“Yes, sir, or goods; we would be willing to take a whole piece of white silk or satin at wholesale price, if you will let us have it out of your store and provide the money to pay for it.”
“Would you, indeed?” he asked with a grim smile. “Well, perhaps I might as well close at once with so good and desirable an offer as that—really such an one I never had before. Come along, both of you, into the store and we will see what we can find.”
He showed them the goods himself, looking gratified with the delight they manifested in gazing upon them, commenting upon their beauties, exclaiming again and again, “Oh, how lovely! What a beautiful dress might be made of that!” “Oh, that is fit for a queen!”
“Well, Ethel, which will you have?” he asked at length.
“Oh, uncle,” she said, “I fear they are all too beautiful and expensive for me; something not so——”
“Whichever you choose is to go at wholesale price, remember,” he said, not allowing her to finish her sentence, “and your uncles are to settle the bill, so take whichever you prefer without reference to the price.”
“Oh, uncle, you are too good and kind!” she said, her eyes filling with tears of gratitude.
“Not a bit, my dear,” he returned in kindest tones. “But choose quickly, for my time is precious. How would this answer?” indicating a beautiful grosgrain silk. “I think it contains about three dress patterns and would make up prettily for you, your sister, and Dorothy here. Will it suit you both?”
“Yes, sir; oh, yes! It is only too lovely, too costly for—for me.”
“Not a bit of it!” cried Dorothy, “though it may be for me, as I am to be only a bridesmaid.”