Strong and Steady. Alger Horatio Jr.

something else."

      "I'll show you something else, but this is the thing for you."

      He brought out a piece still uglier; and finally, after some hesitation, his customer ordered ten yards from the first piece. He measured it with an air, and, folding it up, handed it to the customer, receiving in return a two-dollar bill, which the poor woman sighed as she rendered in, for she had worked hard for it.

      "Is there anything more, ma'am?"

      "A spool of cotton, No. 100."

      When the customer had left the store, Nichols turned complacently to Walter.

      "How did you like that calico?" he asked.

      "It seemed to me very ugly."

      "Wasn't it, though? It's been in the store five years. I didn't know as we should ever get rid of it."

      "I thought you said it was all the rage."

      "That's all gammon, of course."

      "Haven't you got any prettier patterns?"

      "Plenty."

      "Why didn't you show them?"

      "I wanted to get off the old rubbish first. It isn't everybody that would buy it; but she swallowed everything I said."