A MAN OF SAMPLES

SOMETHING ABOUT THE MEN HE MET

"ON THE ROAD"

BY WM. H. MAHER

AUTHOR OF

"ON THE ROAD TO RICHES"

CHAPTER I. 

"When do you start, Tom?"

"At midnight. "

"Well, good-by; sock it to 'em; send us in some fat orders. "

"I'll do it, or die; good-by. "

And then I sat down to think it all over. Our traveling man was off ona wedding tour, and I had agreed to take his place for this one trip. As the hour drew near for me to start, my courage proportionatelysank, until I now heartily wished that I had never consented to go. What if I failed? I had been stock clerk and house salesman for threeyears; I had been successful; my position was a good one, and one thatwould grow better; there was nothing to be made by success on theroad, as I had no intention of continuing there, and failure might bethe means of making my place in the house less secure. What aninfernal fool I was! If there had been any way under heaven for me toget out of it I would have hailed the opening with delight. I wouldhave blessed any accident that would have been the means of sending meto bed for a week or two, and I would have taken the small-poxthankfully. But there was no release. Like an ass, as I was, I hadagreed to take Mallon's trip, and I must go ahead if it made or unmademe. 

I ate my supper with a heavy heart, bade my landlady and her daughtersa solemn good-by, then went to the theater to forget my sorrows. Atmidnight I was checking my sample-trunk for Albany, and persuading thebaggagemaster that 218 pounds were exactly 120. I succeeded; but ittook three ten-cent cigars to do it. 

The reason I call the town Albany is because that is not its name, andI may as well say here that as I write about actual incidents I don'tpropose to "lay myself liable" by giving the name of any town or anydealer. If I call him Smith it will naturally follow that he was notSmith. 

If Albany had been a hundred or more miles away I would have taken aberth in the sleeper, but we were due there at 2 o'clock, so I dozedand nodded and swore to myself during the two hours' ride. I wanted toget there, but I dreaded it, too. Stories I had heard traveling mentell about poor beds, mean men, dirty food, and unprincipledcompetitors all came back to me in a distorted fashion, and if Ididn't have a nightmare I must have experienced a slight touch ofdelirium tremens. 

"How much of a town is Albany?" I asked the conductor. 

"No town at all; just a crossing. "

"No hotel there?"

"Oh, yes; they call it a hotel. "

This was exactly what I expected. Probably no one would be up and Icould walk around the town for the next four hours. What an idiot Iwas! By thunder, I would break my leg or my arm the first thing I didand get out of this foolish--

"Albany!"

What, so soon! Those were the two shortest hours I had ever known. 

No lights anywhere; no one about; nothing but--

"Hotel, sir?"

Good; here was a ray of comfort. "Hotel? Well, I should say so. Whereis your light?"

"Here it is. " And a lantern came around a corner as the train dashedoff on its way. 

"Don't mind your trunk; that will be taken care of and I'll get it inthe morning. Here, Dan, lead the way, "

We walked a square or two and went into a neat appearing office. Bed?Yes, I might as well get a few hours' sleep. And I was given a verycomfortable room. I lay in bed trying to recall our customer's name, and preparing my speech of introduction when--. Some one was rappingat the door. What's up? Breakfast! What, breakfast already? Why, Ihadn't thought I was asleep at all. 

As I looked over the register, after breakfast, dreading to start out, I asked the clerk;

"Been any gun men here lately?"

"None since last week. Layton was here from Pittsburg on the 22d. "

"Did he sell anything?"

"I think he did sell Cutter a small bill"

"How many stores are there here?"

"Three that sell guns. Are you in the gun business!"

"Yes. I am from Pittsburg. "

I hung back as long as I dared; found out all about the trains; pickedup facts and fancies about the merchants; got my cards and price-bookhandy; stuck four revolvers (samples) in my pockets; pulled my hatdown solidly on my head, and started out. And every step I took I, figuratively, kicked myself for being there, and for being a blastedfool generally. "JOHN O. JORDAN, GUNS AND REVOLVERS. "

This was the legend that attracted my attention, and toward it I tookmy way. I stopped at the window long enough to take a hasty inventoryof its contents, and from it I sized up my man. There were some goodsthere that came from our store; this cheered me, I took courage, walked in, and handed Mr. Jordan my card. 

"We have done some business with you, " I said, in my blandest tones, "and Mr. Mallon always spoke pleasantly of you [this was a randomshot]; he has taken a wife unto himself, and I am making his trip. "

"Why the devil don't you send me the goods I ordered last time fromhim? Where are those British bull-dogs? Did he sell them too low, oris my credit poor?"

Phew! There it was. I must first close up an old sore before I coulddo anything else. I might have known it would be just so, but I wassuch a pig-headed fool I hadn't thought of this. 

"Tell me all about it, Mr. Jordan;" and he told it, with fire in hiseye. But he felt better for having told it. I knew nothing of it tillnow, but I took out my book and said:

"Mr. Jordan, the goods will come now. You may depend upon it. How manybull-dogs do you want?"

"I don't want any. I got some of Layton. The house can't fool meagain. "

I sat down on the counter and gave him fourteen reasons for his ordernot having been filled (I hope some of them were true), and then Ipulled out a "Pet" revolver and asked him if seventy-five cents wasnot mighty low for that. 

He admitted that it was, but he had bought of Layton five cents lower. Then I explained wherein Layton's was ten cents poorer than mine (Ihadn't seen his), and why he ought to give mine the preference. Whathad he paid for 32-caliber?

"One twenty-five. "

I drew out mine at $1. 20, and I convinced him that mine was a betterpistol than his, although he said he had already more than he ought tohave and he would not buy more. Then I placed an automatic ejectorunder his eyes, threw out the shells, cocked it and snapped it, andexplained how, though it cost us $6. 70, I was going to sell him someat $6. 

"No, you ain't, " said he, "I've got two on hand and can't give themaway. "

By this time it struck me I was making but little headway and waswasting my breath in praising goods he already had, so I concluded thebest plan to go on was to see what he had, and govern myselfaccordingly. He seemed to have everything, confound him! There wasnothing he had not bought in the thirty days, and I began to think Icould use my time better somewhere else, when a man came in to buy agun, and I stepped aside to watch the subsequent proceedings. 

The story told by that retailer about those guns would have made a doghowl, if it were not for the fact that he believed every word of it. The farmer wanted a good muzzle loader, but wanted it choke-bored! Theretailer brought down seven different guns, all of them choke-bored!and expatiated upon their cheapness and good qualities. Some referencewas made to me, as being a gun man, and I was drawn into theconversation. I explained the merits of guns to that farmer in a waythat pleased him mightily. I could see that, but he finally said hedidn't intend to buy a gun that day, but would some time in the fall, and he passed calmly out. 

I looked at Mr. Jordan, and he looked at me. "Are you mad?" I asked. 

"No; I'm used to it. "

"Then try a cigar. "

As we smoked and discussed mean customers, I put in some good licksfor my house, and by and by heard Jordan say:

"I lied to you about those bull-dogs; I didn't buy any of Layton; youmay send me six. "

CHAPTER II. 

When Mr. Jordan gave me the order for six "bull-dog" revolvers, I feltthat I had made a conquest; I went carefully through my list, addingsomething here and there, until I had made a very pretty bill withhim. So, although he met me as if he wanted to punch me in the head, we parted on the best of terms. Where should I go next? A sign fartherdown the street said "Hardware, " so I started down that way. 

A man who carries a mixed stock is easier to sell goods to than is theman who makes a specialty of one line. In the house we always had acloser price for the dealer who made guns a specialty than for thehardware man who kept a few guns and revolvers as a small branch ofhis stock. 

"John Topoff" was the name over the door, so I went in, carefullynoticing the stock, the way it was arranged, and the amount, in orderto get some idea of the kind of man the owner was. 

"Is Mr. Topoff in?" I asked a young man who was blacking stoves andwho I was sure was not the man I wanted. 

"Naw, " he said, as he brushed away. 

"Will he be in soon?"

"Naw, he's dead. There's Mr. Tucker, he's the boss. "

The young man spoke as if answering the questions about Mr. Topoff hadbecome a burden to him, and if that honest hardware man had been deadlong I didn't blame the boy for getting tired of him. 

Mr. Tucker had been studiously keeping his back toward me, as if I wasto expect no encouragement from him, but he turned when I spoke hisname and I introduced myself. 

"Don't need anything in your line, " said he, as if he wished I wouldaccept that as a final verdict and get out. 

What would you have done, respected reader, if you had been in myplace? I would gladly have said "good-day, " and gone at once if itwere not for the fact that my present business was to get orders, andthe only way to secure them was to work for them. So I ignored Mr. Tucker's ill-timed remark and proceeded to be sociable. 

I explained as pleasantly as I could why it was our house was sendingout a new man. I got him interested enough to ask a question or two, which was a point gained, and finally I came round to his stock, but Icarefully ignored guns and talked of nails; something I knew nothingabout. 

Don't you know you can pay no one a higher compliment than to placehim in the position of a teacher to you? I picked that idea upsomewhere, and I put it in practice by asking Mr. Tucker forinformation as to hardware and hardware houses. He was soon talkingwarmly and as if he was enjoying himself, and I was wondering whenwould be a good time to get guns started, when a little boy came tothe door and shouted: "Pa! ma wants you to come home a minute, just assoon as you can!"

He started off without a word, and I proceeded to get acquainted withthe young man who said "Naw!"

Of all creatures on the face of the earth the average clerk is theeasiest to pump. The fact that a man is from a wholesale house seemsto be sufficient guarantee that he may safely be told anythingregarding prices, and where goods came from. The moment Tucker wentout the door Bob stopped his work, and for fifteen minutes he kept histongue wagging about the cost of goods and all he knew about them. Hewas so incautious that I soon learned his cost mark, and then did notneed to ask cost afterward. 

How did I do it? Bless you! Every traveling man does it in spite ofhimself. For instance, I pick up a box and notice it is marked L. X. K. , and I ask the clerk, while I look at the revolver, What did this cost?

He turns the box up to see the mark, and answers, $2. 25. 

This may be the truth, or may not. If it is, "L" is 2 and "K" is 5, and "X" means "repeat. " So by and by I find a box marked B. L. K. , and Iask the cost of that. He answers, $1. 25. I am now sure that B is 1, Lis 2 and K is 5, and I can easily guess that A and C are 3 and 4. Byfinding boxes with other letters on, and learning from the boy whatthe mark is, I soon have "Black horse" as the cost mark in that store. I make a note of this in my trip book so that I can use it when I amhere again, or when our other man is here. 

My way now is tolerably smooth. If he really needs goods the merchantwill be willing to order at prices paid before; if he thinks he doesnot need anything I may tempt him by quoting prices a little underwhat he paid. In either case I am in good shape to make a fight for anorder; thanks to the clerk's loose tongue and lack of sense. 

A customer comes in and wants a file. I listen to the conversation, trying to get hold of any hint that may be useful to me by and by. Another man wants a box of cartridges. My ears are wide open now. 

"Have you the 'U. S. '?"

"U. S. --U. S. What do you mean?" asks the clerk. 

"I want the kind with U. S. On the end. "

"What good is that?"

"Good to go. I like that kind. Have you got them?"

"I don't know; yes; no, they ain't either! They're U. M. C. "

"Don't want 'em!"

Now I was temporarily selling the U. S. Cartridge, so I made a note ofwhat the man said, to be used on Tucker, but I took up theconversation and convinced the customer that the U. M. C. Make ofcartridges was good; he finally bought a box and went off apparentlysatisfied. 

Just then Tucker came in. 

I made some laughing allusion to pig-headed customers, and the clerkat once opened up on the "fool" who thought one cartridge was betterthan another. When the young man was back at his stove I started outto sell Tucker a bill. He was backward about buying; didn't know ourhouse; always bought of Simmons; did not like to have so many bills;always got favors from Simmons, and despised our city on generalprinciples. 

I agreed with him on every point, but (Oh! these "buts") I also wantedan order. I took out my bull-dog revolver that was selling at $2. 85;he had none like it in stock; it was the leading pistol, retailingreadily at $4 to $5, according to locality. "I want to send you a fewof these at a special net price, " said I; "the regular price is $3; Iwill sell you at $2. 85. " I said this as if I was making him a presentof a gold watch. "I wouldn't have the d--n things as a gift, " said he. 

CHAPTER III. 

When a man has been on the road a year or two he is never disappointedbecause a dealer refuses to buy something he was sure he was going tosell him. He is prepared for "No" on all occasions rather than for"Yes. " But a man is terribly disappointed on his first trip every timehe starts out to sell a particular article and does not meet withsuccess. I was sure Tucker would give me an order for some bull-dogrevolvers, but in answer to my low price he had said he wouldn't takethem as a gift!

I would have been very glad to go straight home and let Tucker getalong without bull-dogs, but my silly head had brought me into thisbusiness and I must keep on. Probably he saw I was a good dealdisappointed, for he added, in a rather kindly tone, "Every pistol ofthat kind I have ever sold came back on my hands for repairs, and Iswore I'd never buy another. "

"You are making a mistake, " said I. "When the double action first cameout they did get out of order easily, and manufacturers were obligedto take back broken ones and replace them at great expense tothemselves. In self-defense they were obliged to make them better, andthey are just as reliable as any other to-day. "

"Well, I don't want any. "

"All right, we will pass it. But I wondered what one of yourcompetitors meant when he said he had the pistol trade; now Iunderstand. "

"Does he sell these?"

"Yes, he had some from us not long ago, and gave me an order for moreto-day. "

"What's the best you can do on them?"

How many times a day does every traveling man see men act as Tuckerdid? Here was a line of goods he was cocksure he did not want, but themoment he heard that his competitor had a trade on them he began tofeel that he must have some. Seven-eighths of the goods sold are soldin this way. Very few men do business on their own judgment. Theircompetitors make their prices, select their styles, and force them tocarry certain stock. The drummer's best card is always: This isselling like fire; Smith took a gross, Brown half a gross, Jones threedozen, and you will miss it if you do not try a few. Such dealersalways have the larger part of their capital locked up in goods theybought because others had bought the same goods. 

I repeated my price to Tucker, and he told me to send him a few. "Bythe way, " said he, "what are your terms?"

"Sixty days. "

"Does your house draw the day a bill falls due?"

"No; the house is slow about drawing upon customers, and they alwaysgive ten days' notice before making draft. "

"Well, I don't like to be drawn on. The house that draws on me can'tsell me again. I can't draw on my trade, and I'm devilish glad to getmy money in six months, but you fellows in the city expect a man tocome to the exact minute. I don't want any drawing on me. "

It was an excellent place to have delivered a lecture on the beautiesof prompt payments. I could have told Brother Tucker that if he didnot see his way clear to pay his bill when due he should not buy it, and if his customers did not pay promptly he should dun them harder orkeep his goods. But the traveling man is not sent out to inculcatebusiness morals, and he is too anxious to sell a bill to run any risksby disagreeing with a buyer. I did what all others would have done inmy place. I assured Mr. Tucker I would be as easy with him regardingpayments as any house in the world would dare be, and that pointsafely out of the way, I sold him several items quite smoothly. Wecame to guns. 

"What is Parker's worth?"

"Twenty-five per cent, off factory list. "

"What! Why, here's a quotation from Cincinnati of 25 and 10!"

"Let me see it, please. I have not heard of any such figures. "

"Bob, where is that list of Reachum's?"

"I don't know. "

"D--n it, you had it. "

"Then it must be in the drawer. "

Tucker emptied the drawer, looked through a pile of papers, but couldnot find the circular he was looking for He was annoyed by it, and Iwas sorry. 

"Well, let it go, " said he, "but that was the price. "

"There must be a mistake somewhere, " said I, "for the goods cost thatat the factory in largest lots. "

"There was no mistake, " he said sharply; "I know what I am talkingabout. The discount offered was 25 and 10. "

I hastened to assure him that I had not meant that he was mistaken, but that Reachum must have made a mistake. 

"That's no concern of mine, " said he, "and I rather think that Reachumis a man who knows his business as well as any of you. If you arehigher than he is on guns you probably are on other goods. I guess youhad better cancel that order. "

Here was a pretty how-do-you-do! How was I to get out of this box? Iconfess I was in great doubts as to what to do or say. I dared notsell Parker's guns at any such price, yet the man would cancel theorder and probably always have a grudge against the house unless Isold him now. I could not believe that Reachum had made this price, and yet there was no telling what that house might or might not do. 

"How many Parker guns do you want?" I asked. 

"I don't want any. I only asked because it is a leading thing, and ifa house is not low on that I conclude it is high on other goods. "

"I was going to say, " I said, "that I would meet the price. " I wasn'tgoing to say anything of the kind, but as he didn't want any I wassafe in saying it now. 

"Then you may send me two. I think I know a place where I can selltwo. "

Just so! I was in for it again, and in for it bad. Sometimes it paysto be smart, and sometimes it does not. This was one of the lattertimes. As a matter of fact I had no business to quote a discountgreater than 20 per cent, but I had said 25 so as to make a goodimpression on him, and at 25 and 10 I was sure to catch Hail Columbiafrom the house. 

Just then Bob, who had come over when appealed to about the list, said:

"There's that list you wanted, " and drew one out of a pile of paperson the desk. Tucker opened it with an air of satisfaction, but I couldsee his face grow black. 

"D--n it, this isn't it. "

"Yes, it is; it's the one that came in yesterday, and there's thefigures on it you made for Utley, " persisted Bob. 

I did not wait on ceremony, but looked over Tucker's shoulders, and tomy astonishment and delight, there was, in plain figures, discount onParker guns, 15 and 10 per cent. 

"How in thunder did I make such a mistake!" said Tucker, with asomewhat downfallen air. 

"We all do it, " said I, anxious to help him out the best way I could. "Fifteen and 10 is low enough, but if they were offering 50 and 10 Iwould meet them. "

Don't you think, good reader, that this was a proper thing to say? Itseemed so to me, and cost nothing, so I said it. I added, "You see, Mr. Tucker, my price of 25 per cent, straight was a better one thanReachum's. Shall I send the guns at 25?"

"Why, you just now said you'd sell at 25 and 10!"

"I said that because you said you were offered at 25 and 10, but asthat was a mistake I take back my figures. "

"Well, let the Parker guns go. "

I was quite glad to do so. But it made it up-hill work for a fewminutes, until Tucker had got over his chagrin about the guns. But wemanaged to get in smooth water again, and when we were through I hadtaken a fair order from him, and much of it was for little odds andends that paid us a good profit. I bade him good-day with a feeling ofgratitude, and assured him of my hearty thankfulness. 

After dinner I tackled a general dealer. The hotel clerk told me thePittsburg man, who was there a week before, had sold Cutter a bill, soI had no hopes of doing much with him, but I had two hours yet, andmight as well improve them. 

"Martin Cutter" was over the door, and I got an idea in my head thathe was a long, thin individual, with black hair and whiskers. But hewasn't. He was of medium size, well built, and had an air ofshrewdness and of business about him. He was waiting on trade, so Isat down and watched him and took notes of the stock. When he wasthrough with his customer he came forward and met me pleasantly, spokewell of our house, but said he was just getting in a bill of revolversand cartridges, and needed nothing in our line. 

There was something about him that made me like him at once, and I hadthe feeling that I was making a pleasant impression upon him. Wechatted about Pittsburg, about gun houses, about the cutting going onin prices, and the general dullness in all business. I think that whenI went out of the store I had more respect for him as a man and as amerchant than I had for the two who had bought of me. Had he neededany goods, I would have given him my lowest prices at the first word. As I was walking back to the hotel I suddenly remembered that he wasjust the man to buy a certain pocket-knife that we had lately takenhold of, and I went back to speak about it to him. 

"Are you sending goods here to any one?" he asked. 

"Yes, two bills. "

"Then send me a dozen. "

I thanked him, and went off feeling better. The chances are alwaysdecidedly in your favor of selling a man whom you have sold before. The dealer who lets you leave town without an order this trip will letyou go twice as readily the next time. I like to get him down in myorder book even though it is for some very trifling thing, because ofthe influence it will have on the future. 

I went to the hotel, copied off my orders, and mailed them, feelingthat I had done extra well, and then sauntered leisurely to the depot. On the train a man behind me heard me ask the conductor aboutRossmore. 

He leaned over and asked, "Are you selling goods?"

"Yes. "

"Then we'll go to Rossmore together. What line are you in?"

"Guns and revolvers. "

"The devil you are! So am I. "

CHAPTER IV. 

I didn't fancy going to a town with a competitor. I have now been onthe road a good many years, and I do not fancy it to-day. If I can getin there one train ahead of him I will strain every nerve to do it, but rather than go in on the same train I would hang back and let himhave the first "go" at the town and take my chances for what heleaves. 

When two men selling the same goods are in a town together the dealersusually take advantage of it. They tell the first man that they maywant this or that, "if they can buy it right, " and, after getting hisprice, say he can come in later. He knows very well that this meanshis competitor is to be consulted also, and he must have a very stiffbackbone indeed if he does not cut his own prices at once. 

So when my neighbor on the train told me he also was going to Rossmoreand was selling guns and revolvers, I felt my courage ooze out of myfingers. He handed me a card, with a good-natured smile, and I read:

 SHIVERHIM & GAILY, Philadelphia. 

I don't like to hand out a card as an introduction of myself to othertraveling men, so I told him my name and that of my house, and weconsidered ourselves acquainted. 

"Is this your first trip?"

Now, why in thunder should he have asked that? Did I look differentfrom other traveling men? I felt as if he showed very bad taste inasking such a question and I made a note to never do it unless Iwanted to be mean. But I told Blissam (that was his name) that it wasmy first trip. 

"Then you'll find Rossmore a tough place to tackle. "

I said we had three customers there. 

"So have we; so has every dealer that ever went there. They buy ahandful of goods of everybody, and they buy most goll-darned cheap. They'll lie to you until your head swims. First, there's Fisher; keepsan eating room on the main floor and gun store upstairs. I'll go inand quote him Remington guns at $36, when you call he'll ask yourprice; if you say $36, he'll tell you that you're high, and he'llbreak you down in spite of yourself. "

"But when a fellow gets to the bottom he's got to stop, " said I. 

"Oh, there's no bottom to guns. It's the meanest business in theworld, and it used to be the best. In '70-'73 I could make big profitsas easy as a duck swims, but now it's all glory. I sold Simmons a billof $600 last week, and made exactly eighteen dollars. 

"Oh, well, " said I, "you can't expect to make much on Simmons, butthere are lots of places where you do make a good profit now. "

"No, sir; it can't be done. Say, are you going to cut prices much atRossmore?"

"Not at all, if I can help it. I'm out on the road to make money, andnot to show big sales. But I'm afraid your house will overshadowmine. "

"Oh, that's all nonsense; people don't go a cent on houses any more;prices are what tell. I'll introduce you. "

Not much. No competitor of mine ever introduced me or ever shall. Iprefer to introduce myself in my own time and way. 

We reached Rossmore about 7 o'clock in the evening. Blissam took itfor granted that I was going to the Everett House, but my hotels hadbeen fixed for me by our old traveling man, and he had instructed meto go to the Forest; a cheaper house, but in all other respects equalto the other. I was rather glad, too, that we were not going to thesame house. Be ever so sociable with a competitor, still the factremains that he is a competitor, and his success means your failure. Under such circumstances a man must be less interested in his businessthan I was to permit him to feel very desirous of his competitor'scompany. 

After registering at the hotel it occurred to me that it would be agood idea to catch any of the dealers that I could that evening andbreak the ice. It might be worth something to make a good impressionbefore Blissam got around. After getting my bearings well established, I started to call on Billwock. 

Billwock was pretty generally known in the gun trade; first for beingmighty slow pay, and second for the fact that they had a baby at hisshop regularly every year or oftener, and the store was used asnursery and play-ground. Traveling men had to see the last baby andcount all the old ones, and according as they praised them did oldBillwock buy liberally or not. 

The head of the house had said to me, "Don't push goods on Billwock;he owes us enough already. If you squeeze a good payment out of himyou can sell him a small bill. "

This kind of talk is all good enough, so far as it goes; but the poordevil on the road often finds he can't get a cent, neither can he sellany goods. The men at home think all he need do is to say, "Here I am;what is it you want?" and then copy the order as fast as he can write. But the men who order that way are the kind who never intend to payfor what they order. 

