at and the wind whistling around me at
a terrible rate as I stood on the corner wondering where to go next. I
looked up street and saw a meat market to which I was naturally
attracted. Although the gentleman in attendance was very busy, I rushed
in with:

"How are you this evening sir? I am glad to find you when you have time
to look at my wonderful preparation for renovating furniture, I'll show
you how nicely it operates right here on your desk."

Then as I began polishing it up, I rattled on at lightning speed,
explaining how perfectly dry it would become in less than a minute from
the time it was applied leaving no chance for dust or dirt to settle and
stick upon the furniture it was not in the least sticky or gummy to the
fingers giving no displeasure in using a cloth--any lady could apply it
and easily renovate her own furniture it would remove all fly specks
from picture frames and brackets as well as stained furniture caused by
hot dishes hot water cologne camphor or medicine and----

"And for goodness sake, what else?" cried he. "Will it make you stop
talking if I'll take a bottle?"

"Yes sir, I always stop then."

"How much is it a bottle?" he asked.

"One dollar, and I want but fifty cents in cash and the balance in
steak."

He was about to say he would take it, when he asked who in thunder I
was, anyhow, and if I had ever patronized him, and stated that he didn't
remember ever seeing me before.

I now realized that the moment had arrived when to decide the meat
question. I had got to be equal to the occasion. Looking up at him, I
confidently said:

"Well, for Heaven's sake! Don't you remember my little red-headed
brother that comes in here after meat every day?"

"Oh, yes, that little hair-lipped cuss," said he. I laughed, said:

"Well, he isn't a bad sort of a lad, when you get acquainted with him."

He then cut off four pounds of steak and gave me, with fifty cents cash,
and I departed in much better spirits than when I called. I then made a
bee-line for the nearest grocery store; and although I found the
proprietor very busy I managed to get his attention, and after showing
him my preparation on one of his show-cases, succeeded in selling him a
bottle for one dollar.

I offered to take it in groceries, but he said he preferred to pay cash,
and let me do the same when I patronized him. I invested seventy-five
cents in potatoes, coffee, sugar, etc., and then started for a bakery,
where I ca