"mdse.", 1913; query

[Alice Faber]

Gregory {Greg} Downing said:
>At 10:20 PM 4/19/2001 EDT, you wrote:
>>I'd read it as "merchandise"...does thatc make sense ?
>>
>>                                        Steve Hicks
>>
>
>
>I've certainly seen "mdse." as a commercial and a general abbreviation for
>"merchandise."

Merchandise was my first thought also.  In the context of the original
quote, well you can't get the merchandise if someone hasn't already shown
you the money...
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