I thought the matter of Billwock's account all over by the time Ifound his store. It was dimly lighted, but I saw a man and woman atthe rear, and went in. A mussy and dirty looking man came forward tomeet me, but when he had walked a little way he evidently concludedthat I was a drummer, and that I might walk the rest of the way tohim. 

"Is this Mr. Billwock?" I asked. 

"Yes. "

I told him who I was, but he seemed little interested. I started toask about his business, but some one sang out my name and said, "Don'tgo talking business out there; come back and see the baby. "

Blissam, by thunder!

I went back and found him beside Mrs. Billwock, with a young one onhis knee, and as much at home as if he was the uncle of all concerned. I made up my mind that Blissam couldn't be any more sociable than Icould, and I set out to do my prettiest. 

About 9 o'clock we both went out together, and, perhaps naturally, drifted to the smoking room of his hotel. He was an old hand on theroad, and full of stories of his own and others' experience. I triedto be a good listener. 

"There are some mighty queer men in the trade, " said he, as he puffedhis cigar. "I took an order from a man in Indiana, not long ago, forfelt wads, Nos. 8 and 9, and for some cardboard. When I went to copymy orders I remembered that the man had given no size for thecardboard wanted, but I was pretty sure he wanted 12's, and wrote thatsize. As it happened the house was out of No. 9 felt and let it go, ashe only wanted one-third of a dozen. What did the fellow do but sendback the card-board wads, saying he had ordered 9's, and giving usHail Columbia for sending 12's instead, as well as a long epistleabout knowing his own business, and not wanting our help in runningit. The card-board wads were worth about 33 cents, and the expresscharges on them back were 25 cents. I tell you the world is full ofsmart Alecks. "

"I presume I have seen more about returned goods than you have, " Isaid, "as I have been in the store so long, and see every package thatcomes in. I do get my back up over some of the stupid things theaverage retailer will do. It never seems to enter his head to drop thehouse a card and await their instructions about the goods that areunsatisfactory, but he fancies he is showing how smart he is bywhacking them back at once, and always by express, no matter how heavythe goods are. A neighbor of mine, a hardware man, told me an instanceof the smart Aleck a few days ago. The house was handling a newtubular lantern and selling it under the market price of regulargoods. The traveling man sent in three orders from a Michigan town, each of them for one-half dozen lanterns. The stock clerk had a singlehalf dozen of the new lantern and found a half-dozen case of thegenuine. He filled two orders and put the other half-dozen on theback-order book. The genuine was billed at the cut price and nothingsaid on the bill. In a day or two back that case came by express, andan indignant letter from the customer for palming off on him the oldtubular, when the agent had sold the new. The clerk erased the markand sent the case back to the other man in the town whose order wasnot filled. You can see how much time, trouble and expense would havebeen saved had the smart Aleck dropped a card to the house saying hedid not want the lanterns and held them subject to orders. 

"Yes, " said Blissam, "but I have seen goods go back when I thought itwas the proper thing to do. You know one of the latest schemes is tosell goods in cases, and throw in the show-case. It started withneedle and thread men and has gone into a good many other things. Aconcern from somewhere in Ohio had a man in Illinois selling shears inthis way. In one town he sold the dry-goods man a case, at 45 percent, off retail prices, and gave him the exclusive sale of the town, and then sold a hardware man across the street at 50 per cent, discount, and gave him the exclusive sale. When each party opened uphis stock and made a display they soon discovered how the land lay, and, furthermore, the way in which the dry-goods man swore when he sawthe other's bill at so much less than his, would have made your hairstand up. He boxed up these goods and sent them back by express, and Ithought he did right. "

I went down to my hotel and sat a while in the smoking-room. Therewere several traveling men there, and they seemed to be very muchinterested in some "she, " but I was never a good hand at makingacquaintances, and I made no effort here, but went to my room and soonfell asleep, to dream all night about selling goods at 100 per centprofit. The next morning I was out bright and early to see Jewell &Son. The clerk said neither of the firm was in, so I made myself aspleasant to him as I could, and posted myself as to the goods thehouse was handling, and the prices they were paying. By and by theelder Jewell appeared, and as I introduced myself he said:

"Gun men are plenty to-day; my son has just gone to the hotel with aMr. Blissam to look at his goods. "

CHAPTER V. 

When I found that Blissam was ahead of me, notwithstanding my beingout so early, I felt as if I should be glad to get away from him assoon as I could. He was altogether too numerous for me. He had told mehe wasn't going to cut prices, and I was very sure I did not want todo it, but I made up my mind I was going to get my share of the trade, cut or no cut. 

I began with talk to Mr. Jewell about a single-barrel breech-loaderour house was controlling, and quoted it at $7. 20, sixty days. 

"Is that the F. & W. Gun?" he asked. 

"Yes, sir. "

"Why, Blissam quotes that at $7. "

The deuce he did! Yet he was the boy that didn't intend to cut. 

"Was his price net?"

"No, two off, ten days. "

"Well, that brings them $6. 86. We make 5 off in case lots, bringingthem down to $6. 84, and there is 2 off that, ten days. "

This was so mighty close to what the goods were costing us that I feltlike crying as I made the figures; but my back was up, and I didn'tpropose to let Blissam walk over me, even if he was from Philadelphia. 

Mr. Jewell was a very pleasant man to meet. He had no hobbies, nocrotchets. He was as pleasant with me as if I was buying instead oftrying to sell to him. This is a pretty good test of a man. One thatmeets a strange traveling man pleasantly and gives him a patienthearing is bound to be pleasant and kind-hearted clear through. 

I gave him quotations on revolvers and cartridges, and tried to gethim to say he would not order of Blissam till I saw him again; but hewould not promise, for the reason, he said, that his son might eventhen be buying at Blissam's room. Still, he said, it was the son'scustom to do no more than make a memorandum at the hotel and give theorder after consulting him. 

I then started off to see Billwock, and squeeze some money out of him. His wife and seven children (or more) were there, but no Billwock. Where was he?

He was down getting a boat ready to go fishing with Mr. Blissam thatafternoon, she said. 

Confound Blissam!

Had Mr. Billwock left any word for me?

"Nein; not ein wort. "

I found where he was and started for him. He wasn't at all pleased tosee me; in fact he didn't seem to care whether I had gone fromRossmore or not. 

"Going fishing?" I asked. "Yes; I dakes a leetle fish. "

"Don't you need some goods?"

"No; I dinks not. "

"How about money? Haven't you got some for me?" "Not a tollar now. Yousee I pay Plissam last night ery tollar I haf. "

"Why didn't you divide?"

"It was not wort' w'ile. "

"But I must have some money; your account is long past due and we needit. "

"W'at you do? I got no money, I told you. "

"You must get some. I don't care how you get it or what you do, but Imust have $50 to-day. " "Well; if I get it I gif it you. "

"But you are not going to get it while you are off fishing. I don'twant to be too stiff, but I want you to understand that I mean justwhat I say. Our house drew on you and you let the draft come back, andI have orders now to attend to it. "

"What you do, s'pose I not get it?"

"I shall tell you when the time comes. "

He saw I meant business, so tied up his boat and started toward thestore, muttering to himself and looking daggers at me. When he reachedthe store he talked in German with his wife awhile, and finally saidto me:

"You come in pimepy and I see what I can do. "

Satisfied there would be some money coming I then called on thehardware house of Whipper & Co. I had often heard of Whipper. He wasknown to the trade as the biggest liar east of the Mississippi; but areal good liar is usually an affable fellow to meet, and Whippercalled me "My dear boy" before we were together five minutes. 

I sympathize with business men in their affliction from traveling men. We go into their stores early or late, as suits ourselves; we expecttheir immediate attention, and we want to sell them or have a goodreason for not doing it. I often walk back to a man's desk and findhim intently at work over something; I would gladly back out if Icould, and risk the coming in later at a more opportune time. But hehas seen me, probably cusses to himself, hopes I am selling somethinghe doesn't keep, so he can cut me off at once, and then takes my cardor listens to my name. 

I don't want to come right out and say "Do you need anything in myline?" for if he answers "No" I ought to turn about and leave him, soI casually remark that it is a good day, or a stormy day, and he says"Yes, " as if he had heard that before. I take a roundabout way ofgetting to my business, and all the time he would be very glad if Iwas in Halifax. I may interest him in my goods before I get through, but if he could have had his way he would have omitted the interviewuntil a better time for him. 

But there are men on the road who drum a man if they reach the town atmidnight, and as he sticks his head out of his bedroom window, informhim they are giving an extra 2 1/2 on "J. I. C. " curry-combs and askhim how he wants his shipped. Henley can do this. The boys on the roadknow that he carries a Waterbury watch in each pocket, and expects tosell 1, 000 bills in 1, 000 minutes. 

I appreciate such a man as Whipper. Whatever it was he was doing healways dropped it, and met a salesman as if he was honestly pleased. Ithink that ought to offset a great many sins. I hope it will. 

I told him my little story and he looked as if he believed every wordI said. Then he asked, in a very confidential tone "What is your bestprice on American bull-dogs?"

"Two dollars and eighty-five cents. "

"Phew! You are far out of the way, my dear boy, far out of the way. Did you see this last card of Reachum's? No? How could you? You are onthe road. We now get two postals a day from Reachum, and I expect tosee them coming oftener by and by. Tom, where's Reachum's last card?"

"I don't know; I toss them in the waste basket when I come acrossthem. "

"Don't do it again; I want to make a collection of them in an album. So $2. 85 is the best you can do?"

Now, $2. 85 was as well as any one could do, and we only had a marginof 10 per cent. To figure on. But I determined to cut a little, justfor fun, and see what the upshot would be. So I said, "$2. 85 is bottomeverywhere, but I am going to make you a special price of $2. 82 1/2. "

"Tom, " said he turning to the desk, "What was that Shiverhim & Gailyman's price for bull-dogs?"

"Two dollars and eighty cents. "

I swore to myself that I would punch Blissam's head when I next methim in a good place. There was no getting even with him, let alonegetting ahead of him. I dared not go below $2. 80, sell or no sell, soI began to talk brand. 

"Two dollars and eighty cents is all the Lovell bull-dog ought to sellfor, " I said: "in fact $2. 75 is Reachum's price on them, but we areselling F. & W. Goods, and can easily get 5 to 10 cents more for them. "

"Will you sell me some of Lovell's at $2. 75?"

"I would if I had them, but we don't carry them. I'll make you the F. & W. At $2. 80, and I shall catch thunder for doing that. But I want tosell you. "

"To be sure; to be sure!"

He said this as a man might humor a child, and as if he fullyunderstood all that was in my mind. 

"Tom, do we need any bull-dogs?"

"No, sir; got 50 on the way from Reachum at $2. 70. "

CHAPTER VI. 

I probably looked as disappointed as I felt, for Whipper's voice tookon a very sympathetic tone. "You could not touch $2. 70?" he asked. 

"No, sir. "

I felt like adding, "I can't touch anything; I'm going home. "

"What is your price on cartridges?"

"Combination price; same as every one else. "

"Is this your first trip?"

"Yes, and my last. I'm not cut out for the road. I don't suppose Icould sell you anything even if you wanted it; I'm not a success. "

"Pooh; pooh! I've been on the road myself; it is not always fairsailing, and it is not always foul. Keep a stiff upper lip. "

Yes, keep a stiff upper lip, when goods were being sold at cost allaround you! I was not built that way. Just then the book-keeper, Tom, handed a memo to Whipper and he turned to me. "Have you Quickenbushrifles?"

"Yes; blued and plated. Regular price, $5. I'll make you special priceif you want any. "

"What will you do?"

They cost us $4. 50 at the factory; I quoted $4. 75. 

"Great Caesar! You are high!"

"Yes? Well, it is the best I can do. "

"Make it $4. 50 and we will take twelve. "

"No, sir; it can't be done. But I am afraid there is no use in mytrying to sell you. If you can get them at $4. 50 you can buy as low aswe can. "

"Well, send me a dozen. "

I entered the order. Was there anything else?

"What is the best you will do on bull-dogs?"

"$2. 80 is bottom; but you say you have ordered them?"

"Oh, that is one of Tom's lies; you may send us 50. "

We went through the list, and the old man gave me a very nice order;then followed me to the door with his arm in mine, and sent me off asif he was bidding good-by to a son. I forgave him all his lies, andfeel kindly toward him to this day. 

I ran into a hardware store with my samples of cutlery, hoping to dosomething in a line where Blissam could not meet me, but the first manI saw was Blissam, leaning over the show-case, as if entirely at home, and in full possession of the stock. He introduced me to Mr. Thompsonas if we had been traveling companions for life, but added to me, "Thompson does not do much in our line, except caps and cartridges, and I've just fixed him up. "

I felt like taking him by the nape of the neck and dropping him downthe sewer, but I turned to Mr. Thompson and talked cutlery. I told himI had a line of No. 1 goods at low prices, every blade warranted, andput up in extra nice style for retailers. 

"Whose make?" he asked. 

"Northington's; but made especially for our house, and with our brand. We are making a specialty of a few patterns, and intend to make it anobject to the retailer to handle them and stick to them. "

"You can't touch me on those goods, " said Thompson; "I've handled themand had trouble with them. I am now handling nothing but the New York. I don't know that they're better than any other, but Tom Bradleydropped in here one day, and I had to give him an order, and I've notbeen able to leave him ever since. "

"Does he come often?"

"No, about once in two years or so, but he's business from the groundup. I like him and like his goods, and I don't want to change. "

I took out my samples more for the purpose of posting myself than withhopes of selling him, and where my patterns were like those in hisstock he passed mine over without a word, but I saw that two patternsof mine pleased him. They were even-enders, 3 1/2 in. Brass lined, andcost us $3. 85. We had been getting, in half dozen lots, $4. 80, but Ifelt that I was in a dangerous place, and I quoted $4. 25. 

He went back to his stock and returned with a sample the exactcounterpart of mine, and said, smiling, "This is Bradley's; he's atough fellow to beat; I paid $3. 65 for it. "

I lost all interest in pocket knives then and there and got out of thestore right speedily. I was feeling savage, and made straight forBillwock's. He had made a raise of $40 for me, saying, with severalGerman-American oaths, that was all he could do, and when I talked ofselling him something he looked as if he would throw me out of thewindow. 

I called twice at Jewell's before I caught father and son theretogether, and then I had a difficult task before me. The father wasinclined to give me the preference, the son favored Blissam, but theyhad not yet ordered, and were needing some goods, and I felt as if Icould never forgive myself if I were to fail then and there. 

They tackled me first on Flobert rifles; I quoted them at exactly 10per cent, above cost to import, but they declared I was too high. Ifelt sure Blissam's house bought no lower than we did, and that hecould not sell on less margin than that, so I stood up to the price. Then we took up bull-dogs; I named $2. 80, and they shook their headsat that; so they did at price of Champion guns, till I began to feelthat my case was hopeless. 

"I am afraid we can't give you an order to-day, " said the son. 

"I have quoted you my best prices, " I said, "and am disappointed. "

They talked together a few moments and finally said, "You may send usa case of Champion guns, " and this was followed by other items. Icould see that they were dividing the order between Blissam and me, and I felt grateful for even this, and tried to make this evident. Isucceeded in getting several items that paid a good profit, and I wentto my hotel feeling that I had done pretty well. 

At the desk I was handed a note from Whipper, saying: If you cannotmake the Quickenbush rifles $4. 60 please omit them. 

There was but $3 profit in the item, and I would have omitted them butfor a desire that Blissam should not get ahead of me; so I started forthe store to learn something about it. On the way I met Blissam, and Iput it right at him. "Are you quoting Quickenbush rifles at $4. 60?"

"Not by a drum sight! Who says so?"

I handed him Whipper's note. 

"Are you going there?" he asked. 

I said I was. 

"I'll go with you. " This suited me. We saw no look of surprise onWhipper's face. I went straight to the point. "I can't sell the riflesat $4. 60, Mr. Whipper, unless I know some one else has quoted thatprice; if they have, I'll meet it. "

"Just scratch them off, " said he, as calm as a day in June. 

"But has any one given you such a figure?"

"Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies. If I can get them at$4. 60 I will take them. "

I could get nothing more out of him and we started back. On the way wemet Tom, Whipper's book-keeper. I asked him what it meant. "Oh, " saidhe, laughing, "I guess the old man thinks he can get them at $4. 60, but we have so many on hand, perhaps it's only his way of cancelingthe item. " And that was all I ever got from them about it. 

CHAPTER VII. 

I parted with Blissam at the hotel, he going to the South and I West, and about 7 o'clock that evening I reached B--. I had often heard ourtraveling man speak of the hotel here, and the popularity it had amongsalesmen, so I was prepared to find the smoking room tolerably wellfilled when I went in there after supper. There were half a dozen ormore in one group, who seemed to be on the best of terms, and Ilistened to their talk. I found that they were discussing the mistakesof the shipping and stock clerks, and of course that touched me upon atender spot, and I was all attention. 

"Some of our boys used to make the most absurd mistakes, " said onetalker; "but the old man was about as bad as any of them. I remembergetting most mighty scared once. I had been entry clerk and shipperand jack-of-all-trades in the house. One night's mail brought us backa letter we had mailed, with the notation of the postmaster, 'No suchman here. ' Taylor, the boss, took the mail, calling out to thebook-keeper, 'Fague, I guess we've got a mistake on you this time. 'Fague looked at it, saying, 'I don't believe I've made a mistake, butif I have I must stand it. ' The envelope was torn open and the addresson the bill was the same as that on the outside, John Smith, NewCastle, Ind. Then I was sent to the order book, but the order therewas New Castle, Ind. Taylor was getting mad. I was told to find theoriginal order, which I did, and discovered that it was from JohnSmith, New Carlisle, Ind. Says Taylor, 'There's altogether too manymistakes here. Now these goods are lying at New Castle, and will haveto be ordered back; the chances are Smith will refuse to receive them, and we will lose at least $75. The man that made that mistake ought tobe known; if we owe him anything he can have it in the morning, andthen let him be discharged. What do you say, Dewey?' 'It's a badmistake, ' said Dewey, the partner, 'and we are making a good many, butit's pritty hard to discharge a man. Let us see who made it, and showhim how much loss it causes us, and give him a pritty good scolding. ''No, ' said Taylor, 'he ought to be discharged; d--n him, he ain't fitto be around a store; if we owe him anything pay him up, and let himgo; it will be a lesson to the rest. 'Billy, ' turning to me, 'bringthe book here so we can see who made that mistake. ' Now I was mightyafraid that I had done it. I had been doing that work, more or less ofthe time, and I trembled as if I had the ague. And in looking at itbefore, I had paid no attention to the writing. I went back to thedesk for the book, and brought it to Taylor. Dewey came over to lookat it as Taylor opened the book and found the place. 'H--l, ' saidTaylor, 'I did it myself!' Jerusalem! but I felt good! 'Well, ' saidDewey, 'if we owe you anything you'd better take it. ' I was just aboutdying to holler. The next day all the boys knew it, and Taylor wasmighty quiet for several weeks after that. "

"I came near losing a customer once, " said another man, "by a littlecarelessness. I went into his store in a great hurry; sold him a bill, and collected pay for a previous one. I neglected to enter thecollection on my book and also to report to the house. They shippedthe goods ordered, but supposing that I had not collected amount duefrom him, inclosed a statement of account with a 'please remit' at thebottom. No bull ever flew at a red rag quicker than he flew at thatstatement, and he wrote a saucy letter, saying he had paid me, and hedidn't like being dunned for a paid bill, etc. , etc. You all know justhow a small man will act under those conditions. They forwarded hisletter to me and I acknowledged my carelessness; I wrote him takingall the blame on my shoulders, and explaining how the mistakehappened. But his Irish was up, and in a few weeks he went into thestore, still talking 'bigitty, ' proposing to settle up and quit. Thebook-keeper took his money, handing him back his change and a receipt. He counted the change and pushed it back, saying, 'That ain't right. 'The boss stood near, taking all the tongue-lashing, but feeling as ifhis cup would run over if the book-keeper had now been guilty ofmaking a mistake. He took the change, ran it over hastily, and sawthat it was correct. This was nuts. 'It seems, ' said he, 'youoccasionally make mistakes, Mr. B. , so you ought to make allowance forothers. It is a devilish smart man who never makes a mistake, and adevilish mean one who will not make allowances for the mistakes madeby another. ' 'Oh, I'm mean, am I, ' said B. ; 'well, I pay my bills. ''So do other people; you're not the only man who pays. ' But B. Wentoff on his high horse. The next time I went there I could'nt touch himwith a ten-foot pole, but the trip after he came around all right. "

"I wish I had no collecting to do, " said a man near me; "I can sellgoods, but collecting is the deuce-and-all. I envy the New Yorkers whodon't have any collecting to do. Their business is to sell, and thehouse collects. "

"But when we do have to look after an account. " said a man whom I hadset down as a New Yorker from the first, "it is always a tough one. Not long ago our house told me to stop at a town to see one Berry &Co. , who had let two drafts come back, and then had written animpudent letter. They had given us an order for about $700 worth ofgoods, but they are quoted light, and the old man concluded he'd sendon a part of it, and when that was paid send another part, and so on. They refused to pay because they did not get all the goods ordered, and when asked for a report of their condition refused to give one, saying parties could find out about them from Dun or Bradstreet. Ipresented the account and was told they wouldn't pay until they hadto. I reasoned with them, but the fellow was a big-head, and the moreI talked the worse he acted. I finally told him I was sent there toget the money or put the account in the hands of an attorney, and wentout saying I would be back again at a given hour and I hoped theywould be ready to settle up. I went to the other dealers there whom Iknew and they all said the fellow hadn't a leg to stand on in court. Iwent back in the afternoon, and after getting another tongue lashing, he gave me a check, but told me I had lied, as he handed it to me. Ihaven't wanted to punch any one in years as I did him, but I gave himmy opinion of him in a few words, and he won't soon forget it, either. Now, you Western men don't have that kind of trouble in yourcollecting. "

"No, " said a grocer, "our men never say they will not pay; it's theother way; they say they will and then don't. Seems to me I could getalong with a man who said he wouldn't but could be made to. I could dosomething there; but the fellow who solemnly assures you he will sendin a large remittance next week, and then doesn't, is a hard one tomanage. "

"Do you want to know who, in my opinion, is the smallest man onearth?" asked a Chicago traveler. 

Of course they all looked assent. 

"Well, " said he, "Ed. Smythe told about him the other day, and I knowthe man. Ed. Had his samples open at the Moody House and called on theman. Yes, he would go look at them; he wanted a few German goods. Hewent there, looked the cards all over (Ed. Has three trunks), made asheet full of memo's, and said he would write out an order. Ed. Calledaround about 6 o'clock in the evening. There are two chairs in theoffice; the hog sat in one and had his feet in the other; he wasreading a newspaper and kept on reading; Ed. Stood around patiently, as any man can afford to be patient if he is going to get an order. Inthe course of half an hour a friend came in and wanted to know of thehog if he wasn't ready to go somewhere. He jumped up, pushed his booksin the safe, talked to his friend, and ignored Ed. After a while Ed. Said: 'Have you made out your order, Mr. B. ?' 'No, sir; I'm not goingto give you an order. I don't intend to buy any more from your house, 'and he walked into Ed. In a way that he evidently thought wouldimpress his friend that he was a wonderful cuss. Ed. Is a good-naturedfellow, and business is business; he didn't open on him then, but hegot even before long. I tell you the smallest man in the world; themeanest dog in the kennel; the dirtiest whelp I know, is the fellowwho thinks it's brave to abuse a drummer when he has him in his ownstore. "

This received a universal amen. 

"Let me read you a sketch from the _American Grocer_ on 'SmartAlecks, '" said a man, drawing a copy of that paper out of his pocket. "It's called, 'Solomon Smart visits the City. '"

CHAPTER VIII. 

Solomon Smart, of New Portage, O. , dealer in general merchandise andcountry produce, had been in business three years, but had never, until the present occasion, visited the city where the larger share ofhis purchases came from. 

Going to the city was something to which he had long looked forward. He had dreamt of it when he was a clerk; he had eagerly questioned thetraveling men about it, and his old employer always told marveloustales when he returned from his annual trip. 

When the old man died, and Solomon, assisted by his father-in-law, wasenabled to buy the stock, he began to arrange for a business trip tothe city, but somehow every plan he made was interfered with and cameto naught. It was a source of great grief to him that he could notcarry out his plans. 

