. quite like an experienced grocer.
scowling az the hidden waste and slip
shod displays of his predecessor When
he was through with the counter there
vas absolutely no fault to find with
il. But he was not satisfied. He went
into the cellar and started to saw and
nail some boxes to make receptacles
for various things back Of his counter.
What are you doing here?'' said the
pompoUs and obese superintendent,
finding him at work.
oh" said Breezy carelessly. I'm
just getting some boxes in shape to
put dirt and tools in at my counter"
we have got a carpenter TO do
that" said the superintendent, with
displeasure. Get up where you belong
and tcnd 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 50
blamed rnussed up" he said briskly to
a fellow clerk, who looked askance at
the action.
The other clerk didn't" replied his
companion suggestively.
Didn't hc?' said Breezy coolly.
Of course the clerks laughed at him.
Els tie was awry and of objectiona-
BILE 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 discov-
cred and peremptorily ordered back.
After closing time Breezy was alb
sent-minded and restless. The noise
of the overhead cash system; the aroma i.
Of freshly roasted coffee, of bacon and
Of cheese: the click Of the weighing
scales; the scraping Of the busy scoops;
the snrill staccato of the register bells
and opening drawers; the rustic of
the wra piping paper: the shuttle of hur-
rying feet; the rumble of the drays on
q the cobhles outside: the incessant hum
IF voices and the ever-changing pam
Drama Of shoppers-an these had be-
come to Breezy the breath of life, and
he sighed fcr them longingly ere the
evening was over. He had a printing
press, and he set type as means OF
diversion-all matter concerned the
grocery store.
lie set I'D a card and embodied in it
z n idea that he had conceived. He
printed 500 of them-alH the cardboard .
llc had. They were invitations to the
public TO have any and all sorts OF
frait delivered at their homes at any
time by telephone orders. He laid one
on Mr. Leslie's desk the next morn
ing.
Thompson" Breezy heard Leslie call
shortly aftcrward 10 the superintend-
ent. 'this is good idea. How many
did you have printed?"
Thompson grew red. Il didn't have
any printed" he replied in surprise
Leslie frowned and called his partner
who also professed ignorance. Breezy
watched them from behind the regis
ter. and then Nentured forward.
Il printed them on my own press
Here are 900 more
Leslie looked again at the card, and
then raised his eyebrows at Thompson,
who nodded in return, seemingly sig
nifying that this was the clerk men
toned in some previous conversation.
You may hand in your bill for them
10 the bookkeeper," said Leslie evenly:
and, Thompson, you may have them
properly distributed"
He WAS paid for his cards and there
as also an extra dollar in his weekly
pay envelope that Saturday. He