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 about the store and looking at things. He'd been in before, and knew who I was, and in a little while he came over to where I was standing, by the cashier's desk, and asked, in a business-like tone:—"Haf you any brooders?"

"Any what?" I said.

"Brooders,—haf you any brooders?"

I was quite sure that I wasn't understanding him, and so I turned to Miss Weed. "Have we?" I asked.

"What is it?" asked Miss Weed.

I didn't want to try to say it, and so I turned to the man, for him to say it again.

He looked surprised. "I ask the young man if he haf any brooders," he said, "und he ask you!"

Miss Weed thought for a minute, and then she shook her head. "I don't know," she said; "but I don't think so."

I didn't want to miss a sale by not knowing the stock, and so I looked pleasant and said, "I'll ask Dad when he comes down;—he'll be here in just a minute."

"Mine Gott in Himmel!" said the man, pounding on the counter and talking to the atmosphere, "I ask the young man if he haf any brooders