"If I could only get to Toledo, " he often said to his wife, "I couldsave at least 10 per cent on prices, and I could pick up job lots ofthings at big discounts. All the jobbing houses have odds and endsthat they are willing to sell at anything they can get, in order toget rid of the stuff. I hate to buy of drummers. It costs piles ofmoney to keep them on the road, and the men that buy of them have topay it. "

Solomon, as may be supposed, was not popular with traveling men. Hiscontempt for them was expressed openly, and his opinion of their beinga curse to retailers was usually the first thing he told them, afterbe had looked at their cards. Some of them argued the matter with him. Some of the more independent members of the profession told him he wasa blank fool. But those who called regularly let him say his say andthen squeezed an order from him, keeping their opinion of him for useoutside his store. 

His peculiar opinion of traveling salesmen was not his onlypeculiarity. Most of "the boys" on the road mentioned him as "SmartySmart, " because of certain tendencies he had of making reductions inprices, of marking off charges for cartage or boxing, or of returninggoods because he had changed his mind after buying them. 

Solomon didn't intend to be mean; he fancied he was only standing upfor his rights, and if he occasionally took a little more than hisconscience told him was his "rights, " he soothed that by saying tohimself that the house wanted to sell him so mighty bad they wouldstand it. 

Let a man be constituted as Solomon was and his "smartness" grows onhim. He has an idea that every house he buys from is trying to getunfair advantage of him, and that he must present a bold front or hewill be imposed upon. He always magnifies his importance as a buyer, and fancies that every order he sends in is met with a hand-organ andtreated to champagne. 

So when he finally saw his way clear to making the long-wished-forvisit, some of his pleasantest anticipations were the welcomes heexpected from the heads of the wholesale houses, and the invitationshe would receive to dine and wine with them. But he did not proposethat they should pull the wool over his eyes. He would show them thathe was no "greeny, " and that he knew what was what. 

He carried two large empty valises with him to bring home as much ofhis purchases as possible as baggage, and when he reached the cityhotel late in the evening the clerk sized him up as easily and asaccurately as if he had known him for ages, and sent him to one of thepoorest rooms in the house most unceremoniously. 

The next morning, bright and early, Mr. Smart started out to dobusiness. His first call was on a hardware man with whom he had doneconsiderable business, and from whom he was sure of a warm welcome. Hewas met by a pleasant young man whose manner seemed to ask, What isyour business? He asked for Mr. Braun. Mr. Braun was not down yet butwould be in a short time. Would he wait? No; Solomon didn't propose towait. He was there on business and must attend to his business. Perhaps the young man could wait on him? No, indeed; Solomon didn'tcome to town to be waited on by clerks. Perhaps he would call again, but he said it with a doubtful tone as if he was not sure that hewould patronize a house where the proprietor didn't get around earlierin the morning. Then again he was somewhat indignant that the clerkshould not have known him, and when he was asked to leave his name hewent off saying it was no matter. 

Then he called at Sikkor's, wondering if anyone would be in there. WasMr. Sikkor in? No; did he want to see him personally? Personally! Hewanted to see him on business, of course. He would not be at the storethat morning, but Mr. Birden was at the desk, yonder, if he would do. Well, it was good to find one proprietor in; and he moved over toBirden's desk, where that gentleman was busy opening the morning'smail. He looked up at the approach of Smart, said "Good morning, " andwaited for Solomon to tell his business. 

"This is Mr. Birden?"

"Yes, sir, " pleasantly. 

Solomon had rather expected him to say, "This is Mr. Smart?" and tohold out his arms, so he was somewhat disconcerted. 

"I buy goods of your house occasionally. "

"Yes? Whereabouts is your place?"

"North Portage. "

"North Portage, eh? What is the name, please?"

"Smart. "

"Yes. " Solomon could see that he might as well have said Smith, so faras Birden's seeming to recall it was concerned, and he began to getangry. 

"How is trade, Mr. Smart?"

"Rather dull just at present. "

"Sorry to hear that; hope it will improve. You have a memorandum forsome of our goods, Mr. Smart? Let me call one of the men to wait onyou. Church, look here. "

And before Solomon had time to open his mouth he was introduced toChurch, who shook hands with him, linked his arm through his, and hadhim half way to the sample room. They were getting on well till Churchasked: "Let me see, Mr. Smart, where is your place?"

"North Portage, " said Solomon in his crispest manner. No one seemed toknow him, or to remember him five seconds. 

"Oh, yes; North Portage. Waite goes there. Waite's a good fellow; youlike him, don't you?"

"I'd like to have him stay at home. I never want to see a drummer. "

"Is that so?" and Church looked at him in mild surprise. "Well, whatshall we start on first?"

Solomon wasn't prepared to start on anything. It wasn't at all the wayhe had expected to get started. He didn't like being pushed from oneproprietor to another, and then to a mere clerk, and to have that mantake it for granted that he was going to buy without any coaxing orfiguring. He was disappointed. He expected to have bought a bill here, but there were other stores of the same kind in Toledo, and hebelieved he'd punish these fellows for their indifference by goingsomewhere else. Good idea! He would act on it. 

He told Church that he guessed he wouldn't leave an order just then;maybe he would come in again. Church coaxed him a little then, but itwas too late. Solomon was bound to go, and off he started for a notionhouse. 

The proprietor was in the office, shook hands with him, asked abouttrade and crops and finally proposed to show him some goods. This wasmore to Solomon's taste, and he bought readily, but he was disgustedto see that prices were no lower than the traveling man had sold at. He mentioned this to Shaw. "Lower? Of course not. We can't ask you oneprice in Toledo and another in North Portage. My man carries my stockinto your store, lets you see the goods, quotes you prices and postsyou. "

"But his expenses are big; it costs you nothing to sell me now. "

"His expenses come out of my pocket; not out of yours. I would bemighty glad if traveling men were done away with; but it would be asaving to me, not to you. "

This rather staggered Solomon, for it upset one of his hobbies. As hewas finishing, and about to say "good-by" to Mr. Shaw, he saw thebook-keeper whisper into that gentleman's ear and turn away. 

"By the by, Mr. Smart, my book-keeper tells me he has had somecorrespondence with you over deductions made in remittances. Theselittle things are very annoying, and while the amount in dollars andcents is nothing, still business ought to be done in a business way. "

Smart began to feel very hot. 

"The book-keeper tells me that your last bill ran nearly two monthsover time, and that you not only refused to pay interest, but did notpay express on your remittance. Now, Mr. Smart, this is not right. Ourplace of business is Toledo, not North Portage; our bills are duehere, not there; and if we allow them to run sixty days after due weare loaning you money, and ought to be paid for the use of it. "

"I don't get interest from my customers, " said Solomon. 

"That's your business and theirs. You do not sell them on a jobber'sprofit. We deal with you as a business man, and in a business way. Ithink I know just how you feel, " said Shaw, pleasantly; "when I beganbusiness I felt the same way. I squeezed every cent that I could fromthe men I bought from; but I discovered that it was poor policy. Isaved a few cents and lost the good will of the house, which was worthdollars. I speak of all this in a kindly way, and to avoid futuremisunderstandings. Don't you think of any thing else? No? Well, good-by, I am glad you called and hope to do more with you in thefuture. " And before Solomon knew it he was bowed out. 

But he was boiling with rage. He was particularly angry with himself. He had stood there and taken the lecture as if he was a boy. It was inhis mind to cancel the order just given to Shaw, but that gentlemanhad dismissed him so politely and smoothly that he hadn't had time todo it. It had never seemed possible to him that he would have listenedto such a lecture as that without giving back as good as he got, andthen sending the man and his goods to---, a place where there is noinsurance against fire. 

In no very happy frame of mind his next call was on his dry-goodshouse. Mr. Luce met him, when he introduced himself, decidedly coldly. Solomon began to think that he would go to some other house with hisorder rather than leave it here. But before he made a move to go outMr. Luce asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I don't know as there is. "

"Our Mr. Goodnow did not stop at your place the other day because ofyour habit of returning goods. While we would be glad to do businesswith you, we cannot allow anyone the privilege of ordering goods andthen returning them at our expense, if he happens to change his mind. I do not try to make Eastern houses shoulder my mistakes, if I makeany in ordering goods, and I don't see why I should bear yourburdens. "

"Why don't you send what I order? I didn't order the blue print Ireturned the other day. "

"Mr. Goodnow is very positive that you did order it. It is alwayspossible that the small sample he carries with him appears differentlyto a man than the goods do when seen in the whole piece. And a manmight occasionally be expected to make a mistake, as you did the otherday when you wrote us to send you three gross of corsets, when youintended, you said afterward, to order but three dozen. But in thelast three bills bought of Goodnow you have sent back goods, and it isnot possible that he made such mistakes. Then you deduct from bills, though made out at prices agreed upon. "

"The last cambrics were billed half a cent too high, " said Solomon. 

"Then you shouldn't have ordered them. The time to make prices is whenyou are buying. We have a price for every article in our stock; if youask it we will give it to you, and then you are at liberty to order ornot, as you think best; but if you send us an order for cambrics andsay nothing about the price you have no right to express them back tous because our price happens to be different from what you expected. You could have learned our price before ordering, and not having doneso, you ought to be man enough to stand to your own action. "

"You claim to sell as low as any one, don't you?"

"We do, and are ready to quote our prices so they can be compared withothers when called upon to do so. But we all cut occasionally forreasons of our own, and I prefer to make prices when selling goods, not after they are delivered. Some time ago you returned by express afew trinkets. You knew that Mr. Goodnow would be at your place in ashort time, and you might easily have waited until seeing him beforereturning the goods, but you evidently thought you were punishing usand showing your grit by rushing them back by express. I assure you itdoes not add to your reputation as a business man. I thought I wouldmention these points to you because they are important in ourrelations, and unless the men you buy from feel pleasantly towards youthere is every reason to suppose that you will be the loser. "

"I guess I can buy all the goods I want, " said Solomon; "I've not beentroubled that way yet. " And he walked off, with a surly "Good day. "

He had never bought but one bill of the other dry goods house, and didnot like their traveling man; but now he would have bought of Old Nickrather than buy of Luce. He went over to Keeler's and again introducedhimself (the task was getting as disagreeable as it was monotonous), saying he wanted to buy some goods. The gentleman made an excuse to goto the desk for a moment, and Solomon knew it was to consult thereference book as to his standing; having found that satisfactory heproceeded to show him through the stock. The goods were not nearly somuch to his taste as was Luce's stock, but he bought lightly, andconsidered that he was punishing Luce. 

After dinner he called again at the hardware store, and this timefound Mr. Braun there. He was greeted cordially when he gave his name, but imagine his feelings when, after a few remarks, Braun said:"What's the matter with you people down at North Portage about axes?We wrote you that four of the last six you returned were in no waycovered by warrants; some were broken in solid steel, some were groundthin and had to bend, and one had never even been out of your store. We can't ask any factory to take back such goods from us, it wouldn'tbe right; and we do not make enough profit on a dozen axes to standsuch a loss. "

"If you give a warrant you ought to stand up to it. "

"We do stand up to it, every time; and we do a good deal more thanthat. But you do not stand up to it. You take back goods not coveredby a warrant and expect us to stand the loss. "

"Well, if my customers bring them back I must take them or lose theirtrade. "

"That's your business, not mine. I don't care what you take back or donot take, but I object to your taking them back and then shifting allthe burden over to us. We have charged your account with the cost ofmaking these axes good. "

"Well, that's the last time you'll ever have a chance to do that. "

"We can't help that; right is right. It's a small affair, but thething has to stop some time, and it had better be stopped now. "

Solomon pulled out his wallet, "How much is my balance here?"

Braun turned him over to the book-keeper, who took his money and gavehim a receipt. As he walked out he did not hear the remark of Braun tothe clerk: "He's one of those smart Alecks that have to be sat down onoccasionally, but I guess I gave him a lesson. "

He bought his hardware of another house; he bought his groceries of anew firm; he didn't buy any boots and shoes at all, because the clerkdid not take hold of him just right, and he reached home the nextmorning a tired, soured and disgusted man. He told his wife that hehad been a fool to spend money when he might have stayed at home andbought of traveling men. "I tell you, " said he, "a man's a mightysight more independent when buying in his own store. The drummers arered hot for orders, and you can squeeze them down. Then you've gotyour stock to look at, and see costs, etc. , and the men feel you'redoing them a favor to give them an order; but, by George, they thinkthey're doing you a favor to sell you in their own stores. I'm donegoing to town. "

I saw Mr. Smart a few weeks ago, and he gave me his report of histrip: "I learned something, " he added; "I believe I can make moremoney by having the wholesale houses my friends than I can by makingthem mad at me, and now we get along first rate. I guess Luce is oneof the best friends I've got, but I was all-fired mad at him thattime, I tell you. And what made me the hottest was that I felt the oldman was right. "

CHAPTER IX. 

A good hotel is a blessing, but the best hotel is still a hotel, andcan be nothing more. One feels all right until the bellboy has fixedthe key in the door and gone. Then you begin to realize that you arealone. There's but little difference, I imagine, in the feelings of aprisoner going into his cell at the close of day and those of a man inhis lonely bed room in a hotel. There may be noises and voices, evensongs and laughing, on either side of you, but these only serve toshow you how lonesome you are. 

I dislike to go to my room until I am forced to do so by the hour. Iwant to be among people and to see them about me. I go to my roomunder protest; I turn the key, fix the bolt, look at the window, openmy valise, and wish I was at home. I think of fires, of suddensickness, of to-morrow's trade, of to-day's orders, and of all thepros and cons of business. Through the night I hear scurrying feet inthe hall, the late arrivals, the early risers, the bell-boy's raps onthe doors, and finally the chambermaid's clatter, and her occasionalturn on the knob, as a broad invitation to get up and out of the waythat she may do her work. 

I started out in the morning at B----, determined to do all in mypower to make a good showing for myself. There is but one gun-store, but all the hardware dealers handled something in my line. It is asleepy town. Time was when it had a large trade in the surroundingStates, but of late it sells near home. A town of its size might andought to support two or three good gun stores. I called on Bell & Co. , gave the man who looked most like the buyer my card, and proceeded tosay a word or two about something else than business. 

"We have had some goods from your house, " said Mr. Bell, "but we neverget our orders filled. There's always something left out. I don't likeit. When I order an article I want it. "

Our house had always made a specialty of filling orders complete, andI was surprised at what I had just heard. I remarked this, and that Iwas the stock-clerk, and that I feared he was visiting on our headsthe sins of others. 

"No, I am not, " said he. "In the last bill we sent you there were twoitems left out;" and he found the bill and showed me our ownmemorandum regarding the items. To be sure they were goods we neverkept in stock and never intended to. I explained this, but he took theground that, in the first place, a house should keep everything in itsline, and if they happened to be out of anything should buy it. 

I did not attempt to contradict him, for it's a mighty poor time forthat when you are hunting for an order, but I tried to change theconversation into some other channel. 

"How is your stock of guns?"

"Full. What do you ask for the Lafoucheaux, twist barrels?"

"Ten fifty. "

"Oh, you're way out of reach. "

It's a pretty good plan not to disagree with a man at any time, butit's especially a wise course about this time. 

"I can buy them, " said he, "at $9. "

"Yes? That beats me; $10. 50 is best I can do. Who quotes at $9?"

"Why, Reachum does. So does Tryon's man. Do you know him?"

"I do not. "

"He's a lightning fellow; well posted; good natured; sharp as aneedle, and a mighty sight better than his house. If he was inbusiness for himself I'd buy all my goods of him. "

Yes, that was interesting; but I had other fish to fry. 

"Do you need any Lafoucheaux guns?"

"Yes, if I can buy them right. "

"I will meet any price given you by Reachum, Simmons, or HibbardSpencer. " I didn't want to; I wanted to get better prices than theywere quoting to their mail trade, but I proposed to make myself solidwith him at once. 

"Well, " said he, "I'm waiting for Clayton. I rather promised him anorder the last time he was here, and he's to be here in a day or two. "

If there's one thing in the wide world that would make a man work foran order that is the kind of speech to do it. I had no grudge againstClayton, but I was bound to get that order or know why I couldn't. Iremarked that Clayton was a first-rate fellow. 

"Yes, he is; he's quiet and modest, and knows his business; if he onlylet up on his whistle he'd be perfect. "

"I didn't know he was a whistler. "

"He is; he's always whistling under his breath as if he was trying tocatch the extra 2 1/2 on cartridges. "

"Are you handling the U. M. Co. Cartridges?"

"Yes; got them of Simmons. He offered to discount Reachum and I gavehim the chance. What are you doing on cartridges?"

"60 and 10. "

This was cost, but I saw he had a good stock. 

"What are you doing on Champion guns?"

"25 and 10. "

"And Zulus?"

"$2. 40. " This was bottom on both these articles, and I would get myhair pulled if I sold at these prices, but I was in for it, andproposed to keep on. The partner came up to me and asked aboutrevolvers, and very soon we were chatting about our line in detail. 

If men really want goods, it is often difficult to get them to order. They have thought, like Bell, of waiting for a particular man, or theyfancy there may be advantage in delay, or they have no figures butyours and are not sure you are quoting bottom prices. There is adisinclination in all men to buy even in good times, and in these daysthere is almost a determination in every dealer's heart that he willnot order anything at any price, or under any circumstances. Ofcourse, when a call comes for something he has not got he realizesthat he has gone too far. 

I spread out my samples, talked my prettiest, sang the special praisesof my goods, and finally heard the welcome words: "You may send us, "etc. When one gets that far, it is his own fault if he does not go on. Several times in our work we were interrupted, so that the forenoonwas pretty well spent when I was through. It was the hour when manymen go to lunch, and I fancied Mr. Bell to be a man who occasionallymight enjoy a glass of beer, so I suggested that we go out. Heassented, and led the way to the nearest place. 

What is there in the act of eating or drinking together that draws mennearer? It surely does do this, but I don't know why. In his store wewere in the position of proprietor and drummer, at the beer table wewere two sociable men. 

"I do not often drink, " said he, "and there are times when I feelprovoked at being asked out. Some drummers throw out the invitation asif it was part of their samples, others as if they saw I was cross, and proposed to spend five cents in beer to make me good natured. Ioccasionally enjoy a glass of beer, and when I don't feel likedrinking it all Chicago couldn't make me drink. "

I remarked that I was pretty much in the same way. 

"I've known a good many traveling men who went to the dogs from toomuch treating, " said he. "When I began business in '65 one of the bestsalesmen out of New York sold me my first stock. He was paid $5, 000 ayear, and was worth it. He went on a drunk here, but braced up in aday or two and went off all right. The last I heard of him he wasdying in a hospital in Cincinnati of delirium tremens. "

"You must have known a good many men in your time?"

"Yes, sir; and knew a good many to go up, and a good many to go down. I was in the hardware trade then, and bought of Billy Smythe and JohnMilligan. Look at those boys now! Both of them in splendid positions. Poor Hank Woodbury, who sold me thousands of dollars from Sargents', went insane and died. I remember a man dropping in one day who lookeda good deal more like a school teacher than a salesman. His name wasBartlett and he was selling chisels. He didn't know much about thegoods, or about hardware, but he had a frank, open way of confessinghis ignorance and his prices were all right. Do you know him?"

"Yes. "

"All the wholesalers know Bartlett; he's getting shiny on the head, but he can talk Miller's cutlery sweeter than the angels can sing. They tell me he's grown rich and lives like a lord; owns an island inLong Island Sound, and a yacht and other good things, but he's thepleasantest man who comes here. "

I like to hear about traveling men who have prospered; they ought toget on in the world if any class of men can get on. There may behouses that are prosperous in spite of their salesmen, but such housesare very few. And the man who can make money for others ought to beable to do that for himself, but this does not always follow. I havemet some traveling men who were once superior salesmen and thensteadily ran down. Perhaps whisky is back of it, or, perhaps, circumstances are against them, but every business man will have knownjust such cases. Mr. Bell and I discussed this until it was time topart, and then he said, "Come in again, I may see something else. " Ifelt that I had won his good will. 

CHAPTER X. 

I left Mr. Bell, and went a square farther down the street to ahardware store, where our house had occasionally done some business. Iwas very familiar with the firm's name, and had heard a great manystories of Mr. Harris, the buyer. There was an air of push andprosperity in the store, and when I inquired for the buyer I was showninto the office. There were two men at the desks, and a man lying on alounge; the latter proved to be the man I wanted. 

"I don't feel like doing any business just now, " said he, "come inafter dinner. "

This was pleasanter than to be told not to come in at all, so I madeanother call on the street, but did no business. As I took my place atthe dinner table a man opposite me (we two were alone) nodded, andasked if I was selling hardware, saying he had seen me come out of Mr. Bell's. I told him my business, and he gave me his card: Tibbals, ofMeriden, Conn. I've seen many handsomer men than Tibbals, but I havenot often met one who was better company. He had been on the road, sohe said, for twenty years, selling plated ware, and I expect "RogersBro. , 1847, " was tattooed all over him. 

"Have you sold Harris?" he asked. 

"No, he told me to come in after dinner. "

"What a lazy fellow he is! That man is the laziest one on my route. Itook his order this morning while he lay on a lounge. I asked him ifhe was sick, and he said he was not, but he was tired. Great Scott!just think of a man getting tired doing nothing. "

I saw Tibbals liked to talk, so I led him on to more details aboutHarris. 

"Some folks are lucky, " said he. "When I came out here in '65 Harriswas a traveling man, but the next January he was given an interest. The house was old, rich, well known and well liked. They carriedeverything in stock from a bar of iron to a knitting-needle. Harristook the books and gradually got to be the buyer. He used to have someambition, but for the ten years last past he takes the world as easyas if he was a fat old dog. "

"Do they still make money?"

"No, I guess not. They don't buy as they used to, and they are alwaysgrumbling. But other men have made lots of money here in these twentyyears and didn't have one-tenth the start Harris had. "

"Does he drink?"

"Of course he does. Great Scott! when did you ever see a lazy cussthat didn't drink? I've often gone over to the billiard-room and takenhis order there. I believe, by thunder, he would leave a customer anytime if a crony came for him to go off on a good time. "

I do like to hear an old traveling man. If he has the inclination hecan give one lots of points. Tibbals went on:

"I ran across a man in Seebarger's the other day that I used to knowin Toledo and Cleveland. He was stock man twenty years ago and tenyears ago, and is to-day. He's a first-rate man; solid, reliable, competent; he seems to be content, and he used to seem content. Buthow, in the name of H. C. Wilcox, can a man be so satisfied withhimself? I don't understand it. I should want to be going up or down;I wouldn't be a setting hen all my life. "

"You have seen many houses go up and down, " I said. 

"Well, I have. I remember a Detroit concern that in '65 had a nice, small trade, but each year seemed to be doing better, until I used tothink they were about the sharpest set on my route. Business wasalways good, and the goose was away up. One of the partners built thenicest house in the city, and lived like a baron. But, by hokey, he'son the road selling goods to-day, and another man lives in his nicehouse. "

"What brings them down?"

"Big head, almost altogether. They get the big head; they fancy theyare all Claflins or Stewarts, and they suddenly drop through a hole. It's almighty hard to be successful and not take to worshipingyourself. And the younger men fall into the trap easier than the oldones do or did. Take such a man as Wm. Bingham, of Cleveland; I don'tsee any change in him in twenty years. Yet the house has grown to be avery large and very successful one. Did you ever know Tennis?"

"No, I did not. "

"In '65, Tennis & Son seemed to be the booming firm in hardware there. They were rich and had a big trade. The old man died, the boys ranthrough the business so fast that you couldn't catch it with a gun. Oh, I've seen a good many fellows go under in twenty years. "

"And you think it's always their own fault?"

"Not always. I've seen some mighty good fellows go down. I remember aToledo concern--good workers, good habits, living economically, but'76 pinched them to the wall. I tell you it's hard to see such menfail. It's like death to them. They fight against it until it's no usefighting longer, and it's pitiful to meet them. "

"How is plated ware?" I asked, to be sociable. 

"Like all other ware, mighty hard to sell. There's several Rogers, allgenuine, but I'm the head one. Our goods are the best known and thebest, but if another 'Rogers' offers 2 1/2 per cent, better, off goesmy customer. Do you have folks so confounded close?"

I assured him, laughingly, that I had. 

"Well, " said he, "it's funny. I'm not so all-fired close when I buy asuit of clothes; I don't leave a man if he won't throw in a pair ofsuspenders; but dealers will go back on their best friend for atooth-pick. I'd like to sell a line of goods like Chris Morgan's, where the price isn't mentioned. "

After dinner I called on Harris and found him scolding the boys in thestore-room. I saw he was irritable, and would have gone out if Icould, but he saw me and I had to advance. 

