Page 33 - 1930 October - To Dragma

To DRAGMA

temperament provided by his course the truth had been borne in upon
him that he had been expressly fashioned to deal with women rather than
with men.

He was not at all surprized when five minutes later they came down
the aisle, the man several paces behind. And Mr. Staples's cordiality
knew no reserves. He gave it full swing, partly because he felt cordial,
partly because he sensed an air of determination in the somewhat set
face of his customer, a determination which he must combat with all
the forces of persuasion and gallantry at his command.

" I n selling there is no asset like extreme politeness," he quoted to
himself. "Keep your reservoir filled to the brim."

Seemingly unimpressed by his welcome, the woman came to the
point at once.

" I am looking for a blue suit—for a boy—twelve years old."
"Certainly," said Mr. Staples. "Our stock, I may say, is excellent.
Were you thinking of serge or cheviot?"

" I hadn't thought very much of—the material."
" I see. It's color you want. Hut material's important; take my
word for that. There's a lot to be said for both. Serge may be dressier,
but cheviot won't take a shine or show spots like serge. And it's newer.
It's sure to be worn now by boys and men for two seasons straight."

" I see," said the woman.

Mr. Staples felt vaguely troubled as he turned toward the cases. He
always liked interest in his customers. I t made things go better even
if they were fussy and hard to suit. He groped about in his mind for
something to liven up things a bit.

"You said twelve years old? Now, that's an age to keep you guess-
ing, isn't it? I've a boy twelve myself. They're alive to everything at
twelve."

The woman did not answer. Mr. Staples did not resent her neglect
of his allusion to Charley, but he had thought his last remark original.
Queer how some folks expected the salesman to do it all, and yet he had
been forewarned by his course of just such an atitude. Undaunted, he
started on another and more direct course.

"How big a boy is he? Large for his age or small?"
" I think you'd say average," said the woman.
"It's always more satisfactory," said M r . Staples, "to bring them
along. But of course, there's school."

"Yes," replied the woman.

Funny, thought M r . Staples, as he spread out four suits for her
inspection, funny how little help her husband offered. He stood at the
extreme end of the counter, fumbling with the buckles and straps of some
knickers piled there. Perhaps he was a professor from the college on
the hill. They always behaved in that absent-minded fashion, their
heads deep in some crazy notion or another.

"You wouldn't want me to lay these aside now, and bring him in,
say at four to try them on?"

"No," she said. " I think not. I'll choose myself."