Show I The Enigma A Special ial Sale SaleBY BY WILLIAM WLLIAM HAMILTON CLINE CLINEy i i t l ii i n r i 1 11 I 1 1 I i t y p pt r I Vt 1 t I I wrong cheerily Inquired Mame blame Mr Brindley Morrison Popkin was worried Being floor manager of the book department of ot the huge Broad gauge Bauge store was an honor he long had coveted but here after atter his first week in that position was Mr Ir Popkin won wondering won wondering dering if It after atter all it was worth while Ever Eer since he had entered the employ f or of f the great establishment as a cash boy l oy he had set the head h ad of ot this particular particular ular floor as the height of ot his ambition Every step that he took upward was but r one ne more toward his goal he felt lett that his cause was advanced when he behind the cotton coun counter counter ter his upward leap was almost like a flight to the blue dome of ot Empyrean Emp rean when he was given charge of the tin ware and Iron goods in the bargain n basement annex he believed that At It was merely a test of or his ability to handie han handle die ale higher r things And he had the then n told Mme Mame in all the pride J ot of his heart hear t that things were we coming his hia way True this last move took him himm oft off o Maines Iames floor She was in hosiery and andIng an d lingerie Ing she was tall haughty and an d but he counted the promo promotion promotion tion lion as worth more than temporary absence vicinity l c especially tishe he knew that books were were in the ne ne t t aole atle from hosiery and that when he h e ed that stock he would be better bette r off than ever Also true Tim Healey y was now its head and Tims eyes fell fellon fellon fellon on flame Mame with th no uncertain gleam But Buten t even en this could not stay the force of or o f Popkins ambitions and to the bargain n basement annex he had gone to tak take e the his first stock clad And a week ago he had come into his hi s leward reward Healey Hale had been attracted by bya b ba t a dignified raise ralso from and had left books in the Br to a similar line for far Its Us chief rival Good work in by Popkin Pop Popkin kin had been observed his ambitions were known and when Healey was w a s gone Kone the position he coveted was his hisH It H was now Saturday night the end en enof d of his first week there And he was worried Yes vastly The red carnation In the buttonhole of o ohis his hilt Prince Albert for tradition says say that all an floor managers shall shan wear wea r 4 Prince Prim e Alberta Alberts with red carnations carnation n attached the red carnation withered i ithe in inthe Inthe the baleful glare of ot his countenance and his accustomed suavity the rub rubbing rubbing bing bang together of the hands the slight bow how and the smile all parts of o his hia hl store makeup were purely mechanical 1 tonight the eye carried no cordiality y and the voice olce was weary and far away For Healey now of or had h ac avowedly set out to put the Broad gauge auge books out of business and an d Popkin had been warned twice during durin g the week that this was in a R fair fall way wa y to happen according to the views of or orone o f one Mr Ir Wilkerson the store manager Th The trade In the six best bestsellers bestsellers sellers fEUers was showing a decided sUmp jump and there was even danger that the th e Bamberger record would be taken as a s authoritative for the city rather than tha n that of the and so s dire a calamity could mean only one thing for fo r Popkin a new neww place So it was wan as he h e re had told himself up to him to stem ste m the rush Your Tour department Mr Ir Wilkerson n had said shows a decided falling off oft Mr Healey Heale seems to have a certain certai n ng I personal following which you having havin g been FO so 0 long in tin acquired You do not know like h he e doe does Nor people Your run on o oThe n The Enigma our best exclusive novel noel was a failure All of ot which was wa Quite true The Th hint contained In the Wilkerson addreS address could not pass unheeded and Popkin n was distinctly discouraged discourage and worried Hence amid the Saturday night throng thron g ho lie stood distraught stroking the en enof end endor d of or his mustache and smooth smoothing smoothIng ing In his coat front mechanically Wats ats wrong cheerily Inquired inquire d fame Mame sticking her head around the th e end of ot her counter into the ribbon de department department department which move enabled her to t thail hall hail Mr dir Popkin when she deemed it i t expedient or needful She do d t this too often Mame was a sort of o obelle belle belie In the and she didn t 1 care lare to go too far in encouraging at attentions that would deter in numbers however much they might make up in i n strength She possessed a certain style e of ot rather bold beauty she had a good goo k figure which showed well in the blac black garb the store demanded Her brown brow n was a bit straggly In th the e rather close atmosphere of ot the place e but she gave gate it a pat or two and re skewered It with a couple of ot zone hair hairpins hairpins hairpins pins colored to look like shell before e she spoke to Mr Popkin III lII dame Mame was the ideal of Popkin and I Ithe the she knew it She was also the adored adore d of Healey and she