"D--n those Eastern fellows, " said he, vindictively, "I'd like towring their necks. "

I had to appear interested and ask why. 

"Because they're such infernal fools. Here's a case of 150 pounds justin by express with $3. 37 charges; could have come by MerchantsDispatch for 69 cents. But the fool clerks they have down there havethe most insane idea about express, and every little while will shovesomething like this in on us. "

"Can't you charge it back?"

"D---d if I don't!"

He went into the office and ordered the book-keeper to charge up thedifference. I could sympathize with him. As stock clerk I had seenmany a box come in from the East by express that we were in no hurryfor, and that was never ordered to be so sent. The parties doing mostof this are not in New York stores, but at the factories. In the smalltowns where most factories are, express and freight bills are paidonce a month in a lump, and the clerks and shippers do not see thecost of each shipment. This makes them careless as to such charges, and to receive or send a big box by express is a matter that does notneed a second thought. But in the cities, where each package is paidfor when delivered, the clerks soon learn how express charges countup, and they do not ship so carelessly. 

Perhaps I said something of this to Harris, but he finally turned tome sharply and said, "What are you selling?"

I handed him my card again. 

"Oh, yes; well, we don't need any. "

Goodness! How disappointed I was! I guess I looked it, for he added, "Unless you've got some d--d low prices. "

I assured him I had, and made up my mind to give him only our ordinaryfigures; I had heard our senior say once that the man who talked thisway was never a very close buyer. 

Just at this moment a very pert young man came in at the office door, walked up to Harris, handed out his card in a way that pushed me toone side, and said:

"Mr. Harris, we've got the best butcher knife there is in the market. "

"Better than Wilson's?"

"Yes, sir; better than anybody's. "

"How does your price compare with Wilson's?"

"We are about the same. "

"Then I don't want it. Wilson's are good enough for me. "

"But I can show you ours is better. "

"I don't want any better, unless it's at less price. Wilson's sellthemselves. "

The young man looked crestfallen and soon went his way; I took up mystory, but instead of asking about this, that or the other article Ihanded him my price-list and asked him to look it through. Hestretched himself on his lounge, and taking the book was about to openit, but stopped to ask, "Have you got a cigar about you?"

CHAPTER XI. 

When I had given Mr. Harris a cigar and he had lit it, and when he hadonce more resumed his horizontal position on the lounge, I proceededto take his order. He was an easy man to sell. The stock was low onsome of my goods, and he had a favorable impression of my house, so heordered easily, saying but little about prices until we came tocartridges. 

"Whose cartridges are you selling?" he asked sharply. 

"We handle both the U. M. C. And Winchester. "

"No Phoenix?"

"We don't keep them in stock, but I can get them for you if you preferthem. "

"I won't sell any other. "

I was curious to know why. 

"Just because I like Hulburt; he's one of the nicest men there is inNew York, and I'm going to handle his cartridges every time. "

"But, " said I, and very cautiously, "don't you find some trade thatwill insist on having the other brands?"

"Yes, and they can go somewhere else and get them. I wouldn't buy a U. M. C. Cartridge if there never was any other. Reachum uses their goodsto cut prices with, and, d--n 'em! they can sell him, but they can'tsell me. "

I finished the bill, then chatted awhile with him about trade. 

"There's no money in business, " said he; "times were when you couldmake a profit, but nowadays it is a struggle to see who can sell thelowest. There's a revolver that I bought of Tryiton for 53 cents, andour men say he has advertised it all over for 55 cents. How the devilam I to pay freight and sell for 2 cents profit? There is no suchidiocy in any business today as in the gun trade. A jobber has tofight against every other jobber and the manufacturers too. The U. M. C. Folks are said to back up Reachum, and Simmons is supposed to haveWinchester behind him, and away they go, seeing who can cut the mostand be the biggest fool. "

"But is it not so in other lines?"

"No; the prices are not advertised to any such extent as with guns andammunition. "

"Then you think the factories could stop it if they chose?"

"Oh, the factories be d--d! Seven-eighths of the factories are managedby school-masters. They get up their little schedule of prices just asthey draw off their 'rules and regulations' for their help, and expectthe dealers of the country to dance to their tunes. "

I thanked him for his kindness and went on my way very well content. But when I sat down to copy off the order I was put in quite aquandary. Traveling men meet such men as Harris frequently. He gavethe order because he was friendly to the house, but he had not askedfor prices on anything. What was I to do? I had several prices, for myfigures were elastic, to offer trade, according as the buyer was aclose one or not, and just where to put Harris I did not know. Iproposed to ask him all I dared and not get into trouble, but todecide on what this limit was gave me some study. 

The other trade in the city I attended to carefully, and was wellsatisfied with my work. In the evening I started for C. As I went intothe car there were three men at one end talking rather loud andsociably, and I went as near to them as I dared. One of them hadlately been out to Denver and that section, and was describing to hisaudience the wonderful perpendicular railroads of Colorado, I soonfound that all three were connected with boots and shoes, but handlingdifferent grades or styles, so they did not conflict. Of course theywere from Boston, and equally of course they were rather priggish. Thetalker was not more than 22 or 23 years old, but the immenseexperience he had passed through was more than wonderful, and the oldchestnuts he got off as having happened to himself were beyond EliPerkins' power of adaptation. 

"I had a customer in Peoria, " I heard him say, "who picked up a goatshoe and said 'he supposed dat was apout tree sefenty-fife. ' I toldhim it was $5. 25. 'O, tear, tear, ' said he, 'can't you make him fourtollar? Shake dells me: Fader, ton't you puy ofer four tollar. Youshould see my Shake; he is only dwendy-dwo, but he got a young head onold shoulters. ' I told him that, seeing it was he, I would make theprice $5, and he ordered twenty-four pairs. "

He told this as if it was the most comical story ever heard, and helaughed both long and loud over it, as did his two friends. 

"When are you going home?" one asked him. 

"Next week; been out over two months; had a big trip, but I don'texpect to do any more traveling. "

"No! Why not?"

"I'm going to be married. "

"No! Who to? Are you telling the truth?"

"Yes, I am; honest; going to marry the boss's daughter. She and I usedto go to school together, and I honestly believe she made the advancesto me, rather than I to her. Oh, yes; I'm all fixed; going to stay inthe office and help the boss. "

I wondered what kind of a girl the "boss's" daughter could be, tomarry such an ass as this, and I would have been glad to see thephotograph of her that he passed to his friends, but I made up my mindthat the "boss" was getting a rare prize in a son-in-law. 

Sitting in the smoking room of the hotel that evening I heard some menmention names that were familiar to me, and I discovered the talker tobe a groceryman. 

"If our goods are close, " said he, "the sales are large and folks haveto buy. I heard H. K. Thurber say that the best year's business thathe ever did was on a net profit of 1-3/4 percent. "

"Phew! How much did he sell?"

"Eighteen or twenty millions. "

"I've been in Thurber's store, " said another, "and I tell you theyhave things down fine. I think H. K. Thurber had the best head on himof any man I ever saw. He was quick as lightning; his judgment wasgood; he had no soft spot for any one, and he didn't tell his plans toany one. But Frank, his brother, seems to be just as successful, andyet is very different. "

"He's the politician, isn't he?"

"Yes; he was a Greenbacker, and anti-monopoly, and lots of otherthings. Some of these days he'll be Mayor of New York, or go toCongress, and he'll be heard from. His public life is profitable now, for it helps to advertise Thurber's business. "

"Well, " said another, "You've got to get up mighty early to get aheadof Hoyt in Chicago. They don't sell as many dollars, perhaps, asThurber, but they have sand, and they don't put it in their sugar, either. "

"I like groceries. A dealer has to buy them, whether times are good orbad. Folks must eat. "

"And take medicine?"

"Yes, and take medicine. And, by the way, do you know that the grocersare giving druggists a lively time on medicines? They are. Thurber hasa drug department, and advertises them at 'a grocer's profit. ' Lots ofothers have gone in, and the day will soon be here when a man can buyhis sugar and quinine in the same place. "

"What will druggists do?"

"What have they been doing the last ten years? Sell teas and coffees, cigars and tobaccos, and fancy goods. Look at a drug store inholidays, and it is full of plush cases, placques, bronzes, and goodsthat were supposed to belong to jewelers. The bars are dropping downin every line. "

"Business is done in queer ways, " said a man who was sitting near me. "Tobacco men give away guns in order to sell their tobacco; coffee issold by giving plated ware, baking powder by glassware, boots andshoes by giving dolls and sleds, ready-made clothing by a prize of aWaterbury watch, and soap by giving jewelry. Nowadays a dealer don'task you about the quality of your goods, but about the scheme you'vegot to sell them. It's a demoralizing way of doing business, andruining trade. "

"That's so! That's so!" was echoed from all sides. 

CHAPTER XII. 

Stepping into a hardware store early the next morning, afterintroducing myself I was handed a letter sent to me in the care of thefirm. I was very glad to receive it, and accepted the pleasantly giveninvitation to sit down and read it. 

No man should greet a letter with more welcome than a travelingsalesman. It is a tie that connects him with home, he who is so whollydisconnected. He is always wondering what his house may think of thissale, or that price, or this failure to sell, and be he never so surethat he has done well, still the assurance from home that theyrecognize his success makes him happier. 

Houses differ much in their manner of writing to their traveling men. A friend of mine who lately made a change told me his principal reasonfor leaving the old house was the letters they wrote him. "I never cuta price in the world, unless I had to do it to meet a competitor; butif I did it, no matter for what cause, I was sure to be reminded thatI had not been sent out to 'cut, ' but to make money. Yet when I camehome and explained why I did it, I was told I had done the rightthing. But they nagged me the next trip just the same, and I grewtired of it. "

I did not find any such letter as that. It was a hearty commendationof my work and braced me up for the future. "We miss you in thestock, " the letter read; "but we can put up with all that while you doso well on the road. "

I spoke of this to a traveling man. "Well, " said he, "I scarcely everhear from my house from one end of the trip to the other. Our goodsdon't vary in price very much, and I'm not much of a hand at writingletters. I send in my orders when I've any to send, and when I've noneI save postage. But I know men who have a printed form, and they haveto fill one out and send home every night, orders or no orders. That'stoo much like being a sleeping-car conductor for me. "

After reading my letter I turned to Mr. Shively with determination tosell him a good bill. But I saw he had a customer, and kept out of theway, but not too far to hear the conversation. 

"That, " said Shively, "is a better gun than the ordinaryLafoucheaux--a good deal better. I know you can buy of Reachum andShiverhim & Gaily for $7. 65, but there is all of $2 difference in thegoods, and the man who should appreciate this the quickest is theretailer. "

"But I can't get a cent more for this gun than for the others; buyerswill not discriminate. "

"You give them no opportunity. You take it for granted that they willgo to the lowest-priced places, so you insist upon buying thelowest-priced goods, but I tell you, Mr. Thompson, you are making amistake. A certain proportion of every community runs after the lowestprices; a large majority seek good value for their money, and a smallpercentage, who are fools, buy only high-priced goods. Then again, ashare only of the trade will come to you or me. Our competitors, nomatter how mean they may be, will have their own friends, and, try aswe may, we can only draw a certain share of the trade. "

"That's so. "

"Of course it is so. And the dealer who looks these things squarely inthe face and acts accordingly is the one who succeeds. I remember whenI was younger I expected to do all the business in my line here. Therewas a run on Parker's gun. The list price was $50; they cost us$37. 50. Every one was asking the list, but making a small cut ifnecessary. I had a fair trade in them, but I concluded I would domore, so I advertised the price $45. This did not accomplish what Iexpected, so I came down to $42. 50, and finally to $40. I sold a fewmore guns than I otherwise would have done, but I did not make onedollar more of gross profit. In order to attract a few extra buyers Ihad been cutting down prices to men who would have bought of me, whether or no, and I stopped it. "

"I remember my first Parker gun, " said Thompson; "I called a man intomy store to look at it, one who talked as if he knew all that wasworth knowing about guns. He opened it, looked through it, sighted it, etc. , then asked the price. I quoted $50. 'That settles it, ' says he, 'I wouldn't have it; a good gun can't be bought for any such money, 'and he dropped it as if it was a hot brick. The next time I showed itI asked $75, and I sold it at $65. "

"Yes, " said Shively, "the fools still live; I'm one of 'em. I supposeI do things just as bad as that every day, but I don't do itknowingly. Here's this craze over Smith & Wesson's revolvers. A man, for some good reason of his own, wants a revolver in the house. Hehopes he shall never have to shoot with it, but for fear he may needone he buys it. The chances are ninety-nine in one hundred that he hasnever been a marksman, or if he was he is so much out of practice thathe could not hit a door off hand, and with his nerves steady. I showhim a good revolver at $2. 50, or a double action bull-dog at $3. Buthe asks, 'Have you Smith & Wesson's?' Of course I have; single action$9. 35; double-action, $10. 35. I explain that the cheap one is as safeto the shooter as this is; that the chances are not one in a hundredthat a man can jump out of bed excitedly and hit a burglar off-hand;that no burglar, hearing a shot, waits to be informed whose make ofrevolver is used, and that practically the cheaper pistol is the mostsensible for him to buy. But he has a foolish idea that he is going tobe a much more formidable fellow with a Smith & Wesson under his head, and he takes that. And because of just such idiotic men Smith & Wessoncan ask a big price for their goods. "

 I was much interested in that talk, and sorry when the two men separated. But I was there to sell Shively some goods, and I went at it right heartily. 

"I am rather tired of the gun business, " said he, "and would drop thatbranch quite willingly. It is being managed on the basis of bragrather than that of brains. Any fool can sell a revolver at 92 centsthat cost him 90, or a gun for $7. 50 that cost him $7. No brains arerequired to do that. The poorest salesman I have on the road sells themost goods and makes me the least money. The gun business has got intothe hands of men who have just brains enough to run a ten-cent counterstore. "

"Is it not about as bad in other lines?" I asked. 

"No, not quite. There is much more detail to other lines. The gunbusiness is compact and the line small. Consumers pick up names ofmakers quicker, and post themselves easier. A man buys a pistol or gunbut once or twice in his life, and he gives the matter considerablestudy and shops around a good deal. Fifteen years ago Kittridge ofCincinnati used to be the champion cutter, but either he is out ofbusiness or has changed his tactics; now St. Louis and Chicago havegone into the postal card business and struck the 'Me Big Injun!'attitude. Here is a card one of my men sent in from a little townto-day. Shot quoted 80 bags $1. 16! The man can't buy 80 bags in 80months, and the house sending the card to him knows it, but it giveshim a basis to work on us, and hurts us without helping anyone. "

"Yet you buy of these card men?"

"No, I don't, d--n them; I'd shut up shop sooner. There is no reasonin the world for wholesale gun stores; the business ought to behandled by the wholesale hardware trade, and ought to be done in alegitimate way on a legitimate profit. But some idiotic manufacturer, either being hard up for money, or envious of a competitor, goes toone of these gun houses and offers a special cut price, and withintwenty-four hours every little cross-roads dealer is advised of thecut. "

"I heard a man swearing just about the same way about screws, " I said. 

"Screws? Oh, yes; that's so. Screws have been about as mean. Onefactory used the hardware trade of the country to club a competitor, and thousands of dollars of values were wiped out in the operation. Ihad, say $1, 000 worth of screws, bought at 75 percent off. Russell &Erwin wanted to hurt the American, so down went screws to 80. Thatdidn't settle the business, and next they went to 90 off. What wasworth $1, 000 at 75 off was worth but $400 now. And this cut wasadvertised everywhere, so that retailers insisted on getting it. Theorders as sent in were not filled, and retailers' orders on us weremuch larger than before. By and by we had no stock, and then, withoutany reason other than their own sweet will, prices went up again. Itwas a most outrageous piece of business from beginning to end. "

"I am glad all the bad work is not done in guns, " said I, "but how isyour stock? I think bull-dogs are going to advance. "

"I suppose they are; look at this letter. "

He handed me a letter from a New York house which read:

New York, ----, 188--. 

Messrs. Rhodes & Shively--_Gentlemen:_ I have entered your orderfor 100 "Blank" Bull-Dogs at $2. 85, prices guaranteed. Please send onspecifications. A combination is about to be formed among themanufacturers, and prices will advance to $3. 25. Yours respectfully, F. B. Combaway. 

This was news to me, so I opened the letter I had just received fromhome and read to him:

"We have just got in a large lot of 'Blank' bull-dogs and you may cutprices to $2. 65. "

"Well, " said he, "what the devil does this man mean by sending me sucha letter?"

"He undoubtedly believed there was going to be an advance and bookedyou for 100 revolvers. "

"What is your price on cartridges?"

"Fifty-nine per cent. "

"There is another smart combination. The cartridge association puts mycompetitor in the A class and gives him 50 and 10 off, but we, whohave to sell in the same town and to the same men, can only get 50. It's the most childish and sickly combination that I ever saw. Manufacturers seem to sit up nights to see what infernal fools theycan make of themselves. Now I tell you there are only two classes ofdealers--wholesalers and retailers. If a man is a wholesaler he shouldhave wholesaler's prices, and if he isn't he shouldn't. But your smartAleck manufacturers want to rate them, as Bradstreet does, and give 121/2 off to the A class, 10 off to B, 7 1/2 to C, 5 to D, and list toE. "

"But a man who buys 1, 000 dozen axes ought to buy for less than he whobuys but 100 dozen?"

"Not a bit of it. If both men sell at wholesale they ought to be onone level, otherwise the smaller buyer can not hope to succeed. And Itell you it is much more to the interest of manufacturers that thereshould be six small houses in a town than one extra large house. Yourlarge buyer is autocratic; he can break the market, and often does itto his own hurt, as well as to the damage of every one else. Theaverage buyer is content to buy as low as his competitor, or if hegets a little inside price, keeps it to himself, lest his competitorshall know it. "

"You seem to have figured it out pretty thoroughly. "

"I have, and I know what I'm talking about. But of all the sillythings manufacturers do, they never get quite so absurd as when theyundertake to advertise. "

"Please explain. "

CHAPTER XIII. 

"I can explain what I mean by showing you this letter, " said Mr. Shively. "Here is a line of goods I proposed to handle, and wrote themanufacturer for prices. He has advertised them largely, but has notworked up a very large sale as yet, though he has succeeded in makingthem pretty well known. He writes me he will discount 35 and 5 percent. , and adds: 'Please do not quote or sell at better than 30 and5. ' What does he take me for? The list is $12; 35 and 5 off brings thenet price to $7. 41, and if I sold at 30 and 5 off, I get $7. 98, or 6per cent. On the investment, and I pay freight out of that! But thismanufacturer thinks I am liable to cut under $7. 98, so kindly cautionsme against doing it. He must have a mighty queer idea of a merchant'sprofits. "

"What would you do if you were in the manufacturer's place, to beginwith?" I asked. 

"First decide on a fair retail price. Every article must first bejudged on this basis. It is not 'What will the jobber pay for this?'that decides the cost of goods, but 'What will this retail at?' Havingdecided this, then settle on a discount from this price that will paythe retailer a fair profit, and in quoting prices to the retail tradestick pretty close to this. Then the jobber should have a margin of 15per cent. At least, and yet be able to sell retailers at my price. "

"But suppose the goods will not allow all this. "

"They must allow it if they are to be handled by the trade in aregular way, and they will always allow it if proportioned aright; butwhat I complain of is that so many manufacturers are unable tocomprehend the jobber's position. Here is a sheep-shear that isadvertised to consumers at $1. 25 per pair; the maker says the lowesthe can sell at and make a small margin is $8 per dozen. There is agood margin between $8, factory price, and $15, consumer's price, buthow is it divided? A retailer is quoted the goods at $8. 65 and thejobber at $8. Don't you see that common sense would say $10 to theretailer and $8 to the jobber? If the jobber wants to sell at lessthan $10 let him do so (he is sure to do it), but the manufacturershould not. "

"Some houses ignore the jobbers altogether; what would you do withthem?"

"They are all right; I have no fault to find with them; I can meet allof such competition, and without worrying. No factory can handle mytrade so cheaply as I can. A great deal of my trade no factory canreach. Salesmen get higher salaries from the factories than we pay. They only get the trade they drum; there is very little of mail ordersfrom the small trade sent East; what they need they want quickly. BothRussell & Erwin and Sargent & Co. Have drummed the retail trade foryears, but they have done jobbers no harm, and of late are veryanxious to get the jobbing trade. I don't fear the drummers from thefactories, but I do dread the low quotations they scatter around, because I must meet their figures. "

Mr. Shively seemed pleased at having a good listener, and had talkedas if enjoying himself. While I was very much interested in his views, still it is probable I should have acted just the same even if I hadcared nothing about what he said. No higher compliment is paid to aman than to place him over you as your teacher. I left him aftergetting a fair order from him, and passed into a large retail store. 

That undefined line between the large retailer and the small jobber isa delicate one on which to tread. It is rarely that a retailer willbuy of his home jobbers. Every jobber will sell more or less atretail; will tread on the toes of his retail neighbor, and the latterhas a special desire to buy as low as the jobber does. Much of hisstock is bought at such prices; on a large part he is assured by thesalesman that he is getting as good prices as the largest jobber inthe land. If one is not direct from headquarters it is doubtful groundto walk on, but it has to be taken care of. 

I handed my card to the man whose face seemed to me to show authorityand ownership, and I was not mistaken. 

"Guns!" said he, "we don't handle guns. "

"But you do revolvers and cartridges. " I had seen them in theshow-case. 

"Yes, but we don't sell them. The jobbing houses are retailing atwholesale prices, and we poor retailers stand no chance. "

"You must retail at wholesale prices, too. You can buy about as closeas they do, and you can do retail business as cheaply as they can. "

"Yes, but don't you see, no matter what our prices are they are retailprices, and for the same reason their's are wholesale; the idioticpublic loves to be fooled, and will fool itself if no one else takesthe job. What are cartridges worth?"

"Two dollars and ten cents per 1, 000 for 22s. "

"Why, I can buy here in town for that!"

"I presume you can; we make no money on cartridges; neither do thejobbers here or anywhere else. "

"Well, if you can't beat the houses here, how do you expect to sellgoods?"

"Oh, cartridges are but one item in a very long list, and, profit orno profit, people must have them. "

I always expect a retailer to tell me that I must beat his homejobber, or he will not buy of me. But I know that this is not oftentrue. He will not buy of the home jobbers at the same price, for hefeels that he is building up his competitor. I have seen a great manyjobbers who had spent time and money trying to get control of all thetrade in their own city, but I never saw one who did not finally giveup in disgust. It is not human nature to be willing to help build up aman who is in any way your competitor, and often you would rather paya trifle more elsewhere than buy of him. This may not be "business, "but it is human nature, and there are many places where the latter isby far the stronger. 

I undid my sample roll and showed my revolver samples to Mr. R. Almostevery revolver reminded him of something, and I listened to hisstories with the interest of a man who wanted an order. 

"There is no trade in the world so mean as this, " said he. "Peoplecome in here for a revolver, and I am almost sure they mean mischiefwith it. What am I to do? My refusal to sell one will not preventtheir getting it, yet I hate to sell to them. Of course a largemajority of those I sell are sold to people whom I know, and I knowthey buy them for proper use. But a woman will slip in here and slylyask for a revolver, and I am wondering if she is going to commitmurder or suicide. Many a time a man looks so woe begone as he buys apistol that I make some excuse to keep him from loading it here forfear he will blow out his brains right in the store. "

"Did anything like that ever happen with you?"

"No, not with me, but it has happened. I read of a man going into agun store, buying a revolver, asking the clerk to load it (doing itall calmly), and then placing it at his temple and falling down dead. I believe I would go crazy if such a thing were to happen in my store, and I always worry more or less for fear it may. It's a mean businessat the best; I wish there were no revolvers made. What do you get forthis?"

"Two eighty-five. "

"Well, send us six. "

I sold him a fair bill, and then spent the afternoon trying to selltwo other large retailers, but without success. One of the men wassnappish, the other good-natured but full of goods. I did want, verybadly, to get a little order out of them, but when I went to supper Ihad nothing from them. After supper I went down to the cross-grainedman's store determined to get so well acquainted with him that I couldmeet him again under different auspices. 

He looked at me as if he expected to be pestered in some new spot, butI put him at rest by saying I had a little time to lounge and thoughtI could do it there. At this he dropped some of his frowns and beganto be sociable. We talked until I was sure it was long after hisshutting-up time, so I bade him good night, saying I was going off inthe night. 

