The Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter [38]
buys a bar of soap, instead of the customer pulling out a purse and paying for it --she says she will pay another time.
And Pickles makes a low bow and says, "With pleasure, madam," and it is written down in a book.
The customers come again and again, and buy quantities, in spite of being afraid of Ginger and Pickles.
The customers came in crowds every day and bought quantities, especially the toffee customers. But there was always no money; they never paid for as much as a penny- worth of peppermints.
But the sales were enormous, ten times as large as Tabitha Twitchit's.
As there was always no money, Ginger and Pickles were obliged to eat their own goods.
Pickles ate biscuits and Ginger ate a dried haddock.
They ate them by candle- light after the shop was closed.
"It is very uncomfortable, I am afraid I shall be summoned. I have tried in vain to get a license upon credit at the Post Office;" said Pickles. "The place is full of policemen. I met one as I was coming home.
"Let us send in the bill again to Samuel Whiskers, Ginger, he owes 22/9 for bacon."
"I do not believe that he intends to pay at all," replied Ginger.
When it came to Jan. 1st there was still no money, and Pickles was unable to buy a dog license.
"It is very unpleasant, I am afraid of the police," said Pickles.
"It is your own fault for being a terrier; _I_ do not require a license, and neither does Kep, the Collie dog."
"And I feel sure that Anna Maria pockets things--
"Where are all the cream crackers?"
"You have eaten them yourself." replied Ginger.
Ginger and Pickles retired into the back parlor.
They did accounts. They added up sums and sums, and sums.
"Samuel Whiskers has run up a bill as long as his tail; he has had an ounce and three- quarters of snuff since October.
"What is seven pounds of butter at 1/3, and a stick of sealing wax and four matches?"
"Send in all the bills again to everybody `with compliments,'" replied Ginger.
Pickles nearly had a fit, he barked and he barked and made little rushes.
"Bite him, Pickles! bite him!" spluttered Ginger behind a sugar barrel, "he's only a German doll!"
The policeman went on writing in his notebook; twice he put his pencil in his mouth, and once he dipped it in the treacle.
Pickles barked till he was hoarse. But still the policeman took no notice. He had bead eyes, and his helmet was sewed on with stitches.
After a time they heard a noise in the shop, as if something had been pushed in at the door. They came out of the back parlor. There was an envelope lying on the counter, and a policeman writing in a notebook!
At length on his last little rush--Pickles found that the shop was empty. The policeman had disappeared.
But the envelope remained.
"Do you think that he has gone to fetch a real live policeman? I am afraid it is a summons," said Pickles.
"No," replied Ginger, who had opened the envelope, "it is the rates and taxes, 3 pounds 19 11 3/4." [pounds are British money, the 19 is schillings, and then pence]
"This is the last straw," said Pickles, "let us close the shop."
They put up the shutters, and left. But they have not removed from the neighborhood. In fact some people wish they had gone further.
Ginger is living in the warren [game preserve for rabbits]. I do not know what occupation he pursues; he looks stout and comfortable.
Pickles is at present a game- keeper.
After a time Mr. John Dormouse and his daughter began to sell peppermints and candles.
But they did not keep "self- fitting sixes"; and it takes five mice to carry one seven inch candle.
The closing of the shop caused great inconvenience. Tabitha Twitchit immediately raised the price of everything a halfpenny; and she continued to refuse to give credit.
Of course there are the tradesmen's carts--the butcher, the fishman and Timothy Baker.
But a person cannot live on "seed wigs" and sponge cake and butter buns--not even when the sponge cake is as good as Timothy's!
And Miss Dormouse refused to take
And Pickles makes a low bow and says, "With pleasure, madam," and it is written down in a book.
The customers come again and again, and buy quantities, in spite of being afraid of Ginger and Pickles.
The customers came in crowds every day and bought quantities, especially the toffee customers. But there was always no money; they never paid for as much as a penny- worth of peppermints.
But the sales were enormous, ten times as large as Tabitha Twitchit's.
As there was always no money, Ginger and Pickles were obliged to eat their own goods.
Pickles ate biscuits and Ginger ate a dried haddock.
They ate them by candle- light after the shop was closed.
"It is very uncomfortable, I am afraid I shall be summoned. I have tried in vain to get a license upon credit at the Post Office;" said Pickles. "The place is full of policemen. I met one as I was coming home.
"Let us send in the bill again to Samuel Whiskers, Ginger, he owes 22/9 for bacon."
"I do not believe that he intends to pay at all," replied Ginger.
When it came to Jan. 1st there was still no money, and Pickles was unable to buy a dog license.
"It is very unpleasant, I am afraid of the police," said Pickles.
"It is your own fault for being a terrier; _I_ do not require a license, and neither does Kep, the Collie dog."
"And I feel sure that Anna Maria pockets things--
"Where are all the cream crackers?"
"You have eaten them yourself." replied Ginger.
Ginger and Pickles retired into the back parlor.
They did accounts. They added up sums and sums, and sums.
"Samuel Whiskers has run up a bill as long as his tail; he has had an ounce and three- quarters of snuff since October.
"What is seven pounds of butter at 1/3, and a stick of sealing wax and four matches?"
"Send in all the bills again to everybody `with compliments,'" replied Ginger.
Pickles nearly had a fit, he barked and he barked and made little rushes.
"Bite him, Pickles! bite him!" spluttered Ginger behind a sugar barrel, "he's only a German doll!"
The policeman went on writing in his notebook; twice he put his pencil in his mouth, and once he dipped it in the treacle.
Pickles barked till he was hoarse. But still the policeman took no notice. He had bead eyes, and his helmet was sewed on with stitches.
After a time they heard a noise in the shop, as if something had been pushed in at the door. They came out of the back parlor. There was an envelope lying on the counter, and a policeman writing in a notebook!
At length on his last little rush--Pickles found that the shop was empty. The policeman had disappeared.
But the envelope remained.
"Do you think that he has gone to fetch a real live policeman? I am afraid it is a summons," said Pickles.
"No," replied Ginger, who had opened the envelope, "it is the rates and taxes, 3 pounds 19 11 3/4." [pounds are British money, the 19 is schillings, and then pence]
"This is the last straw," said Pickles, "let us close the shop."
They put up the shutters, and left. But they have not removed from the neighborhood. In fact some people wish they had gone further.
Ginger is living in the warren [game preserve for rabbits]. I do not know what occupation he pursues; he looks stout and comfortable.
Pickles is at present a game- keeper.
After a time Mr. John Dormouse and his daughter began to sell peppermints and candles.
But they did not keep "self- fitting sixes"; and it takes five mice to carry one seven inch candle.
The closing of the shop caused great inconvenience. Tabitha Twitchit immediately raised the price of everything a halfpenny; and she continued to refuse to give credit.
Of course there are the tradesmen's carts--the butcher, the fishman and Timothy Baker.
But a person cannot live on "seed wigs" and sponge cake and butter buns--not even when the sponge cake is as good as Timothy's!
And Miss Dormouse refused to take