A MERCANTILE LESSON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 22, 7 November 1879, Page 3

A MERCANTILE LESSON.

. «_. In Paris last summer (says an English correspondent of an American paper) I saw a friend of mine who had just come over using a pen of peculiar construction, designed with a special reference to those untidy persons who, like myself, ink iheir fingers when they write. Now, my friend is a man wliose hands are as white as lilies, with fingers nails like rosebuds in tint ; noticeable hands. Catch him inking his fingers! *.* Why where did you get that nice pen f" I asked hira, a vista of blissful exemption from an uuinked l middle finger opening on mj joyous Jfepectant mind. "In Omaha." he answered. " It's the nicest thfng ; I used to ink my fingers before I got it !" Re did ! He inked his ngers. That was enough for me. I got the of the merchant from whom he f bought the pen, the price of it, and enclosing tne money I gent from Paris to Omaha for the pen. By the last steamer it came to me. The stationer at Omaha was out of them, but he sent to Sioux City to the man that advertises them for another lot. And now here is wbere the laugh comes in. The pens are an English invention, -and tons of them can be bought in London if desired. Atthe stationer's next door I could have got what I had sent after to Sioux City. But how couhLJ know that ? I dealt * with the man that advertised.