"Don't you ever drink a glass of beer or wine?" he asked. 

"Try me!"

"All right; let us lock up and go down the street a block. "

CHAPTER XIV. 

I think a merchant who does not want to buy usually feels uneasy tohave a traveling man about the store. He keeps up all the barriersthat he can, so that he shall not be led farther than he intends togo. If he becomes very friendly it may be all the harder for him tosay "no" by and by, so he keeps up an uncomfortable stiffness and isglad to see the salesman go. I have seen this, or thought I saw it, often and often in my own case. I could not get the dealer to befriendly with me while I was in his store, but perhaps I met him inthe hotel and found him cordial and sociable. 

The retail dealer who had invited me to take a glass of beer with himhad been rather stiff in his own store, but the moment he turned thekey in the lock he seemed to throw away his coldness and became verytalkative. We sat down at a table and our beer was brought. 

I doubt if any traveling man ever became a drunkard, because of thedrinking necessary to be done among his customers. A little of itappears to be really necessary. But this little would lead no one toexcess. The men who drink to excess are those who patronize bars withother traveling men, and who drink alone. The temptation is great. Every hotel has its bar; all introductions and intimacies have to besealed with a drink, and the man who does not feel bright, or fancieshe does not, has a row of bright bottles beckoning to him to "braceup" with a glass of their contents. 

I do not wonder that the pulpits and all thoughtful people cry outagainst the drinking of liquor. Every traveling man's experience, thetales he could tell of the financial and moral ruin of men fromdrinking, and men who are usually the most intelligent and who oughtto be the most influential, are all in the line of the injunction totaste not the accursed stuff. I say this after years of experience; Ifelt it on my first trip, but I was so anxious to ingratiate myselfinto the good graces of every man I wanted to sell to that I drankwith customers when asked, and when it seemed wise invited them toindulge with me. 

Do you say that the foolishness of this was that I must continue iteach trip and do more each time? No, you are not correct. I had lessoccasion for it the next and each succeeding trip. I was able to meetthe men on a different footing after the first trip, and I had butlittle use for liquor as an engine to help business. 

A man must needs, too, be very cautious in inviting men to indulge. Ifit is done in any way so that it appears to be to help make sales itwill do more harm than good. A certain class of traveling men willinvite a merchant to go out and get a drink as if they were offeringhim a new paper collar, or to pay for his having his boots blacked. Their manner seems to say, "I must buy you a drink and then I'm goingto stick you on an order. " They disgust where they expected to please. 

Yet, as I have said before, men seem to come close together over aglass of beer. My friend had positively refused to buy a dollar'sworth from me, and I had put him down as rather a surly fellow, but aswe sat there over our beer he chatted about himself, his business, andhis partner, as if we were old friends. 

"I have been seventeen years in trade, " said he, "and we have beentolerably successful. I began with $1, 500, and I suppose I am worth$35, 000, but I work fourteen hours a day, and I have to carry all theresponsibility on my shoulders. My partner waits on customers when heis in the store, but when he wants to go out driving or to go anywhereelse, he goes. I never let him do anything but he makes a bull. Hecontracted for advertising the other day, $300 worth, in a paper thatwill never do us three cents' worth of good. We have the meanest kindof competition here; every wholesale house retails, too, and retails agood many goods at wholesale prices. They buy in larger quantitiesthan we do, and of course can buy cheaper, and they look upon theirretail profit as so much clear gain. I am tired of the business, andif I could sell out I would get into the jobbing trade. "

There it was. The man who wants to sell out is one of the mostnumerous men that exist. But it was my business then, and it hasalways been my business since, to listen sympathetically to all suchtales, and to promise to have an eye out for any possible purchaser. 

"We don't do much in your line, " he continued, "because men don't cometo a stove store to buy revolvers, but if I don't sell out I'm goingto do some wholesaling, and see if I can't eventually work up intowholesale exclusively. "

This was a much more promising opening for me, and I led his fancyover a bed of roses to the not distant day when he might put up thatfraudulent sign--"No goods at retail. " And I was reminded of a verycheap pistol that we had that I would sell him at 52 cents, which hecould job to any country dealer at 75 cents. I don't know if it wasthe beer or my eloquence, but I sold him fifty then and there, andadded some other goods to the sale, so that my evening was not whollywasted. 

I saw him not long ago. He is still retailing at the old stand andstill grumbling about his partner, but we have been the best offriends since our first evening together. 

As I ate my breakfast the next morning I overheard two men at my tabletalk about trade, and I quietly listened. 

"It only takes a little thing to help out a line of goods or to killthem, " said one. "Nimick & Brittan got out that burglar-proofattachment on their locks and just kept themselves going by it. "

"Is Brittan on the road now?"

"Guess not. The Big Three, Brittan, Rashgo, and Bond, work some kindof a syndicate, though, and make a good thing out of it. I met Brittantwenty years ago or so. He was a hard worker, good-natured, understoodhuman nature and was a success. He represented several concerns, andused to make ten or twelve thousand clear a year. Finally he got intothe lock factory. "

"Most traveling men are crazy to get into something. "

"Yes; that's so. We think if we had a shebang of our own we'd justmake things fly; but we miss it oftener than we hit it when we do getthe factory. "

"You're right. The man on the road with a good trade and a good salaryhas a pretty good thing of it. "

"Well, some men expect to strike it rich by silver stock. Do you knowAl Bevins?"

"The sleigh-bell man? Yes, I know him well. "

"Has he told you about the silver stock?"

"No. "

"He has been investing in Deming's--"

"Oh, d--n Deming! He's a nuisance with his silver stock. "

"Yes, but he gets the boys in all the same. Henley has bought a lot inProvidence on the strength of his investment, and Deacon Hall, ofWallingford, will buy out Wallace when his dividends come in. Bevinssays it's better than sleigh-bells, and Al knows how to run afactory. "

"Still, some of the men at the factories are born idiots. You can'tteach them anything. If the managers were compelled to make one trip ayear they'd find out a good deal. Here's my ax trade. I've been cussedfrom one end of the trip to the other. My orders for October shipmentwere billed about January 1. And it's the same way year after year. Iswear, I often wonder that I get any orders at all! They damn me inFebruary, and yet they give me new orders in May. But it is sickeningto hear the same story over and over, year after year. "

"What excuse do they offer at home?"

"Oh, it's never two years alike. One year the streams dry up; then theforeman is discharged; then they booked too many orders. "

"A little thing happened that riled me when I was last home. Acustomer ordered a certain spoon, using a special number of his own, on the 18th of May. I was in the shop late in June, and the shippingclerk asked me what spoon that was! Here he had held the order sixweeks before he took steps to find out what the man wanted. I gave hima piece of my mind. "

"Talking of spoons, do you ever run across Kendrick, of Mix & Co. ? Itraveled with him a few years ago. "

"He sticks close to the factory. There is an instance where thetraveling man took the management of the factory to good purpose. Idon't believe there is a better-managed business anywhere. Kendrickhas become a deacon in the church, with a weather eye out for fasthorses. "

"Talking of spoons reminds me of Father Parmelee, of Wallingford. Doyou know him?"

"Who, Sam? Yes, indeed. "

"We were in Detroit together, and the way Parmelee talked WilliamRogers was enough to drive a man crazy. He's just chock full ofWilliam Rogers, and I'll bet he'll want Rogers on his platedgrave-stone. "

"Parmelee is one of the kindest-hearted men on the road. I never heardhim say a bitter word against any one; I never knew him to bore anyone; I never heard a merchant speak other than kindly of him. Hetravels for a big house, but they probably do not know how much oftheir business in the West is due to Parmelee's push and tact. He hasbeen a long time traveling, and I always like to meet him. "

When the two men went away I ruminated over what they had said, and Ilaid up several points for my own use. I was especially glad to hearthem praise other traveling men. It's a mighty good sign of any man tofind him generous in his praise of others. I thought this all over asI started down the street to find Shull & Cox and try to sell them 100bull-dogs. I caught their sign and marched boldly in, wishing therewas a law on the books that would compel every dealer to give asalesman an order whether he needed goods or not. 

A young clerk was at work near the door, so I asked if the buyer wasin. 

"That's him over there with that drummer. "

"Is it Mr. Shull or Mr. Cox?"

"That's Shull; Cox won't be here for an hour yet; he don't get up tillthe school bell rings. "

I saw the young man was talkative, so I prodded for more information. "Who is that drummer?"

"I don't know his name; he's selling revolvers from More & Less, ofNew York. "

This was fun for me, and I wished I was out of the way, and out of thetown. I concluded that the best thing I could do would be to interviewsome one else immediately, and I started off at once. 

CHAPTER XV. 

I think a man often does better work when he is spurred on by anxiety. I had seen More & Less's man in the store across the street, so Idetermined I would do my best at Bingham's and not get whipped out ofthe town. Mr. Bingham met me as if he wished I was somewhere else, butI was too eager to sell to care very much about his manner. I told himmy story as well as I could, and insisted that if he needed anythingin my line I could do him good. 

"I don't need anything, " said he, "but what is all this talk of the M. H. & Co. Revolver?"

"It is coming into prominence, " I said, "and Jim Merwin gave it a bigboom in Cleveland the other day. McIntosh took him before the PoliceBoard, and they say Merwin outdid Buffalo Bill. McIntosh says theChief of Police took a Smith & Wesson, and Merwin a M. H. & Co. , andeach tried to shoot the other with empty shells, Jim grabbed theChief, emptied his revolver of the shells and rammed the pistol in hisear until the Chief yelled for mercy. Merwin gave such a war dancethat they had to call out the fire department to cool him down. Hesecured the city's order for an outfit for the police, and M. H. & Co. Stock has gone up since then. "

"Do you sell them?"

"Yes, at factory prices. "

"Pho! All you men talk factory prices. "

"I mean factory prices. "

"Well, " said he, "I'm going to buy of Simmons after this; he beats thefactories. His New England man--"

"His what?"

"His New England man. Didn't you know he had opened a Boston officeand now drums New England?"

"I hadn't heard of that. "

"Oh, yes. St. Louis is going to run the country on hardware hereafterand on guns. Simmons' New England man says they do a big businessthere; dealers buy bills of $8. 87 down. Their New York office isn'topen yet, but it's coming; they want Sam Haines as manager, or J. B. Sargent. They do things up big down there. "

"How many M. & H. Revolvers can I send you?"

"Don't want any now; just asked out of curiosity. "

This was discouraging, but I opened my price-book at A, and called hisattention to every item in it, but to everything received the sameanswer, "Got it. " I began to get desperate. 

"Look here, " said Bingham, "you seem to be excited, young man. I liketo see a man work, but if a fellow don't want anything, he don't, andthat's the end of it. I never bought a dollar from your house, andyour prices are no better than others. "

But I wanted an order. Whether he needed goods or not was no concernof mine; I wanted an order and I was determined to get one if such athing were possible. Finally I struck Flobert rifles. "Look here, " Isaid, "I have a special price on Flobert's target rifles--$2. 10 by thecase--but I will give you a cut even on that; I will make them $2, andnow I want you to give me an order. "

"Two dollars, " he said, as if turning it over in his mind; "$2, eh?I've a mind to go and see Madley with you. "

"Who is Madley?"

"He's a clothing man, and chain lightning about offering gifts topurchasers. He has run cows, watches, pianos, and lager beer; maybehe'd take hold of rifles. "

"Very well, " said I, "let's us go see him. What price shall I quotehim?"

"You needn't do any quoting; I'll make prices and you expatiate on thegoods. "

We started down the street to Madley's, and I was introduced to thegentleman, a fussy, garrulous little man with an extremely red face. Bingham opened the ball, and I never listened to more talenteddrumming than he did that morning. 

"Chris, " said he, "this young man is offering target rifles at a cutprice that knocks anything ever known. The boys have been buying themvery freely of late, and they are popular. I fancied they might hityou as a gift with a boy's suit. If you can handle them I don't wantany profit, but am getting other goods from him, and you can ship withmy goods. "

"What are they worth?"

"Well, you have as much of an idea of the worth of a rifle as any oneelse has; suppose you were going to buy one for your boy, what wouldyou expect to pay?"

"I don't know anything about them. "

"Oh, you've got some idea and I want to get it, for you will not bevery different from the average man in your estimate of cost. "

"Oh, d---n it, say $10; but I can't handle any such goods. "

"We don't ask you to at $10. But that is about the average idearegarding price. Now, Chris, this man's price is $3. 12. "

It struck me this was getting mighty close to "cost!"

"Eh, $3. 12! How the devil can they make it at that?"

"Oh, they make it. How they do it is none of our concern. It wouldmake you a very popular gift and the boys would go wild over it. "

Madley turned to me. "Is that your bottom price?"

"I gave Mr. Bingham my very best figures. "

"How many have you got?"

"Any amount you want. "

He called two of his young men, and after a conference with them cameup to Bingham and said: "Bingham, I can't afford to let you make aprofit on these rifles. You wouldn't come up here if you were notmaking something. The idea is a good one, and you may send your boy upand get the best suit of clothes I've got, but I'm going to figure onrifles before I order. "

"All right, Chris, go in. " He turned on his heel to go out, and Ifollowed. When we were on the sidewalk he said: "I don't give it upyet, but I can play bluff as well as he can. "

"You asked too much advance, I am afraid. "

"Oh, I know him. I'll go for him by and by. "

And he did. I called in the afternoon and took his order for 100rifles, and he showed me a written order for them from Madley at$2. 62. To these he added several other items, making a very nice bill. I have always noticed that, however much a man did not want any goods, the moment you get him started there is but little difficulty in thengetting his order for some of the very things he told you he was notneeding. 

During this time I had no fear of the other salesman. My prices weredown so low I cared for no one, but I concluded I would go back to Mr. Shull's, and see if anything was left for me there. He happened to beat work at the shelves, which is a place I like to find a man at, andI explained that I was in early in the day but saw he was engaged. 

"Yes, " said he, "I had a gun man here all forenoon. He sold me all Ineeded in your line. He says bull-dogs are going up. "

"I had not heard of it. "

"What are you selling at?"

What should I say? If he had bought I didn't care to quote a specialprice, and I did not want to name a high price, for that might givehim a bad impression of the house in the future. 

It is a difficult place in which a salesman finds himself, thisquoting prices to a man who has just bought. The temptation is alwaysto name a very low rate, perhaps even to go below your lowest sellingprice, for the purpose of making the man feel that you would have beena better man to buy from, but this is a two-edged sword, and I havenot cared to handle it. I concluded it would pay here to be frank. 

"It is possible there is some advance of which I don't know, " I said, "but my price has been $2. 75 to $2. 85, according to quantity. "

"That's what I bought at. "

I opened up on rifles, found him entirely out, and showed him my orderfrom Bingham for 100. 

"What in Sam Hill is he going to do with 100?"

I did not enlighten him. I said: "Oh, every lad buys a target riflenowadays. "

"What price do you get?"

"Two dollars and ten cents by the case. "

"Case? How many's a case?"

"Thirty-six. "

"I don't want any case. If you want to send me a dozen at that youmay. "

I wanted to, and got his order for another item or two, and left him, feeling I had done pretty well. 

This showing one merchant the order you have taken from his neighboris one of the easiest things in the world to do, but it is not alwaysa trump card. Still, it has a powerful influence in a majority ofcases. The best buyer who lives has times of doubting if his judgmentis infallible, and he is glad to brace it up by comparing with thejudgment of others. This he is able to do through having salesmen tellof the orders given by other buyers, and be he never so smart, he veryoften falls into their traps. 

If you are a buyer you are, possibly, looking at a Russell knife, listening to Booth's eloquent description of the way they are handforged, elegantly ground, and how Oakman inspects every blade and thenwraps it up carefully in Ella Wheeler Wilcox's last poem. The patternyou have in your hand pleases you, but you wonder how others will lookat it. The question is not, "Do I like it?" but, "Will it sell?" Youare inclined to think it will, but just then your eye falls on scoresof patterns on your shelves that you thought would go like hot cakes, but they have disappointed you. Perhaps, after all, your best way isto wait; but just then Booth opens his little book and shows you whereBartlett ordered 100 gross; Buhl, 50 gross; Ducharme, 25 gross, andBlossom, 10 gross (but he puts his thumb over this last hastily), andyou tell him to send you a few. As I said before, I believe the bestbuyer is more or less influenced by being told what others are doing, and with the smaller trade it is constantly used to sway theirdecision. 

Is it right?

I do not know. I am not writing of the ethics of business. I know thattraveling men use the order taken from one buyer to influence another, and that it often has great influence, although I think the buyer isnot wise who acts upon such information. Even when he is told thestrict truth regarding the orders given by others, he ought to knowhis own stock and trade so well that he could depend upon his ownjudgment. But most of us like to lean on some one else, and when weare hesitating and learn that our competitors have decided thus andso, it is easy to fall into line and buy as they did. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Sitting at the breakfast table of the hotel next morning a gentlemanopposite looked up pleasantly and asked:

"Are you selling goods, sir?"

"Yes, sir. "

"What line?"

"Guns and sporting goods. "

"Yes? I'm a little in that line myself. " And he handed me his card. 

 HOPSBY, COCKLEY & CO. , 20 Warren Street, New York City. 

"My name is Cockley, " he added. 

I had heard of him often, and was very glad to meet him, though Iwould have been still happier if he were not selling the Norwichrevolvers. I always had a feeling that I stood a poor show when I wasin direct competition with other salesmen in my line, and I never feltquite comfortable with them. 

"How is trade?" I asked. 

"Well, rather dull on the road; but they write me it is booming athome. We have a large South American trade that the elder Mr. Hopsby, being a fluent Spanish scholar, and author of that well-known work, 'Spanish As She Is Walked, 'looks after, while young Mr. Hopsby looksafter his father and me, and it keeps him busy. "

"You have a good many lines beside pistols?" I asked. 

"Oh, yes; pistols are a side issue. I sold Deming 1, 237 Waterburywatches, and Blossom a car-load of can-openers. I sell Pribyl here aton of nail-pullers at a time. Did you ever see the Waterbury watch?"

"I have not seen it lately. "

"Then take these two; no, put them both in your pockets; I always givea man two, so he can check off one by the other. A Waterbury watch isone of the greatest blessings in the world. Babies can drop them; boyscan throw them at each other, and women can use them asstocking-darners. Mr. Hopsby drops one into the contribution box everySunday, and expects, in the course of a few years, to provide everyyoung African with a time piece. "

I didn't get it quite clear in my mind whether Cockley was guying meor not, but he looked as if he were simply trying to be sociable. 

"Have you been long on the road?" he asked. 

"No; this is my first trip. "

"That so? You look quite at home. I remember my first trip; it was inNew England, and I was selling sewing-machine needles. Mr. Hopsby tookme around a corner before I started and, presenting me with anail-puller, told me he was afraid he was doing wrong to send me out, I was so young; but that I was to remember that the only way toprosperity was in getting orders. It hadn't struck me in just thatlight before, but the more I thought it over the more I believed hewas right. The first man I tackled was a pious-looking deacon, and Ibegan to whistle 'The Ninety and Nine' as I went toward him, so thathe might understand that I was a Bible class scholar. I worked overthat brother for two mortal hours, and finally got mad. 'If you onlyplayed billiards, ' said I, 'I'd lick you like thunder. ' 'You can't doit, ' said he, and in less than ten minutes we were at the table acrossthe street. I was just more than walloping him, when suddenly Iremembered the tearful injunctions of Mr. Hopsby. I let him beat methree games, and then sold him $60 worth of needles. "

"You have been on the road a long time?"

"Twenty-two years come Valentine's day. "

I looked incredulous. 

"Oh, I began young. Chris. Morgan, George Bartlett, Sam Parmelee, Charley Healey, and I started on the same day. We now leave New YorkSaturday night, give Cleveland, Monday; Toledo and Detroit, Tuesday;Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Wednesday; Chicago, Thursday; St. Louis, Friday; Cincinnati, Saturday; and are in New York for business thenext Monday morning. "

"That is fast traveling. "

"Yes, but we have the trade educated up to it. We tell them 'nobouquets, ' 'no parties, ' but just orders. We telegraphed ahead toToledo, the other day, so that while the train waited twenty minutesfor dinner I sold three bills. "

The was all said so honestly and so pleasantly that I had to believehe was sincere, but at the same time I knew it wasn't strictlycorrect, and I felt more and more uncomfortable. 

"How do you like this hotel?"

"Pretty well; I'm not very particular. "

"You will be when you have been ten or fifteen years on the road. Hotels are a large part of your life. I left word at the Julian House, in Dubuque, to be called at six o'clock, the other night, and aboutfour I heard some one pounding away, so I asked what was up. Themusical voice of the watchmen came back: 'It's now 4 o'clock, and I'mgoing off watch, so yees has two hours yet to sleep before 6 o'clock. 'Now that struck me as a family arrangement, and I'm going to have itextended to other houses. "

"There's something about hotels I don't like, " I said. 

"What's that? The whisky? It is poor here, but you will find it betterfarther West. "

"No, " I said, "I'm not much interested in the whisky. What I dislikeabout hotels is the loneliness. "

"Yes, that's so. For that reason I like to travel with a party. I getBrother Little, he sells Pillsbury flour, and is a first-rate playeron the harmonica, and Al Bevins (the talented sleigh-bell artist), whoplays on a $2 music box, while I play on a double police whistle equalto any man in America. We take possession of the parlor and invite thelandlord's family in, and, I tell you, we make it home-like! How wouldyou like to try a little concert here to-night?"

I begged off most emphatically, and said I must go for business. "Holdon, we'll go together. Do you know any one here?"

I confessed that I did not. 

"Neither do I; so we can be of great help to each other. I'llintroduce you, and then you can introduce me. "

I felt as if I stood a good chance of getting into some kind of ascrape before I got away from him; but off we started. We were goingdown the street when Cockley struck an attitude and pointed to a signover the way:

"I told you I knew no one; I was joking. There's a friend's. Let's goover and see Bewell. He'll be glad to see us and give us the wholetown. He was in New York this spring, and we had a good time togetherstudying up art. After he had once seen the game piece in Stewart's itwas impossible to keep him away from it. I never saw men so devoted toaesthetics as he and Joe Gildersleeve were. He said the best way tosee the picture was through a glass of rum and molasses, and he lookedat it in that light about thirteen times a day. "

I followed him in with some fear of a joke being played on me, but hismanner changed at the door, and we met Bewell as if we were alldeacons. He gave Cockley a very warm reception, as if thoroughly gladto see him. I concluded I was in the way, so with a promise to calllater, I betook myself to another house. I did not meet Cockley againfor many months. 

I thought him over when I had time, and was not surprised that I hadalways heard him spoken of as being a very successful salesman. Thehalf-hour that we were together had made me like him, and the way thathe went into Bewell's store showed me that he knew when to bedignified as well as when to be jolly. I especially liked the way inwhich he spoke of his partners; in my way of thinking this is one ofthe signs of a broad man. The small, petty-minded fellows are sure tohave a complaint to make of their house or buyers or partners. Infollowing Cockley's steps since I have always heard him pleasantlyspoken of by merchants and travelers. 

I found the store, to which I took my way, a large wholesale hardwarehouse. I observed as I entered that one man was very angry aboutsomething, while he talked to another whom I took to be his travelingman. I did not care to bother him until he was through, so nodded agood morning and took a chair. I soon found the man was angry overallowances the traveler had made in the previous week, and I was muchinterested and strongly in sympathy with him. 

"What did Labar say about the goods he returned?" he asked, as his eyecaught that name in the list in his hand. 

"He claimed that he ordered dish-pans and that we sent rinsing-pans, and that the brushes were moth eaten. "

"What did you tell him?"

"I said as little as I could. "

"I wish you had told him that he was a contemptible cur. A man whowill lie over $4. 80 worth of goods, after keeping them in his handsninety days, and seeing you twice meantime without saying a word, is amighty small man. He knew from the price what the pans would be, buthe never thought of any such excuse until after we drew on him for hislong overdue bill. Of course our kicking does no good, because otherhouses will sell him until they have similar experiences with him, andit will take a good while to go around. If I was as mean as some ofthese whelps I'd shoot myself. Did Simpson pay up?"

"He paid the balance of the bill, but would not pay interest; saidthat we were the only house that charged interest, and he should neverbuy of us again. "

"The miserable little liar! I don't suppose a house is in existencethat lets a bill run five months after due and does not add interest. When are you going out?"

