Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-16
CRANK|NEsS NO BAR
TO THIS MANS SALES
Gotham Shop Treats Customers
With ScOrn.
ny MADGE ARTHUR.


NEW YORK. May l5~ror thirty
eight years in Tho same little dingy
room. on siae street. within a
stones throw of the great emporium
rhich WAS ono, conducted by A. p
Stewart. aud is now "Wanamakcrs :
man has been running Il store on
the theory that customers are under
obligations TO him: not he to them:
hat he is not supposed to answer
and that they are not supposed 10
hurry his lcisurcly movements. no
matter in however great haste
they themselves may be.
Sireular.y enough, he has not
starved un ley tho process. but is said
to have accumulated considerable
fortune. wonder ii the same mctI-
cds would go in any othc" city than
New York! fancy not. Surely he
would have had to put up his shut
tiers years ago had he been in Boston
II is one OF the things that has most
Interested me since | came here to
live-thc impossibility OF ever know
ing what will go" and what will not
Asked for Embroidery Bcnd..
entered this curious little shop
with friend who wanted some beads
with which to finish a piece OF en-
broidcry. We had been told by an
old lady that every kind OF bead that
had ever been made since the world
pfSiu touiu Oc tOuitu thtTC. n nanu-
some limousine was at the door or
the mattractivc looking place, and as
We entered. woman who looked
abunduntly able to be the owner OF
the car was lifting inquirinE eyes to
tho face of a thin. cadHvcrous man
with gray beard and a soft hat set
rakishly on his head, who stood be-
hind a shabby counter with great fes-
toons of beads as a background.
Blue onyx" (Ncrcr was scornful
- al ~ nlt mi
Don't YOU know that onyx Is black
black-black. Blue onyx. indeed,
Next thing somcbody'll be asking me
Tor green garnctS."
Well YOU can match these blue
beads. | presume said the lady OF
tho limousine.
'Prcsumc?" repeated the old man.
What reason has anybody to pre-
sumo that can do this. that or the
her. The question is. DO YOU want
'cnl matchbox"
Customer Was PIurky.
"Goodness. said ! to my friend.
lets get on, before he eats us up
But she WAS plucky. and we watched
the lady OF the auto carefully exam
inc several different little doses OF
beads which he poured from various
Walls into the palm OF his hand and
held under her nose.
"IIow much> would these be u
skcin?" she finally. asked:
Uon KNOW, Nc rcplleH, iclSure-
~ putting the bottles back on the
shelves. but can toll YOU how much
1hey are: they are $3.50 an ounce.
and please don't ask ME how many
there are in an ounce. for never
counted en-.
Possibly YOU won't believe me. Dut
that woman actually became his Gus
toner TO the extent OF several dollars
worth of beads.
1t was then my friends turn. Mrs.
SO -and-So sent me here she began
swcrtly. she said she used to guy
beads Of Won twenty years ago"
we'll. What of it," said the old
man. his back still turned as he WAS
fussinc with the shelves
"oh. nothing" said my friend. Il
thought"
lie wheeled suddenly and faced us.
You thought, did you he said, imt-
tating her voice. Well don't. II
doesn't buy nor sell you anything.
! felt sure my friend would weaken
and quit tut she didn't.
Il want TO get some beads" She
said ito finish this bit OF embroid-
cry" and she produced the sample.
Ills "A copy Of Indian work, have you
any Indian beads"
II don't keep what never existed.