RIVAL SHOP-KEEPERS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 17, Issue 59, 27 July 1906, Page 7

RIVAL SHOP-KEEPERS.

In the high street of a certain northern town there lived two drapers, who were determined rivals and who were always trying to undersell or over-reach each other in every possible way. Both were shrewd, smart men, but one had slightly the advantage of the other in this way. The smarter of the two had his shop always open first in the morning, and his brother tradesman had to pass it on his way to his own. Every morning the first draper was in the habit of marking down most of the goods displayed in his windows, and after his rival had passed and noted his reductions he withdrew the low-priced tickets and resumed his former prices. He repeated this ruse morning after morning lor sev''-’-’ days, until the other, not to be outdone in cheapness, was selling/for elevenpence, stockings that cost him fifteenpence wholesale. Th‘ • was the opportunity for which the smart man had been scheming all along. He hired boys and girls to buy the stockings of his rival at the greatly reduced price, and before his unsuspecting rival was aware of the fact his entire stock of hosiery was transferred to the counter of his wide-awake opponent at elevenpence per pair and were _ 1 by him as a “bankrupt lot at ’•’"'".Tible sacrifice ’’ at '■diteenponce ] — 1 r vir.V