"On the next train. "

"Well, try and collect the balance due from Stone, but don't sell himanother dollar; there are decent men enough in the trade, let the meanones go. If he does not pay, get the name of a reliable justice and wewill send a sworn account to him. But don't sell him again. "

"They're good as wheat. "

"I know they are good in the sense of being responsible; mean menusually are; but it is not a question of their responsibility; theyare tricky and untruthful, and their idea of being smart is to lieover goods and prices and compel a deduction. Give them the go-by. Well, good-by; don't worry over trade; do your best and we will besatisfied. "

As his man started off he turned to me with, "Well, young man, youlook as if you wanted to sell me something. "

CHAPTER XVII. 

When a merchant says to the traveler, "Young man, you want to sell mesomething?" it is a notice to come at once to the point and state yourbusiness. It is not the way we like to proceed. We prefer to pass thecompliments of the day, talk about business, and approach graduallythe special branch of trade to which we are devoted. But Mr. Clark's"Well, young man, " was like a whip, and I had to at once open out withmy little story. 

"We don't want anything in that line, " said he, with decision. "We arefull of guns and ammunition. It's a beastly business. I wish I was outof it. Here is a card quoting Pieper's 'Diana' gun at $32; mine costme $38; now, how the d---l does this concern sell at $32?"

The "Diana" gun was well known to the trade as one having all themodern improvements; the rubber butt-piece had Diana's head on it andhence the name; but Pieper sent over one lot of about two hundred gunsof the common quality, and this "Diana" butt-piece was on them; theywere sold by Pieper's agent to a gun house as common guns, at about$28, but this house promptly sent out its daily postal card quotingthe "Diana gun" at $32. This was the story as told to our house, and Iexplained it to Mr. Clark. 

"That may be just as you say, " said he, "but a business that is fullof that kind of tricks is a good one to get out of. "

Just then a clerk came in and handed him a slip of paper, which Irecognized as a special report from the mercantile agency. He excusedhimself while he read it. "This beats the Turks, " said he to me. "Inever knew a time when it was so difficult to get reports of thestanding of retail dealers that you could tie to. My man sends in anorder from J. C. K. , Burlington, and he says: 'This man has a nicestock of goods and his neighbors say he is worth $5, 000, and is goodfor anything he buys. ' Dun does not quote him at all, so I asked forspecial report, and here it is:

 J. C. K. , Burlington, has been in business here since 1880; came from Kokomo, where he failed and paid 40 cents on the dollar; is married, age about 42, habits good. Claims to have stock of $2, 200, and to owe not to exceed $600. Is doing fair business, but his personal expenses are rather high, and it is said he is close run for ready means. Thought safe for small amounts, but bill should not be allowed to lapse. 

"Now this and my salesman's report don't tally very closely. Here isanother case. My man sells John Johnes, of Dubuque, and writes: 'Hehas a grocery well stocked; says stock is worth $3, 000, and no debts. His neighbors say he is sound as wheat. ' But when Dun's report comesin it says:

 Is a married man. Been in business alone and with partners for several years; means limited and estimated worth $500 to $800. Is regarded as an honest man, and it is believed he will do for a limited line. 

"Now I don't like an honest man who is worth $500 to $800, accordingto Dun, but who tells my man he is worth $3, 000. "

"You can usually depend on Dun, can't you?"

"Yes, I think they sin on the right side; they are apt to make a manout as bad as they can. Here is one of their reports, as an instance:

 F. Keef, saloon and grocery. He appears to be doing a good business; is in debt, but to what extent are not able to say. Had some claims against him here, but think he will pay. Has some energy and push in business. Has no real estate so far as known, and not considered sound financially. 

"You would not care to sell a man on such a report, would you? Yetthat man is one of the best paying men on our books. "

"Do not your salesmen call on the banks?"

"Yes, I suppose they do, but let me tell you that banks are thebiggest liars in existence. They often say a man is good when theyknow exactly to the contrary. My man sent in an order from L. Loeby, of LaGro, Kentucky; he wrote, 'Loeby is a sharp buyer, and said to begood. I called at the bank and they said he was A No. 1, and good foranything he buys. ' Well, I got a report from Dun, and here it is:

 L. Loeby, LaGro; age 35; married; been in business two years; fairly temperate and fairly attentive to business; character and business capacity moderate; it is said doubtful as to honesty; means in business, about $1, 000; no real estate; on the $1, 000 above listed as his means in business the bank here holds a chattel mortgage of $600; he has a large family, and of late he has not been paying his bills as they fall due. 

"You can see why the bank quotes him A No. 1. The more goods he getsthe better is the value of their chattel mortgage. I have stoppedputting much faith in what banks say about men. "

"Are not the mercantile agencies almost always sure to find somethingagainst a man or a firm?"

"No, sir; they have to give facts as near as they can get at them, andif there is nothing against a man they can not give anything againsthim. Take this report:

 Darby & Chase, groceries and commission, Delphi. E. J. Darby and W. H. Chase compose the firm; seem to be men of good character and business capacity. They are thought to be worth $10, 000 to $15, 000. 

"That report probably gives the best general opinion in that communityregarding that firm. Their character and business capacity are good, and they are prospering, evidently. But the mercantile agencies omitto tell us some very important points about men. A man may befinancially all right, and yet be an undesirable customer, or one whoought to be handled with great care. Every report ought to tellwhether the man is a smart Aleck or not; if he is mean about returninggoods; if he makes unfair claims; if he is a chronic reporter ofshortages; if he allows bills to run long past due and then refuses topay interest, or exchange on drafts; all these points ought to becovered. "

"Are you much bothered by such men?"

"Every wholesale house is; no matter what line it is in, or who it is, the wholesale dealer has more or less of just such men to deal with. Iknow a retailer who invariably reports a shortage; he lies, of course, but he is fool enough to think he is making money because he beatsevery house out of a dollar or two every time he pays a bill. Here isa man whose bill was due November 30; I draw on him by express (histown has no bank) February 23, and add 25 cents to the draft to coverthe cost of getting the money to me. I make no claim for interestalthough I have as good a legal claim for it as for the principal, buthe refuses to pay my draft, and in a few days sends me his check on acountry bank for the face of the bill. It cost me 25 cents to collecthis check, and I paid 25 cents to the express company on the returneddraft, so I get 50 cents less than my bill and lose the use of mymoney nearly three months after it was due me. "

"Why didn't you draw through the nearest bank the day the bill wasdue?"

"I didn't want to be so sharp with him; I felt kindly toward him, andsupposed a little leniency would be appreciated, so I only sent astatement asking for remittance. And this is the way he repays me!"

"Probably you gave him a piece of your mind. "

"What good does it do? The drummer from my competitor will call onhim, and if the dealer starts to run me down he will help him at it. We put up with things of this kind until the average retailer fancieshe is real smart, and the meaner he is the smarter he will beconsidered. "

"But isn't it your experience that shippers do make mistakes, andoccasional overcharges are made?"

"Certainly it is; not very frequently, but occasionally such thingshappen to us. But I don't write the factories as if they werepickpockets, and as if these errors were intentional. In thirty years'experience I never knew a house refuse to correct an error, and whileI want all my discounts and extras to which I am entitled, I don'twant one cent more than that. If I do not pay bills when due I expectto be drawn on, and have to pay the cost of the draft. If interest isdemanded I pay it, and if it is not demanded I feel grateful to thehouse for letting me off. "

"I think gunsmiths a mighty touchy set of men to deal with. "

"They're no better and no worse than any one else. My neighbor told melast night that he had just received notice from an Iowa customer thathe would not take a bill of dry goods, just sent him, out of the depotbecause they were charged one-half cent too much. He claimed the billwas one-half cent a yard on everything higher than the price agreedupon between himself and the salesman. The house is one of the mostreputable in the State; the salesman is one of fifteen years'experience, and the prices are the same as he made to others in thattown and all along the route. He says the retailer kept no copy of theorder and goes entirely by guess. He does not write to ask the houseif there is a mistake or not, but shows his smartness by announcingthat he shall refuse to receive the goods. "

"What will they do with him?"

"Keen said the man owed them $700 on a past due note that they werecarrying at his request; he said they would compel him to pay it upclean at once, and never go near him again. I hope it will bother himright bad to raise the money. "

I apologized for having taken up so much of his time, but said I wouldbe sorry to go away and not have a small order to show for it. Icalled his attention to Flobert rifles, interested him in them, andfinally secured his order for a case. As we were finishing our talk ahappy-looking pair came in the door, and I took up the morning paperwhile Mr. Clark went forward and greeted one of them, a Mr. Healey, very cordially, as if he were a very old friend, and then Healey, hiseyes twinkling, said:

"Mr. Clark, let me introduce my friend, Mr. Fuller. He is known farand near as 'And Forged Fuller, and he is also the owner and patenteeof that celebrated washing compound, Fuller's Earth. "

Clark laughed heartily as he shook hands with Fuller, who said:

"I may say that my trade mark is 'Paragon;' heverybody hasks for it--"

"Yes, " broke in Healey, "and nobody buys it!"

"I may say, " said Fuller, placidly, "that Mr. Healey is wrong; Ifrequently sell a few. It's my trade mark, and known, I may say, inEngland as well as here. "

"Yes, " said Healey, "Fuller lives on both continents, and brings thesteel over in his grip. We have our examples at the hotel and shall beglad to have you come up there. Fuller don't care whether he sells ornot; he is rich and traveling only to keep down his flesh. "

Mr. Clark made an engagement with them and they went away. As theypassed out he said: "There goes one of the most genial-hearted men onthe road. I have known Charley Healey for about twenty years. He cameout here representing Hilger & Son, and built up a good trade for thatfirm. Hilger could not have done it in a thousand years. Then thatfirm and Wiebusch consolidated, and Healey looked after their Westernbusiness. I never met a buyer who was not his friend, and I imaginemost of them are, like myself, heavily in his debt for courtesiesextended to us, not by way of business, but as if he were underobligations to us. I say to you that a good many houses never suspectthe debt they are under to their traveling men, but look uponthemselves as the great magnet that draws trade, when nine out of tendealers care nothing whatever about the principals and buy entirelyout of regard for the salesman. "

I had heard many men speak in the same terms of Healey before, and Ihoped I should meet him at dinner. 

As I bade good-by to Mr. Clark and thanked him for the order given me, he said: "Somehow you do not seem like a stranger. "

I thanked him for that compliment most sincerely. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

Sunday to the commercial traveler, if to no others, is preeminently aday of rest. If there are stores open during week days he feels thathe ought to be at work, and if he gives himself an extra half-hour atnoon or evening his conscience pricks him. But upon the Sabbath thereis nothing to be done by way of business, unless in getting from onetown to another, and it is his rest day. 

I slept so late (I admit that I am always lazy whenever I dare be)that I fancied I would have the dining-room to myself, but I hadplenty of company. The hotel where I was had an excellent reputationon the road and was a favorite place at which to pass Sunday. I wasfortunate enough to meet here a hardware man from my own city whom Iknew well, and who had traveled long enough to know almost everybody. 

"How is trade?" was, of course, his first question. 

I had no bragging to do over my trade, for, it must be confessed, Iwas not sure that I had sold even half what I ought to have done. So Isaid, "My trade is only so-so. "

"Well, " said he, "I guess that is about as much as any of us can say. Times are tight. Goods are so infernal cheap and cost so little thatif you sell a man four or five pages it don't amount to anything indollars and cents. I was just telling White here--by the way, let meintroduce my friend, Mr. White; sells notions for Haff & Walbridge, New York. I was just telling White that I took a big order from ahouse yesterday, one covering six pages of note paper, and each itemcalling for fair quantities, and it amounted to $92. A few years agoit would have footed up $400. "

"It is so in every line, " said White, "everything is down, but we havenew lines every season, and keep up trade by having novelties. "

"What a chain-lightning genius Haff is!" exclaimed my frend. "Iremember when he traveled for Howard & Sanger; good-natured, voluble, energetic, and uneasy as a lump of mercury. Suddenly he blossomed outas an inventor, and he's kept on inventing ever since. I've beensurprised that the man who is father of so many children has notinvented a better nursing-bottle or colic exterminator. What's yourlast novelty?"

"Base balls. "

"Ye gods! Base balls! Well, you've got a mighty good man to fightagainst. "

"Who's that?"

"Taylor, of Bridgeport. I don't know when I've seen a man of more pushthan he. I believe he patented or invented the ball that Warner makes, and they placed him in charge of the ball department. He just hasballs on the brain; tosses them in his sleep; takes them to church andplays catch with the tenor, and keeps two balls in the air while hedrinks a cup of tea. That kind of a man is bound to succeed. "

"Is the base ball trade a large one?"

"Yes, it amounts to a good deal of money. Every notion dealer in thecountry carries more or less of them in stock. The ball that sells fora nickel is bought by the barrelful; such a ball is sold to thejobbers at 28 or 30 cents per dozen, and to the retailer at 35 to 40cents. Balls that retail at 10 to 25 cents are the best sellers, but afew good balls go in every bill. "

"How high do they run?"

"The best sewed balls retail at $1. 75 each, but the ordinary 'league'ball retails at $1. 50. Such a ball is sold to jobbers at $7 to $9 perdozen, except Spaulding's; he keeps his pretty stiff because he getsthem into the hands of the National League, and a certain class, because of that, will buy them and no other. "

"Is there any choice in the different makes?"

"Very little. Certain dealers get balls made with their name on andadvertise them as being superior to anything made, and very often themanufacturer cannot sell his own brand in the territory where theseare. You know people love to be fooled. "

As we went away from the table, we met a gentleman whom my friendintroduced as Mr. Hart, of Bradly & Smith, brush manufacturers, NewYork. Hart evidently was an old timer on the road, and knew the brushbusiness like a book. 

"Trade is fair, " said he, "but New York has to compete with brushfactories in every city now, whereas, twenty years ago, we had it ourown way. That was the time when my firm ran the Methodist Church andlaid out Asbury Park, N. J. It was easier to make $50, 000 a year thenthan it is to make $5, 000 now. "

I was struck with a point he made against a buyer for a large jobbinghouse. Some one had said that they bought in good quantities, ascompared with one of their competitors. "Yes, they buy in largerquantities, " said he, "but give me the other men. I sell them both, but here is an incident which tells the kind of big buyers yourfriends are. A year ago I had a new leather-back horse brush that Iwas selling at $9 a dozen. I showed it to B. 's buyer and it took hiseye at once. 'What is the best you will do if I take a quantity?' heasked. 'I would like to sell that at $9, and if I could do it I'd pushthem. ' I knew there was a good profit to us at $9, even where we soldin small lots, so I figured that in quantities we could sell at $7. 50. How many do you suppose he ordered?"

"Well, " said my friend, "knowing that it's mighty hard work to sell a$9 brush nowadays, I should say six dozen would be a good order. "

"Yes, so it would; I expected he would order six or eight dozen, buthe ordered twenty dozen. "

"The deuce he did! Did he sell them?"

"I was there yesterday and he had sixteen dozen and a half on hand. Idon't call that very shrewd buying. "

Sitting in the smoking room was a tall, slim, Yankee-looking sort of aman, who smoked in a nervous way, and when he talked seemed to speakwith great earnestness. He was introduced as Mr. Rockwell, a cutlerymanufacturer of Meriden, Conn. Somehow these Meriden men are allalike. They are great pushers in business, wire-pullers in politics, and in season and out of season stand by each other. If Wilcox andCurtiss and the Rockwell family were only guaranteed fifty years moreof life they would own the State of Connecticut. Rockwell wasdiscoursing upon pocket cutlery, and as it was a subject about which Iknew nothing, I took a back seat. 

"American manufacturers, " said he, "not only have to fight againstpoor foreign goods, but what is worse, they have to fight against themunder American names and labels. Thirty years ago if a man got up afancy brand he put 'Sheffield' on it; now this is changed; everythinghas to have at least an American name. The result is that Americangoods are damaged by foreign trash, which, having an American brand, is supposed to be American-made. A farmer buys a knife branded'Missouri Cutlery Shops, ' thinking he is getting an honest, home madearticle. The probabilities are that it was made in Germany, and is ofthe poorest quality. It does not give satisfaction; so he damnsAmerican goods and goes back to his old IXL. And when he gets a poorIXL knife, as he very frequently does, he swears it is bogus. "

"That's so, " said one of his friends. "I often hear men sighing forthe old knife of their daddies. "

"Why, here is a sample of the man in this letter. Let me read a fewlines. After mentioning our advertisement, he says:

 Now I have been hunting a good knife for twenty years, but too much "protective tariff" having shut out competition, we now only get such "pot-metal" cutlery as monopolists choose to give us; nice handles with hoop-iron or cast blades, not as good for $2 as the old "Barlow" knife boys could buy for a "bit" forty-five years ago. If yours are good I will be glad to get them, but if they are a cheat, I will call on you with a shot-gun, on my way to Canada, where I will then have to look for a good knife. 

"That man, " continued Rockwell, "believes what he says, probably, buta man of 45 who knows so little ought to be shut up in an idiotasylum. If we could have a law here as they do in England, permittingno goods to be labeled or branded as American-made unless they weremade here, such a man would hang his head with shame at his injusticeto home manufacturers. "

I liked to hear Rockwell talk; he had a way of giving a sentence in acrisp, sharp way, and then half shutting his eyes for a moment, as ifhe was waiting to see what the other fellow would say and be readywith an answer. 

My friend spoke of him with great enthusiasm, saying his house haddone business with him for many years, and looked upon Rockwell as oneof the most growing men in the trade. In talking with him afterwardabout pocket cutlery, he said to me: "No cutlery factory in thiscountry is paying a penny to its stockholders; we are looked upon bythe free-traders as coining money, but our men are averaging twice thewages of the English, and three times those paid by Germany, and thelabor is about eighty-five percent, of the cost of the pocket knife. The leading American makers turn out good goods, far above the averageEnglish or German; but the consumer is not able to tell whether he isusing an American or foreign-made knife, because of the habit ofbranding everything with American names, and we have to bear thecurse. "

"Why is it that Meriden people hang together so?" I asked. 

"Do we?" he asked, laughing. "Perhaps it is because they're all suchgood fellows. The rich men there, and there are a good many of them, have always been ready to help any enterprise that came to the townand could make a fair showing. You will find the same men stockholdersin a great many different companies; their salesmen help each other, and they are closely united socially. They work together and lovetheir city. "

I don't know any better eulogy to deliver upon a body of business men. 

Later in the day, a rather warm conversation near us drew us towardfive or six men who seemed to be growing excited. A traveling salesmanappeared to be giving a manufacturer some good advice. 

"You men, " said he, "seem to think you do a very smart thing when yougo to these big buyers and give them an extra 10 per cent. , but youdon't seem to be capable of learning that in doing this you arecutting your own throats. Only a few months ago I was talking toSimmons. 'I don't like these low prices, ' said he, 'nor to haveeverything down so close to cost; we can't get extra discounts as wecan when prices are higher; the most we can get now under ordinarycircumstances is 2-1/2 to 5 per cent. ' 'How much do you think youought to get?' I asked him. 'Ten per cent. , at least, ' said he. "

"But he doesn't get it, " said the manufacturer. 

"Oh yes, he does, on a good deal of his stock. He must get it on yourgoods or he would not be quoting them at the price we pay you forthem. We paid you $3. 60 for the last lot we bought, and I saw aquotation from him on your goods at $3. 62. He is no fool; he does notsell goods at cost. When I saw his quotation my price was $3. 60 andwill be $3. 60 until we clean your goods from our shelves, and it willbe a good while before any more of the same brand ever go back thereagain. "

"But that is all nonsense, " said the other, "he buys the goods atexactly the same price your house does. "

"Then it is time we quit them. If we have no protection on your goodswe want to drop them. "

"That's pretty tough, " said the other, half disposed to be angry. "Ihave no control over your prices; I sell your house as I sell him; Iadvertise the goods so that the jobber could make a profit if hewould, but if he won't I cannot compel him to do it. The jobber has noidea of anything but to beat his competitor in buying and then beathim in cutting the price. Nothing counts in business but a 'cut. ' Idon't know where we are going to. "

"Well, " said my friend, "suppose we go to dinner. "

CHAPTER XIX. 

A number of traveling men around a Sunday dinner-table, when they feelsure it is going to be a good dinner, is about as entertaining acompany as any business man would care to be in. Jokes are necessarilyplenty; stories fly about freely, but the man must be verythick-headed who does not pick up bits of information that he is thebetter for knowing. 

At our table were represented knit goods, groceries, cutlery, hardware, crockery, and guns. When the the jokes had flowed about, andfirms were being discussed, I heard the dry-goods man say: "Yes, sir, if I wanted to point out two of the longest-headed men who foresaw thecoming change in doing business I would mention Butler Bros. , ofChicago and New York. I used to sell them notions when they were inBoston, and they were nice men to do business with. It's harder tosell them to-day, for the buyer has grown hardened and cuts to thequick. " "They were the 5-cent counter men, were they not?"

"Yes, 5, 10, and 25 cent counter goods was their hobby, and it beatthe great horn spoon to see how the thing spread. Every littlecross-roads store had its 5 and 10 cent counters, and manufacturersand jobbers cut in prices to cater to it. Of course it could attractattention only by offering bargains. If a dealer put on his 25-centcounter only such goods as he had been selling at 25 cents, no onewould have patronized it. The point in his mind was to attractattention by the bargains he could show. He could make a fair profiton the whole lay-out, but perhaps one-third of the stock was soldvery close. Under ordinary circumstances a dealer paying 20 cents foran article would sell it at 30 to 40, but now it went on the 25-centcounter. "

"But it hurt regular trade. "

"Yes, it did to this extent, that it led men to dabble in things notin their own line. The dealer was apt to do the most cutting in suchgoods as were not in his regular line. He was inclined to be stiff onhis own goods, but say he was a dry-goods dealer, it did not hurt himto cut on tin dippers, wash-basins, wooden-ware, etc. So when thehardware men followed with their cheap counters they were mostinclined to cut on notions, and in fact the cheap-counter business hasvery much to do in the mixing up of trades and the demoralization ofprices. "

"Don't you think it was the basis of department stores?"

"Yes, I do. Men saw that their small line of crockery, or tinware, orstationery sold well, and they increased the assortment, and finallyled up to the 'department' idea. "

"How is this 5-cent counter business managed? I mean, how are thesales made?"

"Largely in assortments; for instance, if you pick up advertisementsof the houses making a specialty of such goods, you will find thatthey offer assortments for a certain amount of money. They give thegoods in detail; the dozen price of each article, the quantity sent inthe assortment, the cost to the dealer, and the total retail price. Ofcourse if the dealer is just starting out in such goods the entireassortment is what he wants, but if he is in it already the listenables him to buy just those things he needs. You'd be surprised tosee the profit there is in these things, even in the present hardtimes. For instance, I saw an assortment of 5-cent goods consisting of167 dozen articles which would retail, as you can figure, for $100. 20;cost to the dealer, $60; profit, $40. 20, or 67 per cent, on theinvestment. "

"Let's go into the 5-cent business, " said the cutlery man

"Better start a knife-stand on the street. Do you make goods forstreet-men?"

"No; they handle the cheapest Dutch trash. "

"Where do they get it?"

"In New York and Philadelphia. Seven or eight years ago some streetfakir got hold of a showy two-blade penknife at about $2 a dozen. Hetook his stand on the street and they went off readily at 25 cents. The business seemed to spread all over the country like wild-fire, andespecially during the fair season. Jobbers in the inland cities werecleaned out of stock they looked upon as dead and worthless. Ofcourse, as soon as this demand was felt houses began to prepare tosupply it. At first the fakirs were willing to pay $2 per dozen, butwhen new stocks came out cuts were made and the prices steadily wentdown. "

"What do they pay now?"

"These 25-cent tables do not cost, on an average, $1. 50 per dozenknives. They get out a very handsome-looking two-blade knife, in boneor ebony handle, for $1. 32 per dozen; a good-looking jack-knife for$1. 40 to $1. 75; pearl handle penknives for $1. 75 to $2. "

"Are they worth a cent?"

