We _did_ quite an extensive retail
trade--the store was rarely free from _ton_-ish citizens, mostly "fine
ladies," in quest of fine perfumes, soaps, oils, etc., to sweeten and
decorate their own beautiful selves. But, before venturing in, our
_beau_ had an eye about the horizon, to see that no impediments offered;
things looked safe, and in comes the beau.

We were upon very fair terms with Charley, and he was wont to regale us
with many of his long stories about the company he _faced_ into, the
"conquests" he made, and the times he had with this and that, in high
life. Fanny Kemble was about that time--belle of the season! _Lioness_
of the day! setting corduroy in a high fever, and raising an awful
_furore_--generally! Alas! how soon such things--cave in!

Charley got behind the counter to stow away some articles he had brought
down, and began one of his usual harangues:

"Theatre, last night, Jack?"

"No; couldn't get off; wanted to," said we.

"O, you missed a grand opportunity to see the fashion beauty and wealthy
people of this city! Such a house! Crowded from pit to dome, met a
hundred and fifty of my friends--ladies of the first families in town,
with all the 'high boys' of my acquaintance!"

"And how did Fanny _do_ Juliet?" we asked.

"Do it? Elegant! I sat in the second stage box with the two Misses W.
(Chestnut street belles!) and Colonel S. and Sam. G., and his sister
(all _nobs_ of course!), and they were truly entranced with Miss
Kemble's Juliet! I threw for Miss G. her elegant bouquet,--Fanny kissed
her fingers to me, and with a _look_ at me, as I stood up so--(the beau
gave a tall _rear up_ and was about to spread himself, when glancing at
the door, he sees--two ladies! right in the store!) _thunder!_" he
exclaims.

If the beau had been hit by a streak of lightning, he would not have
_dropped_ sooner than he did, behind the counter.

The ladies proved to be _nobody_ else than those of the very two Misses
W. themselves; they lived close by, and frequently came to the store.
Beneath our counter were endless packages, broken glass, refuse oils,
rancid perfumes, dust, dirt, grease, charcoal, soap, and about
everything else dingy and offensive to the eye and nose. The place
afforded a wretched refuge for a hull so big and nice as our beau's, but
there he was, much in our _way_ too, with the mournful fact, for
Charley, that if those "fine ladies" stayed less than half an hour,
without overhauling ab