The Head of the Ribbon Counter (1913)

• 67%
• 1913
• Comedy

The head of the ribbon counter was the most popular clerk in the store. Customers liked him, employees admired him and even "the boss" regarded him highly. Rival merchants vainly tried to win him away, but he refused all their offers, being thoroughly happy where he was. There came a day, however, when he found the need of friendship. Much against his will he became involved in an argument with one of the store's best customers, a peevish, wealthy woman. She finally indignantly descended upon the proprietor of the store, telling him that unless the clerk was discharged she would withdraw her custom. What could the poor proprietor do? He tried to make everybody happy by publicly discharging the clerk and privately re-engaging him. To dodge the customer's wrath, however, be supplied the clerk with a disguise enjoining him to wear it whenever danger approached. A new crisis came along soon when the disguised clerk ran afoul of the same disagreeable woman. She did not recognize him, but wanted him discharged just the same. Fortunately for him another patron took his part and the helpless proprietor had a worse problem to tackle than any that ever came before King Solomon, If he discharged the clerk, he would lose the patronage of one of his best customers. If he retained him he would lose the patronage of another equally good customer. He couldn't afford to do either, but he so managed things that he did not lose any trade. It took some skillful work to accomplish this, but the proprietor was resourceful and his novel plan was ably seconded by the versatile head of the ribbon counter.