The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-05-29
The Shop
Opposite
BY F. A. Mitchell

HI IL
"The shop opposite" said Mrs. Smith
to her husband n morning while
they were dressing, has been at last
taken. The sign To Let has disap-
peared."
"Umw grunted Mr.. Smith, who was
tying his cravat before the mirror.
1.-THE shop opposite has been opened
as a meat and vegetable market"
said Mrs.. Smith to ~her'husband a few
mornings later while he was brushing
his hair.
"Um!' said Mr.. Smith again.
do you know, DEAR" said Mrs.
Smith on a third occasion, that the
shop opposite is kept by a very pretty,
ladylike woman? She has such a sad
face"
"Why do you take so much interest
in the shop opposite?" asked Mr..
Smith.
II admit that at first it was through
curiosity, but now it is from a different
motive. This sad faced woman is do
ing a very good business: She is sell
ing much cheaper than the other
stores, but delivers no goods. Every
purchaser must carry home what he
has bought"
Il don't yet see the motive you
spoke Of"
II haven't got to it yet. What puz-
zles me is that, though there are
many purchases, there are few buyers.
have been able to count only seven
persons going into the store today,
but some of them have gone in eight
or ten times"
"You don't. call that curiosity, do
you?"
No"
What is it,"
Interest
UNI" said Mr.. Smith, and he went
downstairs to breakfast.
That was the beginning of what be-
came, to Mrs. Smith, a mystery, but
liz which Mr.. Smith took no interest
whatever. If his wife told him that
one little pale faced boy took out
twenty packages during the day he
simply remarked that the shopwoman
had probably hired him to make deliv
cries. Probably she would set up a
wagon after awhile.
Il tell you, dear" said Mrs. Smith
one morning, when the shop opposite
had been running several weeks.
there's something peculiar about that
business. never see any of the
neighbors trading there. I've watched
the persons who go in there and they
are nearly all under twenty years of
age. l. know every n of them.
There's a young fellow about eighteen,
Il girl about sixteen, a.
Surely, my dear, you were right
when you said your motive was inter
est, not curiosity said MI. Smith iron
ically.
Il shall not say anything more to
you about that shop, but you'll find
out"
Il am quite conte99t to await devel-
opments.'
Two days after this announcement
Mrs. Smith said to her husband:
L WdS lOOAluS OuL Tic WluuO" yes
terday and saw that pale faced boy
coming out with so many bundles he
couldn't carry them. He dropped n
of them on the sidewalk, the paper
broke, and what do you suppose came
out on the 1ags?"
"What?"
ooh, I forgot. 1 wasn't to say any
thing more about the shop opposite,
was II"
Il suppose it was -four"
mo, it wasn't" :.
Sugar."
mo. You needn't ask any more. I
shall not crafty your curiosity"
Interest, you mean.' And Mr..
Smith left his wife with a slight show
of Impotence.
One morning Mrs. Smith got out Of
bed and, going to the window, uttered
an exclamation of surprise.
What is it, dearY' asked her hus-
band.
The shop opposite is closed, and a
policeman is standing before the door"
"Well?"
II do hope that poor woman hasn't
got into trouble"
There was a brief silence, after which
Mr.. Smith asked his wife to tell him
what had come out Of the bundle that
had dropped on the sidewalk.
Dirt" she said.
"Dirt?'
Eyes, nothing but dirt"
Mr.. Smith arose, dressed and went
down to breakfast. His wife begged
him to go across the street and ask
the policeman what had happened, but
he declined TO go till after he had
breakfasted. Then he sailed forth.
talked awhile with the officer and re-
turned. .
"Well?" asked his wife.
"Your interest in the shop opposite
had a foundation after all. You know
the Jail is on the other street. and II