Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-16
The Manicure
Lady
BY WILLIAM r. KIRK.

SST SEEN thing when I was do
ing some shopping this noon"
said the Manicure Lady. that
reminded me OF my childhood days
back in the old village There was q
old fellow with chin whiskers on that
came into the swell department stors
where i was shopping. and after he
had bought a pair OF gloves he asked
the clerk If that was the very best
she could DO on the price. OF course,
the girl behind the counter looked at
him and laughed and said that she
couldn't cut no prices; so the old fell
low threw the gloves back and told
her to keep them. He said he was
going somewhere with his trade
where people would appreciate him
and the money he spent"
Il suppose that broke the girrs
heart" said the Head Barber
she didn't care none, of course
said the Manicure Lady, but it kind
Of set me to thinking that there is a
lot of people in this world like that
old guy with the fringe on his lower
Jaw He was in there TO spend a dol
lar and get about ten cents over a
dollar in value. And even then he
thought that the store people ought
to look for him with outstretched
arms and treat MIN like a prince.
II remember when we lived in a
small town, George. We had that
kind of stuff handed to us on every
side. The old gent used to keep a
hotel when 1 was mere child--ons
of them country hotels where there
Is accommodation for man and beast.
and you could take your pick which
kind of accommodations you wanted.
l remember one time an old farmer
walked up to father and said: Ed,
! always stop here for my dinner
every time l come to town, FIVE or
six times every year. And l always
pay my % cents for dinner without
no squeal Don't you think you ought
to throw in a good cigar with the
dinner once in while? l remember
how the old gent told him to get out
of the place and go somewhere else
for his two-bit dinners in the future"
He must have been pretty cheap
that farmer" observed the Head
Barber.
The cheap folks amt all in the
country, George" said the Manicure
Lady. There is lot OF them in the
city that would like to beat down the
clerks in the big stores If they
thought that they could get away
with 1t, but they know there amt a
chance in the word, so they let their
meanness crop out other ways. They
think cheap thoughts even If they
haven't got the nerve to express
them. One girl friend of mine that
wouldn't think of asking for lower
price on d shirt waist would ride
down town morning after morning
with me on the Subway, and l noticed
after l had dug three or four morn
inss In d row for the carfare that
she would make an awful stall in her
pocketboot for ten cents and pulling
that On let me pay" stuff. Take il
from me, George, after the third
morning ! let her look until she had
dug up that hard thin dime. ana
after that she didn't snuggle UP to
me no more | suppose she was look
ing for another victim
That's the system they play in the
big town. George. They pat you on
the back until you blush as long as
you can help them. but the minute
you start looking out of the window
and not responding to their hollers
for help. they beat 1t for fresh fields
and pastures new. How many friends
have you got here in the city, George,
that would stick to you If you were
going through bankruptcy"
Il guess the only friends | would
have then would be my wife" said
the Head Barber, "and the lawyer
that was putting me through"