Evening star., 1922-03-12

new thought was born in his mind.
Certainly Winters had been acting
strangely all day. Perhaps old man
! to tina others.
At five-thirty. when Mellet returned.
the shop was doing a hustling busi-
ness. and Tom Winters was. perhaps,
the busiest Of all.
CX o'clock came. The shades were
drawn down In the windows. the
counters were covered. boxes and
papers cleared away. and the clerks
filed out with mumbled good nights.
Just minute. Winters
Yes. Mr.. Mellet"
who authorized that change in the
windows? And who gave you per-
mission to hold a sale?"
Nobody. sir. I did it myself I
happened to go into the stockroom
for a linen shirt. There has been a
sort Of new demand for linens. So
l just thought this was q good chance
to sell of the old stock"
"I see"
That was all
Tom headed for the subway. All the
way home he swung from a strap,
brooding over the events Of the day
He was tired. More, he was depressed.
He had made a good start. He had to
hand 1t to himself. But what If it
didn't bring him the desired raise?
''Then," he told himself grimly.
It'll be worth the fight just to know
that I've won back my pep, my push.
my ambition"
At home Rose greeted him with a
shy kiss. She had on a dainty little
frock that belonged somewhere back
in their courtship days.
"'Lo, Roses!"
Hello. Tom! Tired:"
You just said 1t! Worked some
hard today. Something nice to eat?
My. but doesn't somebody's sweet
heart look rippingr'
1t was well toward 10 o'clock when
Rose suddenly turned from the piano
where she had been recalling old
melodies.
"You know, Tom? That suit Of
yours looks sort Of shabby. You ought
to begin now to wear your Sunday
] suit down to business"
But, good lord! I couldn't afford
another suit right now. Not with the
high price Of merchandise. Why. you
can't touch a really decent suit under
eighty, ninety dollars"
"Yes, you can. Mrs. Budson next
door showed me q suit her husband
III,
dollars. But he can't wear 1t. The
coats too tight across the shoulders"
! Hand in hand they knocked at their
neighbor's apartment. from which an
hour later. having listened to several
i records, danced a waltz or two, par
taken of q glass, Of root beer, Tom
Winters led his wife back, suit of
new clothes over one arm.
Mice folks, the Budsons."
| lawfully. They're just married
about three months. Don't you think
Alice is a dear?"
'sYep. Like Budson better, though.
| Reg'lar fellow. This is a nice suit,
too Bargain. I'll say, Roses, bet
look like a million dollars in it."
y X Il i
| TT was along during the third week
of his self bestowed increase that
the postcard idea struck Tom Win
ters. They had been taking inventory
of their stock. and as back numbers
and broken lots were brought to light
it suddenly occurred to him that If
they only could use some form of
advertising, all that back stuff could
be made to bring very fine returns.
The store had q fine active list Of
customers To each Of these he would
send a postal card purporting to come
from q friend. It would run some-
thing like this:
"say, Old Man: Drop into the Met
ropolitan Haberdashery Shop tomor-
row, They've an inventory sale
which is not being advertised.
Just bought some stun myself.
Some real values. Thought I'd let
"Your friend.
TOM"
"1,,, write the things out by hand,
and 40 give them the personal touch" !"
he unused as he looked at his trial
card. "And I guess it's all right to
sign them Tom. Nearly every man
! has a friend or an acquaintance
| named Tom"
Then came another problem. Who
would pay for those cards? Mellet
would certainly not sanction such an
idea. -
"1ll order them anyway" he de-
cided. The bill won't come up for
another month. II the idea works
! they certainly won't kick. II 1t
doesn't work-I guess TIL be kicked"
But the plan worked. Out Of q
clear sky, so it seemed to Mellet and
the other clerks, veritable mob of
| shoppers invaded the store. From
| early morning till night things
hummed along with such speed that
Mellet himself was forced to 80 be.
| hind, the counter.