Selling Dry Goods

People generally tliiuk it is a very easy matter to stand behind a counter and retail dry goods ; but a week's experience in the business would convince the cleverest man that it s much more difficult and laborious than the task of turning a grindstone twelve hours per diem. The office ofsalesman enibodies, in its duties, necessity for the shrewdness ot a politician, the persuasión of a lover, the politeness of a Chesterfield, the patience of Job, and the irnpudence of a piek pocket. There are salestnen who make t a point never to lose a cuslomer. One of he gentleman who is in a store in Cbatbam street, not long since was called to show a very fastidious and fasbionable lady, who " dropped in vvhile going to Stewart's" some rich silk cloaking. Every article of the kind was exposed to her view - the vvhole stpre was ransaclced - nolhing suited. The costly was stigmatised as " trash" - every thing was common and not fit fora lady. She " guessed she would go to Stevvart's." The salesman pretended to be indignant. "Madam," said he, in a (one of injured ignocence, " I have a very beautiful and rare piece of goods - a case of which I divided vvith Mr. Stewart, who is my brother-in-]avv ; but it would be useless to show it lo you. - It is the only piece left in the city." " Oh ! allow me to see it," she ssked, in an anxious tone, and continued, " I liad no intention of annoying you, or of disparaging the merit of your wares." The salesman, who was nowwatched with breathless silenee by his feüow clerks, proceeded, as if vvith much reluctance, and with expressions of fear that t would get injured by getting tumbled, to display an ancient piece of vesting, which had been lying in the Rtore five years, and was considered to be unsaleable. The lady examined and liked it much. That was a piece of goods worthy to be wom. How much was it a yard ? " Twenty-two shillings." " Oh ! that is very bigb." " There ?" exelaimed he, beginning to fold it up, " I knew you would say that." "Stay! stay! don't be in so great a hurry !' she cried - " I'II give you twenlv shülings." " Madam, you insult me again." ' Cut me off yards, and you can tnake up the deduction on sorae velvet which I require for trimmings." almost entreated the fair Shopper." Vhe salesman, after much persuasión, sold the lady the vesting, for which they had in vain sought to get five shülings per yard, at the price above indicated. The profits of the sale on vesting and velvet, amounted to S33, out of which the clerks were permilted to pay for a supper of oysters. The best of this brief tale of dry goods is to be told. - The lady had her cloak made, and one or two of her fiïends, delighted with t, bought the rest of the velvet at the same price. There is a moral in this aneedote, which we leave to be discovered by the ingenuity of all our lady readers who occasionally go