e interests of
his employer Hyacinth kept his temper, but the effort was a severe one.

'These,' he said, 'are half cotton. Mine are pure wool. They are really
far better value even if they were double the price.'

Mr. O'Reilly shrugged his shoulders.

'I don't say they're not, but I should not sell one of yours for every
dozen of the others.'

'Try,' said Hyacinth; 'give them a fair chance. Tell the people that
they will last twice as long. Tell them that they are made in Ireland.'

'That would not be the slightest use. They would simply laugh in my
face. My customers don't care a pin where the goods are made. I have
never in my life been asked for Irish manufacture.'

'Then, why on earth do you stick up those advertisements?' said
Hyacinth, pointing to the 'Feach Annseo' which appeared on a hoarding
across the street.

Mr. O'Reilly was perfectly frank and unashamed.

'The other drapery house in the town is owned by a Scotchman, and of
course it pays more or less to keep on saying that I am Irish. Besides,
I mean to stand for the Urban Council in March, and those sort of ads.
are useful at an election, even if they are no good for business.'

'I'll tell you what I'll do,' said Hyacinth, shirking a discussion on
the morality of advertising: 'I'll let you have a dozen shawls at cost
price, and take back what you can't sell, if you give me your word to do
your best for them.'

Similar discussions followed the display of serges and blankets. It
appeared that nice-looking goods could be sent over from England at
lower prices. It was vain for Hyacinth to press the fact that his things
were better. Mr. O'Reilly admitted as much.

'But what am I to do? The people don't want what is good. They want a
cheap article which looks well, and they don't care a pin whether the
thing is made in England, Ireland, or America. Take my advice,' he added
as Hyacinth left the shop: 'get your boss to do inferior lines--cheap,
cheap and showy.'

So far Mr. Hollywell's opinions were entirely justified. The appeal of
the patriotic press to the public and the shopkeepers on behalf of the
industrial revival of Ireland had certainly not affected the town of
Clogher. Hyacinth was bitterly disappointed; but hope, when it is born
of enthusiasm, dies hard, and he was greatly interested in a speech
which he read one day in the 'Mayo Telegraph'. It had been made at a
meeting of the League by an Ardnaree shopkeeper called Dowling. A trade
ri