Hardware Shop Talk

One ruorning, when by mistake we had arrived at the store ten minutes before the arrival of the boss with the keys, the men were amusing theuiselves relating their experience with various customers. "Why is it, " asked the Tool Man, "that so manypeople get 'twisted' with corkscrews and screwdrivers?" "Nature of the tooi, " suggested the Cutlery Man. "Whatever thereason," continuedthe Tool Man, "I have observed the alniost universal confusión of a screwdriver and corkscrew. It is an everyday occurrence with ladies as well as men, only a lady asks for a corkscrew and a man for a screwdriver and then look at you 60 surprised. ' ' "Orwheu they want a 'lid lifter,'" said the Stove Man, "nine peopleout of ten ask for a 'stove lifter. ' " ' ' Did you ever notice, ' ' remarked the Cutlery Man, ' ' how a man or a woman express themselves when at a loss for a name?" "What'sin a name anyway?" interrupted the Tool Man. "The woman who asked for 'clear' tacks got what she wanted as quickly as though she had asked for 'tinned' tacks. Such requests give opportunities for mental gynmastics, aud . thus relieve the lethargie tendencies incident to continuous routine work. ' ' Without apparently observing the interruption the Cutlery Man continued : "The other day a lady came rustling into the store. She was one of those aervous, bustling little women, and she wanted a pair of 'tvdnchers. ' Noticiug my blank look, she said, ' You know, like this, ' making a motion with her thumb and forefinger that at once suggested 'tweezers. ' When a man wants an articlehe can 't name, hegets out a pencil, tears the back from an envelope and proceeds to give an ' idea. ' ' ' "A lady gave me an idea," again remarked the Stove Maa, "on selling gas stoves. While showing them to her she asked someqnestiou to v.'hichlcoufesáed ignorauce. To my surprise she said: 'Well, yon may send me this one. I asked Mr. (naming a competí tor) that question, aud he told me so niuch I did not know what to believe, but I do believe you. ' '-