smiling; if his face had been half as honest as it professed to be, it would
have GRINNED. "I am glad you have come in at this moment, as we
are about to put on sale some of the rarest articles, in the way of
pocket-handkerchiefs, that have ever come to this market. The Misses
Burton have just seen them, and THEY pronounce them the most
beautiful articles of the sort they have ever seen; and I believe they have
been over half the world."

"And did they take any, Mr. Bobbinet? The Miss Burtons are thought
to have taste."

"They have not exactly PURCHASED, but I believe each of them has a
particular article in her eye. Here is one, ma'am, that is rather prettier
than any you have yet seen in New York. The price is SIXTY dollars."

The word SIXTY was emphasized in a way to show the importance
that was attached to PRICE--that being a test of more than common
importance with the present customer. I sighed when I remembered that
poor Adrienne had received but about ten dollars for ME--an article
worth so much more than that there exhibited.

"It is really very pretty, Mr. Bobbinet, very pretty, but Miss Monson
bought one not quite as pretty, at Lace's; and SHE payed SIXTY-
FIVE, if I am not mistaken."

"I dare say; we have them at much higher prices. I showed YOU this
only that you might see that OUR SIXTIES are as handsome as MR.
LACE'S sixty-FIVES. What do you think of THIS?"

"That IS a jewel! What IS the price, Mr. Bobbinet?"