The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-11-01

The clerk looked up into her face.
The sullen eyes had glitter in them.
When she spoke, however, it was
only her tone that was offensive:
You're mistaken, madam. don't
know anything about your change "
1t was one of Mrs. Langdon Wal
laces principles in life never TO ar
que with a servant In Mrs Langdon
Wallaces catalogue of human beings,
store clerks ranked as servants. She
turned in search of floor-walker,
with an air of decision that spoke
clearly of her intentions.
A tall man, with bald head and
a big mustache, came, smiling,
through the. throng, in response to a
lift of her brows. He glanced at her
Persian lamb coat and the bird of
paradise on her hat, and rubbed his
hands Mrs. Wallace promptly de-
spised him. But he was the authority
at hand.
81 gave this girl twenty dollars in
payment for a purchase of twelve
dollars worth of stockings" she said,
nodding her head in the direction of
the clerk with the sullen eyes. Il
have received neither my package
nor my change, and she now dis
claims all knowledge of the matter"
The floor-walker looked instantly
at the clerk for explanation. Mrs.
Wallace felt stir of satisfaction as
she saw something like terror break
through the expression of obstinate
Indifference on the girls face. why!
Why, were you-the one?" suddenly
gasped the girl.
1t was exasperating. "The one"
exclaimed Mrs. Wallace. "Of course
l was the one! What have you done
with my money!"
The girl forgot the customer to
whom she had turned. The shopper
forgot her contemplated purchase.
, So did other shoppers about. Mrs.
Wallace realized that her voice had
been raised rather high, and she was
| chagrined at the attention attracted
to the incident.
'EWhy, madam, T." began the girl
leaning forward, with her clenched
, hands on the counter. Then she
stopped.
| Mrs. Wallace would have liked to
withdraw. This was going to be a
scene, undignified, vulgar. The girl
J was either careless and incompetent,
, or dishonest, but she was disposed to
brazen it out Escape with dignity
unimpaired did not seem possible
Mrs Wallace felt forced to go through
I with the affair. The girl certainly
needed disciplining.
) Account at once for the twenty
) dollars 1 gave you," she said.
tT-I must have-I must have given
) the change-and the package-tC
: some one else!" said the girl, family
She turned her eyes to the floor
walker and the color in her warm
face grew notified.
F.. you just denied all knowledge Of
me and my purchased" exclaimed
Mrs. Wallace.
The girl stared at her.
, Let me see your sales-book," said
the fioor-walker
The girl turned to the shelves be-
hind her. No sales-book was at hand
She glanced up and down the coun
ter, seized a book that lay on the
glass, dropped it and reached for an
other, which sister clerk, evidently
with a claim to it, quickly drew
away. Confusion came into the
searcher's manner.
"Why!" she murmured, and
stopped, with her knuckles against
her lips Then she looked once more
!. the f1oor-walker
Lost your book again?' he said
. What did I tell you yesterday" He
! turned to Mrs. Wallace. eff you viii
. give me your name and address
$ madam, we will see that the matter
is rectifed. There is no need of your
being further annoyed
But the girl suddenly stiffened
How do you know there is mis-
take?" she demanded, with energy
that was almost startling. Her eye:
went over Mrs. Wallace in a manner
that seemed to question the Gus
toner's veracity.
1t was like a last straw upon Mrs
) Wallace's forbearance She caught
I her breath. THAT she said to the
e foor-walker, is simply insulting
: The girl is guilty either of gross neg
. ligence or of downright theft-anC
she has offered me every affront nov
that she knows how to offer l should
4 like to see the manager of this store
and ask him if he will countenanct
such treatment of customers.
There was a crowd in the aisle
about Mrs. Wallace, and she felt hel
face burning with the humiliation O
" such a public discussion.
Miss Startling, report at the Office
: at once" said the foor-walker to The
!, girl 81 will refer the matter to the
: manager, madam. We shall refunC
e your lost money, and duplicate you
e purchase And that impudent girl will
0 be discharged. We do not, indeed
g intend to have customers insulted
g and l regret"
Mrs Wallace cut his speech short
e Very WELL" she answered. She CAV
d him her card and turned to leave
r After glance at her name, he wa
L instantly before her, making a wa,
through the curious crowd He exude,
q apology all the way to the exit. He