Entered a small store to buy a "Washington Star" newspaper. The room was narrow, with a glass show case in front of which were 2 or 3 boxes, each with a small pile of newspapers. It was about 8 p.m., and I hardly expected to find any "Star" left -- none of the papers on the boxes were "Stars." I debated whether to ask "Have you any 'Stars' left?" (There was a man behind the show case) or to assume a "Star" was probably "salted away" somewhere and simply say "I want a Washington Star" I decided on the latter method of approach, as I had a superstitious feeling that the former would greatly lessen the chances that any copy of the paper would be available. The proprietor then stood with a copy of the "Star" in his hands, leafing it over backward and forward (as Pearl does with a book he is about to set a price on) as if loath to part with it. The proprietor's partner had written, in pencil, on a margin of the paper "Aren't there some copies of the 'Star' out on loan?" This seemed to be the case and in view of the likelihood of the return of some of these loaned copies, I was able to convince the owner that he should sell me this copy.