knew that In he her r heart of ot hearts she had made up her he r mind but to neither man had she e vouchsafed more than a tacit encouragement encouragement For flame Mame was wise in her he r own wn generation and she did not propose e to surrender r her 15 a week till she sh e could find something like an equivalent t k in her husbands husban finances Hence to each had been her lIer reply Make good When hen you ou get to be a floor manager with an in the sales core corle cone around and talk business Meanwhile on matrimony dames Mames open for candy and the the but cook on no salary sala in a flat fiat for two Nixie And though rather slangy sang it was vas plain to the individuals most con concerned concerned on this reply and they had set themselves to accomplishing the tasks she had demanded while she drew fa favors favors favors vors from each encouraged them played one against the other and an d pushed each ahead while she went her herway herway he heway r way in freedom and rejoicing So too as they climbed higher and higher in keen rivalry did the thew two tw o men come nearer the prize of Mames Iames s heart Now IVov Healey was participating g in the Bamberger sales and on a basis ball s to Insist upon his demands while Pop kin was so near that he could see the th e accomplishment of his effort in many years till this weeks dire results result s seemingly set him back hack hopelessly in inthe Inthe 1 n the race And so he was downcast t and alid dismayed as Wilkerson passed on after atter this second warning The cheery greeting of ot Mame was lik like a ray ra of sunshine in a gloomy land Popkin left his literary mart for fora fo r a moment to reply Its my first week said he and it tt has been a bad one The sales are less l ess than when Healy was here The Therun Therun run I arranged on The Enigma my m first is a failure and Wilkerson ha has spoken about It twice Ive pushed for forward forward ward the very books that Healey made his best showings on and peo people people pee pie have gone right past them and have bought them from him at Bamber bers bersO 0 O course exclaimed Name Mame rather scornfully scorn tully Mr air Ir Popkin sighed Two counters to the left lett fourth aisle he answered without knowing that he did it as a woman asked for thread and she was back in a moment berating him because It was the second aisle to the right second counter See here said Mame fa familiarly familiarly you take this thing too hard 0 O course you ou cant sell Henleys trade the very books that Healey used to sell em why hes got a trade he can carry arry it ft with him Now 1 you feed your people something else see o n The he Enigma did you ou see th evenin even In papers announcement No more misfortune Well Nell is a special run an m It at for Monday Your price is a tnt nt it itNe Ne Never er less and we have it exclusively exclusively They cant have such a sale Where here could they have obtained the books book I dunno what they can or they cant have but they announce It And say sayI I see Irene and Belle and some more moreo moren o their people up here every overy noon this week Enigmas just the same Say Sa Pop now no look here aint a run en on The Enigma what you OU been It certainly it itAn An aint telling about a sale at when they aint got any anymore an more Enigmas than what they bought from you ou Yes Will you take a tip from me meO 0 O course I will Then you ou walk alk home homo with me to tonight tonight tonight night and Ill put you next to td a scheme be br a winner see Out OUI Into Broadway when the clos closing ing log ng gong clanged fame Mame and Popkin went arm in arm The cool night air ah was refreshing ing and even the drooping g spirits of or Mr Ir Popkin revived under unde r the combined atmosphere of Mames llames good cheer and the balmy breeze bre e that swept through the brilliantly lighted thoroughfare The beauty and the re relief relief relief lief of ot it drew them then unconsciously closer together and not even Healey did they see as the they wandered on up the street and Into Christies where over a nut sundae they talked long and earnestly of or matters that to Healey Heals Heale would have been a revelation That worthy however had bad turned back when he lie saw the pair He had ha d decided in his own mind that this was the night for his say sa and the very thought of ot it brought his face to the th e color of his hair and totally obliterated the freckles s which spotted it t like lake coral islets on a n tropic sea ses muttered Healey wid him she walks now note but wid wl d me she will walk vitae wake Aha th the e havoc Ill work wid him an Th EnIgma En Enigma EnIgma Whereupon hereupon ho he posted oft off down to again and till the forms form s closed on the last la t Sunday morning pa paper paper paper per and no more copy would b be e received he and nd d the advertising men n en were busy The hint of or a sale of ot The Enigma that would startle the city was told in tn inthe the Saturday papers a hint ohly only When the natives arose atone Sunday morn ing and found pages devoted to the th e same sale they the marveled Some pa papers papers pers p ers contained little besides the Bam Barn Bamberger Bamberger berger Verger advertisement the mere an announcement announcement n o of such a run on a book boat