“Not a thread of cotton in that,” was the clerk’s reply.

“Not wan, but a good many, I’m thinkin’,” retorted the Irish lady, as she helped her husband draw on the coat.  It fitted tolerably well and Mike seemed mightily pleased with his transformation.

“Come,” said the wife.  “What will ye take?”

“As it’s you, I’ll take off twenty-five cents,” replied the clerk.

“And sell it to me for two dollars?” inquired his customer, who had good cause for her inaccurate arithmetic.

“For two dollars and seventy-five cents.”

“Two dollars and seventy-five cents!  It’s taking the bread out of the childer’s mouths you’d have us, paying such a price as that!  I’ll give you two twenty-five, an’ I’ll be coming again some time.”

“We couldn’t take so low as two twenty-five, ma’am.  You may have it for two dollars and a half.”

After another ineffectual attempt to get it for two dollars and a quarter, the Irish woman finally offered two dollars and forty-five cents, and this offer was accepted.

She pulled out a paper of change and counted out two dollars and forty cents, when she declared that she had not another cent.  But the clerk understood her game and coolly proceeded to put the coat back on the pile.  Then the woman very opportunely found another five-cent piece stored away in the corner of her pocket.

“It’s robbin’ me, ye are,” said she as she paid it over.

“Oh, no, ma’am, you are getting a great bargain,” answered the clerk.

Joe had witnessed the bargaining with a good deal of quiet amusement.  As soon as the Irish couple had gone the clerk came toward the boy.

“Well, young man, what can I do for you?” he asked, pleasantly.

“I want a suit of clothing.  Not an expensive suit, but one guaranteed to be all wool.”

“A light or a dark suit?”

“A dark gray.”

“I can fit you out in a fine suit of this order,” and the clerk pointed to several lying in a heap nearby.

“I don’t want that sort.  I want something on the order of those in the window marked nine dollars and a half.”

“Oh, all right.”

Several suits were brought forth, and one was found that fitted Joe exceedingly well.

“You guarantee this to be all wool?” asked the boy.

“Every thread of it.”

“Then I’ll take it.”

“Very well; the price is twelve dollars.”

“Isn’t it like that in the window?”

“On that order, but a trifle better.”

“It seems to me to be about the same suit.  I’ll give you nine dollars and a half.”

“I can’t take it.  I’ll give it to you for eleven and a half.  That is our best figure.”

“Then I’ll go elsewhere for a suit,” answered Joe, and started to leave the clothing establishment.

“Hold on, don’t be so fast!” cried the clerk, catching him by the arm.  “I’ll make it eleven and a quarter.”