Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-06-27
The Shop
Opposite
BY F. A. Mitchell

tying his cravat before the mirror.
The shop opposite has been opened
as meat and vegetable market"
said Mrs. Smith to her husband 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 very pretty,
ladylike won1an7 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 1t was through
curiosity, but now it is from 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"
81 don't yet see the motive you
spoke Of"
II haven't got to It yet What puz-
xles me Is that, though there arc
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
your"
"No."
"What is 1T"
Interest"
"Umr said Mr.. Smith. and be went
downstairs to breakfast.
That was the beginning OF what be
came, to Mrs. Smith. a mystery. but
in which Mr.. Smith took no interest
whatever. II 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.
IT tell you, DEAR" said Mrs. Smith
one morning, when the shop opposite
had been running several weeks,
there's something peculiar about that
business. I never see any Of the
neighbors trading there. I've watched
the persons who 60 in there and they
are nearly all under twenty years Of
age. know every one Of them.
There's a young fellow about eighteen,
a girl about sixteen, a.
surely. my dear, you were right
when you said your motive was inter-
est, not curiosity" said Mr.. Smith IRON
ically.
81 shall not say anything more to
You about that shop. but you'll find
out"
II am quite content to await devel-
opments."
Two days after this announcement
/ Mrs. Smith said to her husband:
II was looking out the window yes
terday and saw that pale faced boy
coming out with SO many bundles be
couldn't carry them. He dropped one
OF them on the sidewalk. the paper
broke. and what do you suppose came
out on the fags?"
"What?"
/ "Oh. l forgot. I wasn't to say any.
thing more about the shop opposite,
was II"
Il suppose 1t was four"
.'No, 1t wasn't"
Sugar." /.
mo. You needn't ask any more !
shall not crafty your curiosity"
Interest you mean" And Mr.
Smith left his wife with slight show
Of impotence.
| One morning Mrs. Smith got out OF
bed and. going to the window, uttered
m exclamation of surprise.
What ts it. dearY asked her hus
band.
'The shop opposite is closed, and I
policeman II standing before the door
"Well?''
! II do hope that poor woman hasn',
got into trouble"
There was brief silence. after which
Mr.. Smith asked his wife to tell him
what had come out of the bundle thai
had dropped on the sidewalk.
Dirt" she said
~Dirtr'
Eyes. nothing but Dirt
i Mr.. Smith arose. dressed and wen
down to breakfast. His wife begged
him to go across the street and asl
the policeman what had happened. bu
he declined to so till after he hat
breakfasted- Then he sailed forth
talked awhile with the officer and 70
turned
"WellT asked his wife.
| sYour interest In the shop opposit,
had foundation after all You know
the jail il on the other street. and Il
backs up against the shop. Last nigh
prisoner escaped through tunne
leading from the shop to his cell. Hi
| wife kept the shop. bis oldest son dui
the tunnel. and his children carried
away the earth in paper bags"
Perhaps" replied Mira. Smith. @whei
tell you hereafter that something Il