"Not to cut with. They sell by the eye entirely; handles and bladesare well finished, and they seem to be worth a good deal more than theprice asked for them. "

"We had quite a run with some of these men on revolvers, " said thehardware man. "We had a wood handle 32-caliber that cost 85 cents--agood pistol. A seedy-looking fellow bought two or three hundred fromus. His plan was to go into a shop, saloon, or store, and in aconfidential way tell the boss or clerk that he was dead broke andwould sell his $5 revolver for $2. 50. At that time the averagegunsmith was asking $3. 50 to $5 for a common revolver, and he soldenough every day to make him good wages. "

"Thank goodness!" said the grocer, "we don't have these snide affairsin our line. "

"No, people have to give your goods away. It's samples of soap, samples of tobacco, samples of tea, samples of baking-powder, etc. , etc. , from morning till night. It's a mighty mean line that has to begiven away. "

"This giving away, " said the crockery man, "has made a big hole in ourbusiness. Some one suddenly discovered that crockery would be a takingthing to help work off poor goods. Of course, the home jobberbenefited by it for a very short time, and then the New York importersstepped in and took the cream. Baking-powder men, coffee-grinders, teahouses, and others sent out crockery, and people, got so much of itfor nothing they had no excuse for buying any. "

"I doubt if it really hurts us much in the long run, " said the Meridenman. "Here was a baking-powder concern in Ohio that offered a set, consisting of fifty-one pieces, of silver-plated ware with every caseof their own goods. If you had read their advertisement you would havebeen sure that Rogers never turned out any better goods than thesethey were giving away. But the fifty-one pieces cost them just $7. 50!They used a good many thousand sets. The table caster was worth about70 cents. You can imagine the quality! Now, I hold that in the longrun cheap stuff will help good goods. People who have it will getdisgusted with it, and will replace it with reliable ware, while ifthey had never had the trash they would not have had their own consentto buy the better goods. "

"Perhaps the most wonderful thing about business today, " was said, "isthe amount of information given in circulars, price lists andadvertisements. I can remember twenty years back where a price listsimply gave you the briefest statement of the article, sometimes thesize, but oftener not, and the price. Nowadays an ordinary list is amine of information. I remember having reached the conclusion that oneof the things particularly needed was a circular for the consumerabout the way to strop and take care of a razor. I could not find asyllable on the subject in any English or American price list. I wroteto four manufacturers for points, but received the briefest of repliesand no practical help. I sat down to write the circular. Did yougentlemen ever try your hand at such a job?"

No one had. 

"Then I just want you to try it once, and you will believe what I tellyou, that it will be about as tough a job as you ever undertook. I hadbeen selling razors for ten or twelve years; I had talked withbarbers, as you all have; I had heard customers talk; I had heardshrewd remarks and silly remarks; I had heard manufacturersoccasionally drop a hint, and now I was to sit down and evolve out ofmy memory and experience a circular on the subject that would be ofbenefit to every one handling a razor. "

"How did you make out?"

"Well, perhaps the best answer to that is the fact that our firm sendsout the circular to-day just as I wrote it eight years ago. But Istarted to speak of the large amount of information you find incirculars and advertising nowadays. Advertising is much more of ascience than it was. Pick up a decent trade paper and the ordinaryadvertisement is full of shrewd points for those handling the goods, that cannot help being of immense value to retailers. And I can callyour attention to this: these advertisements, these shrewd ones, arealways written by men who have been traveling salesmen. Such men knowthe points that ought to be brought out. "

"Yes, " said the dry-goods man, "how is this, cut from theadvertisement of a list of five-cent counter goods. Don't you believethe man who wrote this knew the soft side of a retailer?" And he read:

 HOW TO DO IT. 

 Bundle up some of the unseasonable goods that are taking up valuable counter space, and put them away on the shelves. By this economy of space, and with the possible addition of a temporary counter, you have gained room enough to admit of the introduction of a "5c, 10c or 25c counter. " The next thing to do is to send to some reliable jobber for a bill of staple household sellers, with which you can mix hundreds of articles from your own stock; then send out a little circular ("dodger") to the over-anxious inhabitants, telling them of a few of the articles to be found on your "Cheap Counter, " and they will respond as readily as though you had sent them free tickets to the circus. It matters not that they have not seen one of these counters before, there will be the same rush--the same scramble for first choice--the same telling of friends about bargains bought; and instead of sitting around waiting for the advent of spring, you will have pocketed a nice profit from your cheap counter, besides having worked off any amount of odds and ends that might have been in your store five years, and would have remained five years longer had not this modern wonder made an exit for them. 

"That sounds mighty like Ed. Butler, " said the dry-goods man. 

CHAPTER XX. 

Occasionally a traveling salesman meets at the hotel or on the trainthe head of some large house, who is making a trip for special reasonsof his own. Such a man is always sure to be affable with every one, but he is especially conciliatory to the salesmen he meets on hisroute. Perhaps this is due to the fact that he is a stranger and theseold travelers can help him, if they are so inclined, or it may be forthe purpose of leading them to be talkative with him, and in that talkhe can gather points that will be of value to him. Whatever the causemay be, there is no question as to the fact. But the talkativeness isnot always on one side. I have met wholesale merchants on the road whowould talk freely and tell me more about themselves and their businessin one evening, while we sat in a country hotel, than they would havedone in five years of ordinary intercourse in the city. 

The man who sits in the house all the year falls into several errors. One is in thinking that people are anxious to buy of him, and that histraveling men ought to find it very easy to get an order in almostevery store. Another error is in believing that the orders come solelybecause of the firm's popularity, rather than of any merit in thesalesman. I suppose there are goods so well advertised that, in alarge measure, they sell themselves; but, outside of patent medicines, I can not now recall one such item. 

We were talking of this, half a dozen of us, while in the smoking-room Sunday evening, and one of us said: "The best man to work for, ifyou do your level best, is a man who has been on the road himself. Such a man always knows where and when allowances must be made fordull trade, and for cutting of prices. The man who always makes themost trouble, and who was fore-ordained to be a dashed fool, is thebook-keeper. The balancing of his little gods of books is of moreaccount, in his eyes, than is the sale of a bill of goods. And havingthe ear of the firm he usually gets permission to do any piece ofdashed foolishness that he suggests. But next to him is the merchant, who never steps out of his own door to try to sell a bill, or themanufacturer who runs his little shop in a one-horse way and nevergoes out to see what others are doing, or learn what consumers aresaying about his goods. I once traveled for such an old block-head, and, as I started off on a trip, I advised him to discontinue making acertain article, telling him it was out of date and could only beworked off on greenhorns in business. I guess I was as much interestedin getting them off as if they were my own, and I lost no chance ofworking in a few wherever I could. The same amount of work on salablegoods would have paid big money. Well, when I got home, may I neverbreathe, if that old ass hadn't taken my sales as evidence of the bigdemand for the goods and was piling up the store-house with the samestock!"

"Yes, " said another, "but the man who sits in his office usually makesthe biggest mistake in supposing that he is a great deal smarter thanthe men he sells. Because he is a peg higher in trade, as jobber, importer, or manufacturer, he imagines he is also greater in ability, and he has no hesitancy in advising these poor devils about theirbusiness. I was selling scythes several years ago, and worked for justsuch a man as I have been describing. He was a good mechanic, butpig-headed; goods must be made and finished a certain way, becausethat was the way they had been made for thirty years. The result waswe were losing our trade. I knew he was blaming me for the tradefalling off, so I persuaded him to make a flying trip with me toBuffalo, Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit and Chicago. The dealers atBuffalo were rather old fogy, and we got our order there from ourregular customer, but when we struck Cleveland I saw the old man openhis eyes. It was one of Blossom's off-days, so he didn't waste muchtime on us, but said he didn't want any of our goods. Deming hadn'tgot into silver mining, so we couldn't get an order from him by buyinga share of stock, but Van was about half-full, and he opened up on us. Then Toledo piled it on. There were four jobbing houses there in ourline, but not one would buy. I knew one buyer pretty well. After wehad been the rounds we came back to his place, and I asked him to tellus frankly how we could get some of his trade. He gave in detail theideas that were current among retailers and consumers regarding shapeand finish of scythes, putting it down in a clear-headed way, so thata baby could have understood him, but showing the shrewdness of a manwho was studying all the points in connection with his trade. It didthe business. We went up to Detroit, and had a long talk with CharlieFletcher, and the old man bought a lot of samples and went home. On mynext trip, you can bet, I had salable goods. "

"You can study a man as he is only when you see him in his own store, "said a third. "When a country merchant comes into Chicago, and walksinto your store, he is very desirous that you shall be pleasantlyimpressed by him; so he puts on his best manners. You are on yournative heath, you are surrounded by your clerks, and you areconsiderable of a man in a city of big men, while he realizes he is avery small toad in a little country puddle. But just put the shoe onthe other foot, and go into his store. Now, he is on his own ground;you are asking favors of him in the shape of orders, and all the pettysmartness comes out, if there is any in him. It is an opportunity thatpermits a mean man to be his meanest, and draws out of a generous, kindly soul all the milk of human kindness there is in his heart. "

"Well, " said a dry-goods man, "there are a good many kinds of men inthe world, but the man who makes me fighting mad is in Pittsburg. He'smost infernally polite, but he never wants anything. As I go back tohis desk he is either reading or writing. I say: 'Good morning, Mr. Blane, ' and hand him my card. He scarcely looks at it, but in the mostsolemn and dignified way says: 'We do not need anything in your lineto-day. ' Then I open up on my leading items: 'I have a very nice lineof novelties in so-and-so. ' He looks off from his paper to say: 'Weare full of so-and-so to-day, ' then goes to reading again. 'I havesome desirable patterns in new goods in silks. ' He looks up to say, 'We have enough silks for the present. ' 'I can give you special priceson hairpins. ' He looks up again to say: 'Our stock of hairpins isfull. ' And then I bow myself out. I asked the boss one day if he eversold the firm when he was on the road. He said he did once. Blane wasout of town and he sold his partner. Still, I call on him every time Igo to Pittsburg. "

"Pittsburg? Oh, that's where Joe Horne hangs out. "

"Who's Joe Horne?"

"Why, Joe is the man whose orders are as well known in the west asWillimantie thread. Every New York drummer stops at Pittsburg, andevery dry-goods man sells Joe Horne, or says he does, so that now, west of the Mississippi, the first greeting given a drummer is, 'Showus Joe Horne's order. ' Joe must be a very good fellow to give hisorders so impartially. "

"Did you know Luce?" one dry-goods man asked the other. 

"Luce, of Toledo? I should say I did. "

"He was a tough man to tackle unless he felt just right. They tell ofa put-up job on a drummer who used to call on him. He couldn't manageever to get an order out of Luce. One day he said to a friend, whoalways sold Luce, 'How is it that you succeed and I fail? I sell thebest trade in the country and to a good many men that you don't sell;now, why is it I can't catch on to Luce?' The other asked, 'Do youever talk politics to him?' 'No. ' 'Well, that's his soft side. He's aregular old moss-back, Vallandigham Democrat. If you want to succeed, go in on that line. ' His friend thanked him, and the next time he wentto Toledo he felt better. Luce wanted no goods, as usual. Then Mr. Traveling Man opened on politics. He remarked that all over the Statethere was a good show for burying the d--d Republicans that election. Luce glared at him in speechless wonder. Then Mr. Drummer launched outon the infernal meanness of the Republican leaders, but by this timeLuce was ready for him, and the way that poor devil was talked towould make you sorry. When he next saw his friend there came prettynear being a fight, but the friend thought it too good a joke to keepand told Luce. No one enjoyed a joke better than Mr. Luce, and, bythunder, the next time the man called on him he gave him a good order, and they were the best of friends afterwards. "

"I often wonder if any one ever fools a man equal to the way he foolshimself. I always laugh over a customer of mine in Cincinnati whoalways insists he must have 'a leetle adwantage. ' The boys on the roadlike Old Pap and laugh over his 'leetle adwantage. ' He says: 'I musthaf a leetle adwantage ofer New York and Philadelphy. They ton't payno freight. They get their goods at their door; I must haf a leetleadwantage to cover the freight. ' The old man has this so firmly fixedin his head that we have to humor him by giving him 'a leetleadwantage. '"

"Some men think that in giving an order all they need to do is tostate their own terms and time, and every one will dance to theirtune. A concern in the Northwest that failed (and they ought to), usedto write their orders on a blank that was headed:

 All prices guaranteed. Privilege of increasing, decreasing, or countermanding No charge for boxing or drayage. 

"How was that for smartness?"

"You say they failed?"

"They did. "

"They ought to have got rich!"

"Yes, they are a fair type of the average buyer; it's cut here, screwdown there, pare over yonder. No matter what your price may be, it'salways, 'What are you going to do for me?' as if he must have aspecial cut. I showed Hibbard & Spencer's buyer a new tool the otherday, and gave him my price. `What's the best you can do?' I told himthat was the best I could do. 'But what is your price to Hibbard &Spencer?' As though every salesman must have laid away in a snugcorner, a special price for that important firm! `I have given you myprice; it is the best I can do with anyone. ' They are not willinganyone shall make a cent but themselves; they want the whole apple, and are not willing to give the manufacturer the core. "

CHAPTER XXI

When I reached T. I had a very disagreeable duty before me, namely, tofix a misunderstanding with a customer. The house had written me:"Atkinsen & Co. Bought a bill last October from Ned on 60 days' time;goods went exactly as ordered. When the bill became due we sent astatement, with a mem. That if not heard from in ten days we woulddraw. In reply they sent us a letter saying the goods were sold themunder arrangement by which they are to be paid for when sold, and thatwe had better hold our draft, etc. We wrote that we did not do thatkind of business; that our terms were plainly stated on the invoice, and that upon receipt of that, if not correct, they should havenotified us at once. To this they sent a 'Smart Aleck' letter, andwhen we drew on them allowed our draft to be returned. Settle thematter up; take back the goods, if no better way suggests itself, butclose it up. And close up our deal with them; they are the kind of menwe do not want to do business with. "

To be ordered to get money out of a slow customer is bad enough, butto have to settle an account with a mean one is a thousand timesworse. The slow customer is usually ready to dun himself, and full ofapologies for his slowness, but the "Smart Aleck" who wants to besmall has a hundred arguments ready at hand to prove that he is a verysuperior person who proposes to stand on his rights. Every travelingman has such customers as this "on his list, " and is occasionallycalled upon to tackle them. 

I had made up my mind that I would find Atkinson rather tall and slim, but he wasn't; he was a pleasant-looking man, and I handed out my cardas if I had called around to sell him a big bill. His face lost someof the smile when he saw the firm's name, but I began to talk of tradeand the weather, and kept it up until I had forced him into anappearance of being sociable. Eventually I led the talk around to hisstock and was fully prepared for his decisive "We do not need any. " Imentioned guns, rifles, cartridges, caps--everything--but he was full. I was determined that he should introduce the subject of the account, and this he did when I made a move as if to go. 

"Did your house tell you about our account?"

"They told me to stick to all the money I could get, " I said, pleasantly. 

"Have you a statement of our account with you?"

"I think I have. " And I appeared to be searching for it, though, ofcourse, I knew the exact page and line it was on. "Here it is:$43. 30. "

He went to his ledger, found it correct, I suppose, and then from hiscash drawer counted out the amount and asked for a receipt. I gave himone, thanked him for the money, and then remarked that I was sorrythere had been any misunderstanding about the terms. 

"I like to see a house live up to its agreement, " he said, in a surlytone. 

"Don't we?"

"No, sir; these goods were to be paid for when sold. "

"But the invoice is plainly marked sixty days; why didn't you reportsuch an agreement when you received the invoice?"

"I don't care for the invoice. Don't I get any amount of invoiceswhere all of the discount does not show? When I pay them I deduct theextra, and that is the end of it. "

I concluded a little plain talk would neither do us or him any harm;he was probably in a state of mind that would prevent him buying of usvery soon again. I said: "I am satisfied that you have been longenough in business to know that staple goods, such as you had from us, are never sold on any such terms as you state you bought these at. Imade inquiries about you of your neighbors, and every one said theyhad misunderstandings with you, and are not on good terms with you, and if I could see your correspondence I am pretty sure I would findwe are not the only house out of town that you have had just suchdisputes with. I simply say to you, and for your own good, Mr. Atkinson, that you are making a mistake. My orders from my house werenot to sell you, and while I know you can get along without us, youcan't afford to keep driving houses away from you without hurtingyourself. I'm obliged to you for paying me; that is all I came in herefor. "

He told me that I and my house could go to the devil, and in thatpleasant frame of mind we parted. I suppose I cut down the bridgebetween him and us, but I venture to say other houses had the benefitof my frankness. 

I spoke of this to an old traveling man whom I met at the hotel. "Yes, " said he, "there's too much coddling among us all. We smoothover this, and give in on that, and the result is we make it all theeasier for the fellow to be small the next time. I'm selling axes, and, of course, I have to warrant them. Do you warrant guns?"

"Not to speak of. "

"Then you ought to thank your stars. Warranting is the most infernaldevice ever brought out to make men mean and dishonest. I put it downto the dealer, when I sell him, in the plainest way I know how, thatwe warrant an ax only against being soft or breaking from a plainflaw. When I come around in the spring he pulls from under the countertwo or three or more rusty axes that he hands to me, with the remarkthat "here are some poor ones. " I pick up an ax and find some idiotground it as thin as a razor, and the edge broke out so that it lookslike a saw, I ask him what is the matter with it. 'Too hard; brittle asglass. ' 'But I didn't warrant against being too hard. ' 'But you expectyour axes to stand, don't you?' 'This would stand if ground properly. ''Oh, yes; you fellows always have some loop-hole to get out of yourwarrant. ' This rather staggers me, so I pick up the next one. 'What isthe matter with this?' 'Soft. ' As I hold the edge to the light I cansee a slight bend in the bit. The man who used it had it stick, and inhis efforts to loosen it, he had given it such a terrible wrench thatthe edge had bent a trifle. To a man knowing anything of the propertemper of an ax the fact of that slight bend is in its favor, and thework of grinding it out would have been much less than it was toremove the helve. But I pass that, as there is no use to argue that aslight twist does not show soft temper, and I pick up the third one. It has a corner broken off; the break is still bright, but I am calmlytold there was a bad flaw there. I start to explain why I know, fromthe shape of the break that there was no flaw, but he twits me againwith wanting to go back on my warrant, and I stop right there. Now, this is the history of nine out of ten transactions. The retailertakes back everything a customer brings back for fear of losing thatcustomer's trade. The jobber takes back from the retailer, knowing itis unjust, but he is afraid that any hesitancy on his part will damagehis trade. And the poor devil of a manufacturer takes it off thejobber's hands and cannot help himself. There is a deuced lot ofcowardice in business nowadays. It goes back through the dealers tillit reaches the consumer, and it encourages him to make any kind ofclaim he sees fit to cover his negligence, ignorance, ormaliciousness. "

Sitting in the cars that evening, I overheard a traveling man say: "Ifind it a little bit harder each week to leave home. I have a littlegirl of three, and I see so little of her it makes me discontented. Her mother knows just what time I ought to come up the street, and sheand the baby are watching for me at that hour every Saturday evening. When they see me the little one comes running to meet me. Herexcitement and her running just take her breath away, so that when shegets to me she cannot speak a word. But she can squeeze me and kissme. How I do hang on to her all the time I'm at home! I go to bed twonights in the week like a man should. I wake up to find those littlearms around me! And on Monday morning I have to pull myself away. Itell you it's almighty hard. "

His voice had a tremor in it, as if a very little encouragement wouldbring tears. 

"Yes, " said the other, "it is hard. I've been there. I had a girl sixyears old that was to me all yours is to you, and all she ever can be. I started off one Monday morning leaving her as happy as a lark. OnWednesday I was telegraphed to come in, and when I got home Thursdaymorning she didn't know me. Just as long as she could speak she keptasking for me. I never start out on a Monday morning but that I thinkof her, and I never walk toward the house Saturday night that I do notmiss her. I don't know, but it seems to me that a traveling man has nobusiness to have a wife and family. "

"I never knew you had lost a child, " said the other; "if I should losemy baby I believe I would go insane. "

"Oh, no, you wouldn't; you would do just as every one else does; you'dgo on and suffer. But the men that can be with their families sevendays in the week ought to thank their God every hour of the day. "

"I travel a good deal by team, " said a third, "and am frequentlydriving as late as 10 or 11 o'clock at night. As I go along the roadand see the light shining out of the windows, and see family groups intheir homes, gathered around the lamp, I tell you, boys, I gethomesick. It's the time of day I want to be at home with my family. Ienvy every man I see in such a home, and I contrast his condition, surrounded with his wife and children, and a long night of rest beforehim, with my work. I finish up my day at a late hour at night, thenperhaps have to get up at an unearthly hour in the morning to catch atrain. There's mighty little poetry in this kind of a life. "

"But, after all, " said the first speaker, "our wives suffer the most. They have the responsibility of the home and children on theirshoulders all the time, and they worry more or less over us. My wifenever sees a boy coming to the door with a circular but she thinks hehas a dispatch saying I am either maimed or killed in a railroadaccident. Then if the children are sick she has to shoulder the burdenalone, and it is all the greater because she always tortures herselfby believing that she must be in some way to blame. I tell you ourwives have the hardest part to bear. "

"That's so, " came from several. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

In a traveling man's experience no two days are exactly alike, and yetthere is a monotony in the story of a trip because the history of oneday is so much like the history of everyday. We sell to different menin different towns but the arguments on both sides are very much thesame with all men. It is but rarely that a merchant admits that heneeds anything in our line until after a certain amount of preliminarycoaxing, and he never admits that prices are low enough. 

Some buyers meet one pleasantly, and are perhaps all the moredisappointing. Their manner seems to promise success, but the resultis failure. Other men start in rather snappish, as if the salesman wasa nuisance, but gradually grow sociable, and if they give him an orderhe is forever their friend. He can not take "no" for an answer, because his experience tells him that the majority of buyers start outwith a "no, " and end by buying a bill. He must be persistent, becausehe has heard numberless times, "I will look at your samples if it isany comfort to you, but I won't buy, " and in nine cases out of ten hehas taken the man's order after all. 

The longer he is out on the road the easier his work grows, but it isnot always true that his orders continue to grow larger. Friendshipwith buyers work two ways: the salesman may be able to press them tobuy in a stronger manner than a stranger would dare do, and on theother hand the buyer can the easier put the salesman off. When hesays: "You know well that if there was a thing in your line that wewanted you would get the order, but there is none, " the salesman hasto take it gracefully and hope for better luck next time. But astranger, in the same line, calling there the next day, and mentioningeach item in his list, may secure an order, and at no better pricethan the buyer's acquaintance would have given. 

For these reasons I have not given details of my trip so far as theyconcerned my own sales. It is enough to say that I was doing fairlywell, not only in selling goods, but in making "valuableacquaintances. " My house wrote me very pleasant letters, praising thecharacter as well as the amount of my orders, and I looked to my goingin with such anticipations of pleasure that the last six days of thetrip seemed to have more hours than any arithmetic table of time everput into them. Partly to kill time, and partly to make myself more"solid" with buyers, I spent nearly every evening with some of mycustomers, and listened to many bits of experiences that were worthmore than money to me. 

One merchant said to me in his talk: "I have bought a great many goodsof Wiebusch, and feel as much at home in his store as I do in anyplace outside of my own. And, while I do it because of dollars andcents, still there is something back of these that always turns thescales in his favor when his prices are no lower than his competitors. Twenty years ago I was clerk for a hardware house in the West, andabout as ordinary a one as could be. One summer I made a trip East tovisit some friends, and concluded to give myself a treat by taking aday or two in New York. I knew no one in the city personally; I knewthe names of the houses my employers bought from, and for some reasonthat of F. Weibusch seemed most familiar. I put up at the HoffmanHouse. I laugh every time I think of it. "

"Did you feel overpowered?"

"That's exactly the word. I was awfully overpowered. I had been usedto dropping into the little country hotels where the landlord andclerk were at your service, and where you had to black your own boots, and carry your baggage around. When I dropped into the Hoffman with mygrip in hand, and wrote my name in the register, and saw theoverwhelming indifference in the eyes of the lordly clerk, I assureyou I felt as small a potato as ever grew in a hill. I never feltquite so small and mean in all my life. "

"How did you get around?"

"I got to the hotel about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I sat down inthe office and tried to get my spirits up to the pitch of mysurroundings, but it was a dismal failure. I felt that I was 'country'from crown to heel, and I was terribly uncomfortable. I happened tothink of some familiar names, and among others of Mr. Wiebusch. Thedirectory gave me his address, a porter posted me on street-cars andthe way to Beekman street, and in due time I presented myself at thedoor. I felt timid about going in. I was only a clerk; I had nobusiness on hand; I would simply be taking up some of their time inthe store, and with no profit to them. But I went up stairs, and aftertelling a clerk who I was and whom I was connected with, was by himintroduced to Mr. Wiebusch. "

"And your reception was a pleasant one?"

