to the public.

One hundred and twenty baskets of ladies' Spanish
hose,--usual price, 1_s._ 3_d._; sold by B., J., and R. at
9-3/4_d._

"Baskets!" said Mr. Brown, when he read the little book.

"It's all right," said Robinson. "I have been at the trouble to learn
the trade language."

Four hundred dozen white cotton hose,--usual price, 1_s._
0-1/2_d._; sold by B., J., and R. at 7-1/4_d._

Eight stack of China and pearl silk hose,--usual price,
3_s._; sold by B., J., and R. for 1_s._ 9-3/4_d._

Fifteen hundred dozen of Balbriggan,--usual price, 1_s._
6_d._; sold by B., J., and R. for 10-1/2_d._

It may not, perhaps, be necessary to continue the whole list
here; but as it was read aloud to Mr. Brown, he sat aghast with
astonishment. "George!" said he, at last, "I don't like it. It makes
me quite afeard. It does indeed."

"And why do you not like it?" said Robinson, quietly laying down the
manuscript, and putting his hand upon it. "Does it want vigour?"

"No; it does not want vigour."

"Does it fail to be attractive? Is it commonplace?"

"It is not that I mean," said Mr. Brown. "But--"

"Is it not simple? The articles are merely named, with their prices."

"But, George, we haven't got 'em. We couldn't hold such a quantity.
And if we had them, we should be ruined to sell them at such prices
as that. I did want to do a genuine trade in stockings."

"And so you shall, sir. But how will you begin unless you attract
your customers?"

"You have put your prices altogether too low," said Jones. "It stands
to reason you can't sell them for the money. You shouldn't have put
the prices at all;--it hampers one dreadful. You don't know what it
is to stand down there among 'em all, and tell 'em that the cheap
things haven't come."

"Say that they've all been sold," said Robinson.

"It's just the same," argued Jones. "I declare last Saturday night I
didn't think my life was safe in the crowd."

"And who brought that crowd to the house?" demanded Robinson. "Who
has filled the shop below with such a throng of anxious purchasers?"

"But, George," said Mr. Brown, "I should like to have one of these
bills true, if only that one might show it as a sample when the
people talk to one."

"True!" said Robinson, again. "You wish that it should be true! In
the first place, did you ever see an advertisement that contained the
truth? If it were as true as heaven, would any one believe it? W