Argosy All-Story Weekly, March 15, 1924 — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

688 time a man bought a bag of salt he had to throw the cash on the counter? Well, time would tell. The trouble might be that Jimmie wouldn’t have enough time. Of course the flyless, dustless idea would go over all right. “Lije’s store was plumb dirty and flies considered it a good roosting place. And there wasn’t nothing to keep the dust off the stock. Some of it had collected considerable in the course of time. However, a customer will put up with flies and dust to get his groceries, if he hasn’t got the cash and can get the credit. When Jimmie come out I give him the results of my meditations. He was striding along ‘the street toward the garage where he had left his car and I was toddling fast and furious to keep up with him. “Tl get the cream of the trade, Mr. Tom Hill,” he says. “ VI get the customers that. have the money and who will appre- “ciate a clean stock. I won’t have to carry a big stock either. I'll have a quick turn- over. “Lije don’t know what a turnover is. He thinks it’s a kind of pie. I can’t lose.” “That’s half the battle—thinkin’ you can’t lose,” says I. ‘I wish you well.”- “JT had a long talk with myself the other night,” Jimmie says. ‘I tumbled to the fact that I have been “Lije’s biggest asset. One reason why ’Lije has got a big stock of left-overs on his shelves is that I’ve been selling the fresh stock to the people I’ve waited on. I had no ulterior motive in that. I just didn’t like to hand stale stuff out to- live customers. I let “Lije do that. Folks are going to remember that. the name of James Fraser will be synony- mous with fresh goods and prompt service. I can’t lose, Mr. Tom Hill. Oh, did I ‘say that before? Well, repetition does no harm. Here’s a hole in. the wall. Let’s get a bite to eat. I have no time to lead you to a banquet to-day. Am I not full of business, Mr. Tom Hill? Iam, Thank you!” Ten minutes elapses Between this and the next act. We are then headed for the garage. I have a rather heavy feeling in the pit of my ‘stomach. I had to commit assault and battery on my food to keep up with Jimmie. | Stiere’s the garage,” says Jimmie. To them. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, “Here’s the car. Hop in while I pay the man. All right! We’re off in a bunch.” The car ate up the road back to our town. Me and Jimmie didn’t talk none.- I had to keep my face turned sidewise to prevent me from gulping mouthfuls of rushing air. Jimmie hung to the wheel, his eyes to the front. That boy could drive, believe me. He missed any number of cars by a hair, but, lucky for us, a hair is enough. When we comé into our town, Jimmie - drove up in front of a building three doors from *Lije’s place. It used to be a hard- ware store, but there was two in town and they consolidated, and this building had been empty for six months. It had begun to be a dusty, cowbebby kind of a place, but just now the dust and the cob- webs was disappearing. All the carpenters and near carpenters and. painters and near painters in town was on the job, makin’ a total of six. White paint was flowing like liquor in a barrel house in the old days and saws was whining and planes singing up and down the room. Me and Jimmie went in and took a look around.. When we went outside, me being speechless at all the action Jimmie was get- ting, a wagon drove up. The front of the store had been sloshed all over with white and I see there was a sign in the wagon, The men looked at Jimmie. “Unload it, men,” says Jimmie in his new, crisp way. “ Stick it up across the front above the windows.”’ - The men had ladders and the sign was soon in place. It had big gilt letters on a black background. “ James Fraser, Grocer,” it read. I stepped back’ to the curb and looked at the store front as a whole. Jim- mie joined me. “ How do you like the orfsomble?” Jim: mie asks me. | ‘Where is it?” I says. “How do you like the ceneral effect?” Jimmie inquired, patient. “Oh,” says I. never seen nothing like it. You will have trade for a few days. After looking at the front you aré putting up, folks will want to see the works.” “Mr. Tom Hill,” says Jimmie, ‘“ you are ‘Why, this town has. a wise old hen. Damnfew@@tnn | OOO S 3A