By Frank Stockton
ReadOasis Step 3
(Part 3)

But I stepped up to a young woman and presented my sample, with the usual question.

"Back room, counter on the left," she said. I went there.

"Have you any red calico like this?" I asked the saleswoman.

"No, sir," she said, "but we have it in Turkey red."

Turkey red again! I surrendered.

"All right," I said, "give me Turkey red."

"How much, sir?" she asked.

"I don't know -- say fifteen meters."

She looked at me strangely, but measured fifteen ...