The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 259: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A BARGAIN IN WEEDS. watched, like one in a dream, his two astonishing customers disappear. “It’s my belhef they don’t know what a good thing they’ve got,” re- marked Mr. Scales as they left the store. “Did you see that fellow’s face?” “Reminded me of yours when you saw me start in to smoke one,” replied his friend. “ Of course they don’t, any more than you did. You’ve got-me to thank for this, George.” Mr. Scales waived argument on the point. . “TI was thinking,” he said, “ that as there are a thousand left, we might put one or two of our friends on to the snap. It’s the chance of a lifetime.” Mr. Butterworth agreed heartily to the suggestion, and the two men divided the contents of Mr. Scales’ case, which - he had taken the precaution to fill be- fore leaving the house, to be used as samples. Five men smoked them, threc in Mr. Scales’ office, and two in Mr. Butter- worth’s, and all five “went straight off to Gunther & Walkley’s, and aggra- vated the astonishment which was be- clouding the intellect of the salesman. Mr. Scales dropped in himself on his way home. “Got any of those Upper Tens left?’ he asked. The clerk informed him that they had all been sold. | “ Extraordinary run on them,” he added. “ The firm has sent an order for ten thousand more.” “ Did the gentlemen seem satisfied ? ” Mr. Scales inquired. The clerk replied that they had sim- ply given their orders and instructions to have the goods delivered. All but one gentleman, who had asked to see a box, and had countermanded his order on the spot. “More fool he,” commented Mr. Scales. “He doesn’t know what’s rood. You people here didn’t know it, but those cigars were something quite out of the common. You ought to give me a commission. All those gentlemen came here on my recommendation.” The clerk expressed the acknowledg- ments of his department, and said he _ would trv one out of the next lot. 200 “Ten to one they will be an inferior brand,” said the customer. “ You take my advice and try and get hold of a box of the originals. [ll venture to say you never smoked a better cigar in your life. Better than most fifteen-cent goods.” The clerk thanked him for his ad- vice. A friend of his, he said, had bought a box as an experiment, and had thrown them away. “Thrown them away?” cried Mr. seales, aghast. “‘ The fellow must have been crazy. You get hold of them if you ean.’ Several times on his way home he burst out laughing at the folly of the tobacco clerk’s friend, and was still laughing as he mounted his own front steps. ‘* You seem very happy, George,” said his wife as she met him in the hall. “What’s this great big parcel for you from Gunther & Walkley’s? I have been dyi ing with curiosity all the after- noon.’ Mr. Seales patted her cheek. “That is the result of your most for- tunate discovery, my love,” the replied. “My discovery; ?*> echoed his wife. “What on carth do you mean: 2” “Upper Tens, Mary,” said Mr. Seales, patting her cheek again and smiling beamingly. Mrs. Scales caught her husband's arm in both hands with a yise-like grip. ‘You .don’t mean to say that you have bought all those Upper ‘Ten cigars?” she asked, gazing at him with horror- stricken eyes. “That’s just what I do mean,” re- plied Mr. Seales. “Tor heaven’s sake, don’t look so horrified. It’s not ex- travagance; it’s economy.” “Economy!” gasped Mrs. “ Oh, George! ” “Yes, economy,” insisted the hus- band. “Let me explain. Last night Mr. Butterworth, who is an excellent judge of cigars, and I, who pretend to know something about them myself, smoked several of those Upper Tens, and what do vou think we found ? ” Mrs. Scales, who was sitting with her face in her hands, shook her head dismally from side to side. Seales. GOHMGOOo (GO) awa