known as an exclusive e stock was startling The greatest surprise bargain ever eve r known read the announcements Our motto is We Ve Sell for Less Legs and an anthis d this is the proof of at it The Enigma price always alwa s Ou Our r price Popkin dropped dro ped in on Mame Marie that aft afternoon aftErnoon afternoon His Fils courage needed bracing up Healey Heale was making this a bigger bigge r thing than he had expected If he makes good on that he sai saito said d to Mame Name it will finish me The very book that we boast Is our own You aint got the nerve of a cat caU declared Mame scornfully He cant can t beat you if I you ou have Mr Mays consent t back o 0 d you t carry out our plan i And so it was that with much en encouraging encouraging encouraging Popkin was sent off oft after offs tea to violate all an store ethics to carry cart 9 right ight r up to tD Mr Air Mays Maya the owner a most daring plan to crush this bold bol d scheme of ot Healey and Bamberger Bam And on Sunday Sunda too In fear and trembling Popkin rang ran g the Mays bays bell and with shaking knees knee s he was admitted But in an nn hour he h e came forth with head held high smoking smokIng smokIng ing one me of or the best of ot Mays cigars and andas andas an d I as satisfied a look on his face as if it h he e had been a millionaire And that night nigh night t it i t was wag Popkin and Mays Bays advertising men who worked for many hours in l secret and on all but Popkins part in Inama 1 n amaze amaie ama e the while too that Healey h had his chance with Maine Mame Right well did Healey plead Ids hi y cause and Mama Mame wavered O Pop is I s a good od fellow fn I cause and Mama Mame wavered O Pop is I s a good od fellow fn I g she said to herself herselt but he aint got the courage cour courage age of or a flea while heres Healey al already alread already ready read with an In the sales and anda a cinch on his Job He aint pretty but lands yuh dont eat beauty Ive Ivea a notion to take Healey But Popkins appealing face filled her mental vision again and her love of at fair play stood betwixt Healey and her own heart No go o she said to herself again Im goin f t wait till this Enigma scrap Is done Im gain goin t give Pop his show Mr Healey Heale said Mame Maine youre a good feller an I r like you Healey beamed But I 1 aint goin gain t say sa what Im goin t do Will wm yuh watt walt a week an come nex nex Sunday night for th answer Taint me that knows why ye cant say said Healey slowly But is ut me priss ye ed ruther rather wait alt An Sunday night is ut Ill come thin fer me first kiss Bargain day at had sel dom seen such a rush Before the doors opened that Monday morning the side sidewalks sidewalks sidewalks walks were blockaded As soon as the admittance was secured the throng made for the book department and the th demand for The Tle Enigma set in And such a demand Healey and his clerks were overwhelmed they called for tor extra help they the waited on two and three at once and Healey watched the stacks of books melt away with wit mingled feelings of at wonder delight and amaze Customers took two and three copies and returned for more It was inexplicable the cut of seven cents did not Justify so great a rush and Healey could not understand It ItIn ItIn itIn In fact tact he was in a pan ic It was all right to gather in some few t w hundreds of ot the Br leader in books and cut under cost on them he could afford the small loss for the sake of hurting the prestige of ot the rival establishment but when it came to supplying a demand that WitS was little less than a riot and which meant a serious inroad upon his profits for weeks ahead that was cause for alarm And Just that was threatened For al already already already ready the tho supply of ot The Enigma was almost depleted and the calls for tor t were more insistent than everAnd ever everAnd everAnd And he must meet that demand this he well knew no matter what It grew into The prestige of the entire store was Involved To advertise such a sale as this and then to fail fall to have all the books that were called for tor with a few tew left over oer would be a disaster He Hemut must mut secure more copies caples of at The Enig Enigma Enigma ma at any price and he must keep on securing them till he had sold everyone every everyone one In town Thank fortune th have very manny o 0 thim t start with he said to himself as he mopped his brow and arid hurriedly sought Meyer Bamberger to whom he told his woes Of Ot course get them said this head of the firm But really Healey Heale it bogs like you hat de vorst 0 o dis Und dis house don dont t like 1110 to lost moneys eh Healey groaned but he acted Sum Summoning Summoning Summoning moning clerks clerics from the other depart departments ments he ne Imparted his instructions Go up t th said Ie lie 3 Quick Q ick Buy Bu The Enigma pay for tor em Come Came in iri th back way wayan wayan an take em to the stock room an thin git sit more Rape Kape on till I till tm ye stop stopA t tA A lively and to most of the clerks an inexplicable deman 1 now sprung ap apat ip Ipat at the for The Enigma Breathless young women a few fen men and sundry boys and girls arrived de demanded demanded the book and away with several copies apiece they came back for more Extra help was needed in Popkins |