carried on under
"limited" principles, but chiefly limited as to extent and space.

When walking about Birmingham, archaeological observers should look up
if they wish to see and note any traces of age and antiquity. The lower
portions of old premises have often been so enlarged and modernized that
they give no sign of the real date of the buildings. In Bull Street,
for instance, there are narrow old style windows that are very
suggestive of a bygone day. But these are becoming few and far between,
and will doubtless soon be seen no more.

Old-fashioned shops naturally suggest new and old-style shopkeeping. In
a recent chapter I alluded to some long-established trading houses in
Birmingham that within certain limits carry on their trade in a manner
that differs from the very modern and obtrusively pressing fashion which
is so much the custom of the day. Something of the same kind may be said
of shops, as I generally remarked in my earlier observations. But to
descend more into detail, there are still among its at any rate a
limited number of shopkeepers who like to do their business on good,
safe, and steady lines, and keep together a nice respectable connection
by upholding the dependable quality of their wares. Some of these
shopkeepers do not make much of an outward show, but I have reason to
know that many of them in a quiet undemonstrative manner do a snug and
prosperous trade without fuss or display.

I will just briefly particularize. Opposite King Edward's School in New
Street is a quiet, unostentatious-looking tobacconist's shop. The window
plate bears the name of Evans, and in the window is a modest show of
smoking wares and materials. If you step inside the shop, it is
comparatively calm and quiet. You do not see young men sitting about
smoking, chatting, and joking with girls across the counter. There is no
constant succession of customers coming in and out and buying their
ounces and half ounces of "Returns," "Bird's Eye," "Shag," and "Old
Virginia." Yet an evident perfume of tobacco and prosperity seems to
pervade the shop, but no sign of the Tom, Dick, and Henry sort of trade
that is done by more ostentatious modern traders. It is, I believe, a
case of half a century's trading in good tobacco stuffs having
established a connection among those who like good tobacco, will pay a
proper price for it, and deal where they can get it.

These remarks apply more or less to a jewellery, watch and clock shop
ne