Gail Hamilton On Clerks

A plainly but perfectly dressed lady with the best blood ot' tho world in her veins, and what is inore imposing to the haberdashing heart - with plenty o inoney in herpocket, went, notlongsinoe into a shop to buy napkius. The poten tate of the counter showed her such napory as he thought suited to hor soeia position. ' These are rather coarse," she suggested. Havn'tyou none fraorr" "Oh yes," said the geotlectab, " but they are more expensivo." It is ever to be regretcd that the lady tumed in silence and left the shop, because that clerk will never know that it was his owu idiotie eft'rontery, and not the expense of the napkins, which losthim the eustomer. A lady, who never made any great figure in the world, and certaiuly noc in a water-proof cloak on a rainy day, was seeking a parasol. The clerk showed her some very coniuion, not to say shabby specimens, which she declined. A little f urther down the counter she bought a whole piece of fine and costly linen, observing which, the knight of the parasol catue down and begged her to re-examine his assortuient, of which he had contrived to unearth an altoerether different and better collection. Süe, too, foll below the requirements of the occasion, and bought hor parasol without onliglrtenhig him upon her discovery of bis stupid mistakes. A lady, large and lovely, a serene Quaker goddess, made some benevolent casual remark to the clerk with whoui she was trafficking, just as she would have patted the head of astrange dog who mighthave run up and sniffed at her gown, and the little whipper-snapper clerk followed her to the door and - winked at her ! And while she stood staring at him in her first amazed consciousness of his individual existence, he winked again ! Thus vacuous do the gods make a human skull, yet furnish it with all the ganglia of life. Happy are those merchanta who can secure the right sort of clerks! - for a hght sort theie is. I bought a table clotb of him yesterday. I had forgotten to take the size of the tuble, or á jiattern of the color to be matched. Patiently he evolved my probable needs from my tragruentaiy f'acts, discussed pleasantly the presumptivo evidpiice, and seemed as much interested in the harmonies of my dining room as if he had expeutert to eat theie thrice a day during tlie remainder ol his natural lite. Did he deceive me ? Not a bit. I know of a surety thut my dining room was no more to hiintha.n the peji-nut stand on tho oomuQon opposite. Me and it has he alrc-ády alike forgotten. None the less was his momentary and frieudly, but not familiar interest in me and mine, altogether winning and en- couragiug; and doubtless was it, í'or that moment altogether sincere. His sympa-" thetio and refined nature does unquestionably and spontaneously ally itself fnr succor and good cheer to all who appeal to him. May his kiud heart, his welcoming face, and his engaging manners be a mino of wealth to himself and all his employers and dependunts. L{jtPid]igan!rgíi5