"You may judge so when I assure you that I remember it vividly andkindly to this day, and shall always do so. He could not have beenmore cordial to the head of the largest house he dealt with. 'Cordial, ' mind you; not simply polite or pleasant. I was made to feelthat I had paid him a compliment by calling upon him; that everythingabout the place was at my disposal; and that I could do him a stillgreater favor by permitting him to do something more for me. Now thatwas real kindness of heart; it was genuine courtesy, and I went backto my hotel not caring a continental d--m whether the clerk saw me ornot. "

"Did you make other calls?"

"Yes; the next day I called on a dozen houses, more or less, and waspleasantly met everywhere; I remember that; but I don't recall thename of a single one of them! You can see by this, from thedistinctness with which I recall everything connected with my visit toMr. Wiebusch, what a relief to me his kindness was. "

"Do you still go to the Hoffman?"

"Not a bit of it. When next I went to New York I was partner in thehouse and the Cosmopolitan or French's were plenty good enough for methen. "

"Are there many men on the road now that were traveling then?"

"Not a great many. Sam Disston was here to-day; he's one of the oldstand-bys, and he doesn't look a day older now. These red whiskeredmen have the advantage of such fellows as you and I. I've grown grayin spots, but here's Sam still as red as when he first came outsnapping a Disston saw. I'd like to have Sam to myself some Sundayafternoon and get him to tell the ups and downs of his goods. Henryused to talk saw and shout saw and swear saw, but he always sold them. I hung on to Spear & Jackson about as long as anyone did in thissection, but I had to finally give in, and I was an ass for not takinghold of the Disston saw sooner. "

"It's a high-priced saw, isn't it?"

"The Disston factory makes all kinds of saws. Look at this saw--pretty neat, isn't it? Full size, 26-inch blade; good handle; what doyou suppose it is worth?"

"I know nothing of saws; I couldn't guess. "

"Yes, you can guess. You know whether it looks worth 5 cents or $5. "

"Well, say $1. 50. "

"That's close. You are a good guesser on saws. I buy that of Disstonfor $3 per dozen. "

"What! A Disston saw?"

"I didn't say a Disston saw. It is made by Disston, but their name isnot on it, nor is it any such quality as they would brand with theirname. But they have a tremendous trade in goods on which their namenever appears. I guess they are the largest saw manufacturers in theworld. "

"Disston must have an easy job. "

"Don't you fool yourself. Sam has just as hard a job as you have. Inthe first place much is expected from him; then his goods beingstandard, are sold close by all jobbers, and they are inclined to pushother makes, which can be bought cheaper. And on cheap goods it isentirely a matter of price, so he has to meet all the competition ofevery saw-maker in the country. I don't believe he has any easier jobthan you, or any other traveling man has. "

After selling a couple of cases of cartridges to a wholesale grocerone evening, he was led to tell of his early days, and I learned thatno one trade contained all the shrewd men. Said he, "I once felt thatour house was a very important one, and about as large as the State ofMichigan. But one July I went down to New York, and sauntered intoThurber's, on West Broadway. I didn't expect to buy anything, but Ithought Thurber would feel complimented by such a man as myselfcalling upon him. Their lower room looked rather busy, but not anymore so than I expected, but when I got up stairs and found myselffacing from fifty to seventy-five clerks I began to think Thurber'swas a bigger business than mine. A boy led me to H. K. Thurber'sprivate office, but there were several men ahead of me and I waited myturn. The longer I waited the smaller I kept growing. Mr. Thurber'sface was one that you could study. One moment it lit up with a smileor happy thought, the next his mouth closed with a snap as if it wasthe combination lock of a safe-door. At his table was a chair for `thenext, ' and I felt as if `next' was going to be called out whenever Isaw a man getting ready to arise. It was a pleasure to watch Thurber. The new-comer took his place in the vacated chair, told who he was, what was his business, and Thurber had a 'yes' or a 'no' ready beforethe man was through. 'We don't want it' came out sharp and decisive. 'But if I could--. ' 'We don't want it;' and this time the mouth closedtighter, and the man saw there was no 'buts, ' and bowed himself out. Then to the next, and if his luck was better the bell was touched, andthe boy who answered told: 'Show this gentleman to Mr. Whyland. ' Herea letter was placed before him by a clerk, and after a glance at it ananswer was dictated to the stenographer, who sat in a corner nearby. Long before it was my turn to bother him I felt so cheap that I wouldhave sneaked off, but I was afraid some of the boys would take me bythe collar and drag me back. Mr. Thurber met me pleasantly, and said afew words about our business that told me he knew something about us, and professed to be very much pleased at my call. Then he sent for Mr. Whyland and insisted upon my allowing him to show me about the store. Whyland had but lately returned from his European trip, and was justaching all over to sell goods. You know how that is, don't you? Takeany good salesman who has been out of the harness for awhile and whenhe gets back again to work there's more enjoyment in selling a bill ofgoods than in drinking a bottle of champagne. I swore to myself that Iwouldn't buy a cent's worth, but before I got away from Whyland I wasdown for $13, 000 worth of goods. "

"Whew! It was a dear visit. "

"Not at all. I needed the goods and bought them low, so that it wasall right. But Whyland turned me over to Frank Thurber. Frank is thepolitician of the concern; the greenback, anti-monopoly, mugwump man!He beamed on me as if he was Venus rising out of the sea; patted me onthe back; said I would own all of Michigan in a few years, and he wascoming out to get some points from us wide-awake Westerners; thenfilled my pockets with his anti-monopoly speeches and papers, led meto the top of the stairs, gave me his benediction, and I left. It wasan experience. No opera that I ever listened to, no ball that I everattended, contained so much genuine pleasure for me as I got out ofthat visit. But I went away satisfied that our house had still room togrow before it would be the biggest in the trade. It does a man goodto see what a small concern he is occasionally. "

CHAPTER XXIII. 

"I can tell you one thing, " said a hardware man to me, "there is agood deal of forcing down of prices done by traveling men that isentirely uncalled for. Here comes a man to me selling auger-bits. I amfull, and I tell him so. He enlarges on the superior quality of hisgoods. I admit them to be good, but my stock is too full for me tothink of adding to it. He thinks it possible there will be an advance, as at 70 and 5 per cent. Off the list there is a positive loss to themaker. I have no fears of an immediate advance, and say so. Then hesays: 'Mr. X. , I am very anxious to get a small order from you; tradeis not very brisk with me, and, as an inducement, I will give you anextra 5 per cent. ' Knowing this to be lower than others are quoting, and feeling well satisfied that the goods are liable to advance ratherthan decline, when they change, I make out an order for him. But howis he going to justify that cut to his factory? It was absolutelyuncalled for. It was not done to meet competition, but to beatcompetition, and was simply a bait to lead me to order when otherwiseI would not have ordered. "

"But, " said another man, "go back of that a little. At 70 per cent. Discount the maker is barely getting back 100 cents for what actuallycosts him one dollar. He is trimming as close as he can in everythingto keep him from loss; wages are cut down, economy in materialpracticed, and every detail scrimped to the last possible limit Thenthis order comes in from the salesman at a still lower figure. Nofurther scrimping can be done in material--that has a limit thatcannot be passed--where, then, can any saving be made? Only in thewages. The workmen are shown the prices that the goods are now soldat, and told that there is but one thing for the factory to do: tomeet this 'competition, ' or close up. And, of course, the meaning ofthis is another reduction in the already well-reduced wages. Ideclare, a man must have a good deal of gall to be drawing a salary offrom $1, 800 to $3, 500 per year and ask a workman to take 10 per cent. Off his wages of $1 per day. "

"Yes, and you will notice, " said the first speaker, "that all this wasdone that the traveling man might have an order to send in, and notbecause of any requirements of competition or of demand and supply. When I read of workingmen striking I think of these things and wonderwhat they would do if they could see what we merchants see ofunnecessary cutting in prices. Manufacturers and jobbers send men outto present the merits of their goods, but their sole idea of a 'smart'man is one whose sales are large. If they have a dozen men on theroad, the man who sells the most goods is the champion man. He sellsbig bills and is expected to cut prices. But one of the men who makesless show may be much the most profitable for them. "

"You would keep account of profits rather than of sales?"

"Certainly I would, and pay salaries on that basis. Then the salesmanwould have strong inducements to get good prices. As it is now all heneed ask himself is: 'Will the old man stand the cut?' and if he doesit is as much a feather in his cap to make the sale as if it was atbetter prices. Take the matter of steel squares. One of my men writesin that a Cleveland jobber is selling them to the smallest trade at 75and 10 per cent. Off. I investigate and find that they can be boughtat 80 off. But the several manufacturers shake their heads and saythis price is a positive loss, etc. , etc. Then what the d--l do theysell at that price for? Neither dealers nor consumers were complainingof the old prices, and all the extra stock that is sold by the cutgoes on to the dealers' shelves. The decline is made to a few jobbers, and they at once start out their men to give it to the retailers, andto use it as a bait, and when other jobbers learn it they combine tosqueeze the price down so that all can get it. This is a sample ofgeneralship that the square makers ought to be ashamed of. "

"Yes, but the carriage-bolt men of the country have been playing justthat same kind of a fool game for several years. Who is benefited? Noone, unless it is the big wagon concerns, or the big machine men. I amtold that men in bolt factories at present prices do not make $1 aday. Why should they work for starvation wages so that the concernsusing bolts can save 40 per cent on their purchase? It's a cursedoutrage! The older manufacturers can stand it, because they justcoined money a few years ago, but now they must squeeze their poordevils of workmen down in order that they can sell goods at nothing. If the Knights of Labor were devoting themselves to righting wrongs ofthis kind, the whole country would back them up. "

"I often feel sorry for some of the concerns, " said the other, "when Ihave met the 'managers. ' I came back from New York three years ago andtold my partner if Lawson & Goodrow could make money as their New Yorkoffice was run, that no one else need worry about his business. Herewas an old concern, with every facility for making goods cheap, with areputation for quality second to none in the country, with experiencedworkmen, and a good hold on the trade, yet they failed a year or twoago, and made so bad a failure I supposed they were swamped forever. "

"But they are going on. "

"Yes; I'm glad to see it, and understand that new brains have takenhold of it. But think of putting in as manager of such a business ayoung man just out of college! He was a very pleasant gentleman; Iremember him with a warm sense of his courtesy, but he did not knowthe A, B, C of business. Fancy such a man competing with Oakman orCharley Landers!"

"You've got to get up early to get ahead of Landers. '

"Yes, Landers is a man of resources and thoroughly understands humannature. I rode down on the New Haven boat with him one night, and Ispent two very pleasant hours on deck talking with him. He makes agood impression on you, both as to his shrewdness and his breadth. Youget the idea that he is not small in his methods, and that he has anactive mind. I imagine that when he took hold of the management of hisconcern, after Jim Frary had stepped down and out, he had about asunpromising a job on his bands as a man could have. Frary was aterrible cuss to pile up goods, I'm told, and the stock was inhorrible shape. But Landers rode through the storm, and his businesshas seen some mighty prosperous years. "

"Did you know Rubel?"

"Of Chicago? Yes, indeed. Poor fellow, I received a card a day or twoago announcing his death. He ought to have been good for twenty yearsyet. I bought some of his patent goods sixteen or eighteen years ago, and sold more or less of his brand ever since. His plant in Chicagoshows what was in him. I hated, like thunder, to sell his goods whenthey were branded 'Chicago, ' but when he changed that to 'American' Ibought as freely of him as from others. He was jovial, sociable, andwide awake. I wish he might have lived to enjoy his well-earnedsuccess. "

"What has become of Jim Frary?"

"I have lost sight of him. If any man ever had a good chance to make astrike I think Frary is the man. With Weibusch back of him, furnishingmoney and brains, with a combination in prices on a profitable basis, and with the boom in business, that concern ought to have made pilesof money. But it is not generally supposed that they did. Frary hasbecome temporarily eclipsed, and General Trunk manages it as if it wasan orchestra. I don't know if he gets much music out, but he probablyenjoys bossing things; that's worth a great deal to him. " [Footnote:As is known to the trade, within a very few weeks after the abovearticle was written the Frary Cutlery Co. Failed, and have since beensold out under the hammer. And prices of table cutlery are once more"booming. "]

"Don't you like Trunk?"

"Like him? Of course I do. You would if you were to meet him. He's oneof the most unassuming and gentle-mannered men you ever met. If heonly had a little confidence in himself he would be the Napoleon ofthe table cutlery trade, but he is inclined to listen to everybody'sadvice and not assert himself. "

"I had a deal with Frary once that amused me. I had been handling asmall, one-bladed knife that we paid about 40 cents per dozen for. Wemade quite a leader of it, but were told, in answer to our last ordersent, that the stock was out. We tried to get it two or three timesafterward, but without success. The next time I saw one of the men Iasked him why the dickens we couldn't get that knife again. 'We havegiven it up, ' I was told; our cost book showed the cost to be 36 centsper dozen, so we supposed we were getting our money back, but somebodyhad the curiosity to foot up the items not long ago, and found anerror in adding of 20 cents; the knife had really cost 56 cents! Fancya concern doing business in that way!"

"There are any numbers of just such concerns. Every little while yousee changes made in prices to correct errors. There's a deal ofguessing done around factories, and also a good deal of figuring onwhat a competitor does. One man learns of a competitor making acertain price, and says, 'If he can sell at that, I can, ' and thatbecomes his price, without his even knowing that he is making money orlosing at these figures. "

"I think a good many dealers sell goods by guess, as well as themanufacturers. This is especially true of retailers. A level-headedman, named Root, has got up a series of cost cards that will be ofhelp to the hardware trade, but other lines need them just as much. "

"But all the cards in the world will not keep the blank fools fromselling goods at cost. Here is an item in an Eastern paper about twoConnecticut concerns who sold 'crazy cloth' (whatever that is) undereach other's price, till at last one fool offered it at 1 cent a yard, and then the other came down to ten yards for 5 cents. That was inSargent's town; probably they had been listening to his free tradeslush. "

CHAPTER XXIV. 

I fell in with a jolly crowd of commercial men, some salesmen and someheads of houses, at the Tremont, and I have rarely enjoyed an eveningmore. Of course there were any number of stories told, many jokescracked, and a deal of chaffing of each other. But if I could havewritten down all the points made about business they would have beeneagerly read by my present audience. One man was cursing thebook-keeper, as is usual, when a merchant said:

"There are always two sides to every question, and there is a gooddeal to be said from the book-keeper's stand-point. Other things beingequal, a man who has had office experience makes the best man on theroad. Very much of the trouble caused by the book-keeper's lettersmight be avoided if the traveling man knew enough, or had a littleforethought. You say things to your customers ten times worse than thebook-keeper ever writes, but a letter looks much more severe than thewords you said sounded to the ear. One salesman when collecting willtake pains to get certain bills balanced. If the customer offers topay $50 on account and there is a bill of $53. 36 due, or two bills ofthat sum, he suggests that it would be a good thing to make thepayment that amount and wipe these out. Such a man helps the office athome. Another man takes the $50, and does not care a cent if anythingis balanced or not. It may be necessary to have a scapegoat in everyconcern, but the traveler who runs down his office for doing its dutyis not smart, and is sowing seed that will grow up to bother him inthe near future. "

"Yes, " said another merchant, "and there's a sight more book-keepingthan there is any need of. Every little item has to be charged, billsent, statement sent, and then receipted for when paid. If a jobberwants an ax of a special size, just one, and has to order it from thefactory, although he knows the exact cost, it never enters his head tosend in cash with the order. He must have as much red-tape over it asif the order was a thousand dozen axes. So the retailer; if a customerwants a gross of screws sent on at once by express, the charge of 22cents has to go through all the departments. There's too much of it. It's expensive in time, and foolish. "

"Don't talk of paying in advance, " said a salesman, "we're mighty gladto get the money after it's due. "

"Yes, I know; there's too much work there, too. Although the buyerknows the exact time that his bill is due, he is getting so of latethat he will pay nothing until a statement is sent, and not then tillit pleases him. Your small man, not in the amount of business, butsmall-minded, dearly loves to hold back until you have sent him noticeof draft made on him; he at once sends on a remittance then and hislittle soul takes comfort in telling, when the draft on him ispresented, 'I do not owe them anything; their bill is paid. ' Or elsehe waits till the draft is presented and dishonors it because it isdrawn 'with exchange. ' But there ought to be a keener sense of thehonor to be won in paying bills promptly. If Dun and Bradstreet wereto put in a third rating to show whether dealers paid promptly or not, and whether mean in little things or not, it would be of vast help. "

"How would you have it?"

"Why, as it now is, we are told that John Smith is worth $2, 000 to$5, 000, and his credit good. I would add another column, and showprompt pay, slow pay, unpleasant in collecting, etc. You now trust aman on the basis of his capital and credit, but if you knew he was asmart Aleck you would not care to sell him no matter how much he wasworth. "

"Well, boys, " said a New York man, "I don't have anything to do withthe collecting, and I'm mighty glad of it. It's bad enough to sellgoods without having to squeeze the pay out too. But I had a case theother day that surprised me a little. Last October I sold a bill to aconcern in Canton, Ohio, on 60 days. When I started out this springthe book-keeper told me the bill was still unpaid. He said he sentstatement in January, then drew through the Canton bank in February, but draft was returned unpaid. I told him the concern was good, and Ididn't understand it. I was in Canton in April and intended to speakto the concern about our bill; but when I went into the store one ofthem met me very cordially, said our goods had gone well and he wantedsome more. I took it for granted they had paid up, or they would notbe so ready with another order, so sold them a bill and said nothingabout the old one. But here is a letter from my house asking ifanything was done about the October bill, and telling me it has notyet been remitted to them. Blest if I understand it! The longer Itravel the more I get puzzled. "

"Well, quit cutlery and go selling coffee. "

"Coffee?"

"Yes, coffee. There are three things that must be selling well inthese days: soap, tobacco, and coffee. Just look at the advertisingpages of the papers and magazines. You see nothing but these threethings and patent medicines. But then you expect patent medicines, sothey don't count. Soap! Great Caesar! It's in everything. 'QueenSoap, 'Sulphur Soap, 'Ivory Soap', 'Pears' Soap, ' and all the othersoaps. The advertising is by all odds the largest expense, and thepoor devil of a retailer is expected to sell at about 5 per cent. Margin. Then see the whole country painted red on tobacco. And nowwe're catching it on coffee. If Arbuckle isn't a nephew of Barnum's heought to be, for he knows how to advertise. I long ago gave up eatingbread made from baking powder, because each manufacturer proved theother fellow's goods were poisonous, and I don't know but I must giveup coffee since the advertisements expose how easy it is to doctor it. But at present I'm sort of holding on to Arbuckle's, and when myconfidence in that goes then I'm done for. "

"You are right, " said a grocer. "Arbuckle has made an immense businessin coffee, and made it by his brains. It's encouraging to see aconcern get out of the rut and show folks that the end of everythinghasn't been reached yet. "

"Seems to me, " said a manufacturer, "that you grocers have done moreto demoralize business, by your gift enterprises, than any other classhas done. Is the thing holding its own?"

"No, there is a decided feeling growing against it. The largewholesale grocers of New York, Austin, Nichols & Co. , say, in arecently published letter:

"'We do not believe in "gift schemes" of any sort, and are not in the"give away" business. When the time arrives (if it ever does) when weare unable to sell good goods on their respective merits we willquietly retire from business. '"

"And a Ypsilanti, Mich. , grocer writes: 'One fellow carries a shotgunaround with him, another a saw, but they principally run to clocks. Ofcourse you don't have to pay anything for these fine articles, provided you buy the goods which call for them (in your mind). Theretailers, too, now are striving their very best to see which can givethe most with a pound of baking powder. That is, a great manyretailers are. They do not seem to care anything about the quality, ifthey can only give the largest prize. Quality is not considered atall. They buy the thing for the great prize offered. When the retailmerchants of this country shut down on this despicable way of doingbusiness and sell goods on their merits, without a prize packageattached, just so soon will a blow have been struck at the root of thewhole matter. ' These pretty fairly represent the growing sentimentamong large and small traders of brains. They see that the moment anarticle ceases to be sold on its merit, just that moment a dealer islosing his hold on trade. I met a man from Ohio on the cars a day ortwo ago. He had been sent out to Iowa by his house to sell coffee andspices on the prize-package basis. He said he was almost turned out ofdoors by the Iowa merchants as soon as be had told his story. Thedealers there said they wanted no goods that had to be worked off inthat way, and had no confidence in goods that could not sellthemselves. Now that was a healthy sign. "

"When I see it, " said another grocer, "I at once assume that theconcern is sending out cheap goods, or that it has been losing tradeand catches at this straw to save itself. When an old and reliablehouse like Lorillard goes into the give-a-prize-away-with-every-package business, it only goes to show to what an extent this matteris carried on. The Lorillards are now introducing a tobacco called'Splendid. ' They say it is a 'splendid' thing, makes one feel'splendid, ' etc. If it is, why not sell it on its merits; advertise itin a legitimate way; make the price an inducement, and if it is asplendid article the public will soon find it out. Lately they havebeen offering a pack of cards with every 10-cent piece, besides givinga first-class cutter to the retailer with a single box, and acombination truck and ladder with five boxes. "

"It is really one sign of the hard times. When business recoversitself, and that time is not so far distant, consumers will not beattracted by the cheap gifts. Every day they are being educated tounderstand that they pay for all their 'gifts, ' and pay well, too. "

"In times like these you can't blame men for jumping at everything. Every buyer wants 'a leetle adwantage, ' and, like a Chicago man thatthe boys tell of, tells you your price is 'stereotyped' unless you cutdown below every one else. So dealers try low prices and try gifts, but by and by they will have to sell on a rising market, and thingswill change. "

"You think prices will go up?"

"They must go up, and it is right that they should. There is no reasonwhy the girl at work at a loom should starve just that your wifeshould save a cent or two a yard on her gingham dress. Wages must goup, and goods advance too. "

"But if wages advance and the cost of living advances too, where isthe girl to be benefited?"

"Don't fool yourself on that stuff; that is the stale argument of someof the smart young men who write for posterity. Rent is probably ashigh to-day as it was when wages were twice as high. The prices offlour, pork, and beef are regulated by the crop, not by the buyers'wages. If I were hammering at an anvil I would take my increased wagesand pay increased prices if I had to, and feel pretty sure I was goingto be benefited. There are some theories, like this one andfree-trade, that sound very plausible, but do not stand any chancewhen actual tests are made in every day life. The cry of all merchantsto-day should be, 'Pay decent wages to your help and add it to yourgoods. ' And any factory that held out ought to be boycotted. I knowit's a mean word, but it is a good one for use with mean men. "

CHAPTER XXV. 

The last day on the road must always seem a long day. One figures outjust what train he will take, the hour he will arrive at the end ofthe journey, and the minute he will be with his family or in thestore. I had reached my last day and was putting in my "best licks" soas to have a good batch of orders to carry in with me, to make mywelcome all the greater. But as luck would have it no day of my triphad been so uncertain and tantalizing. 

I spread out my revolvers before four concerns and enlarged upon theirremarkable qualities and low prices. "Bulldogs" had stiffened in priceat the factories to $2. 25, less 10 per cent. , and our stock was largeand bought at low prices. I used this as a bait wherever I could, butevery other man had been throwing out offers of the same kind, andmine were not so greedily taken as I would like to have had them. 

"No use of your offering baits, " said one party "there's no life inthe gun business any more. Here's Lafoucheaux guns at $7, Flobertrifles at $2, Smith & Wesson revolvers at $8, and the deuce knowswhere it will stop. Things must be mighty dubious when S. & W. Have tocut their prices. Here's Reachum's last billet doux on rifles, quotingthem at about 5 per cent, above cost, and yet you expect me to giveyou an order. No, it's no use; I must wait till somebody wants to buysomething that I have. "

"Do you say that about all your lines?"

"Well, it's mighty near it in everything. Here's an order from my manon the Central for a quarter dozen steel squares at 75 and 10 off;cost me that a month ago. Here's strap hinges at 65 and 5 off; I paidthat for them. There's a milk-strainer, sold at $1. 25 per dozen, costme $1. 20; carpet tacks sold at $1. 50 gross, cost me $1. 44. All thesethings in one bill. I tell you I am getting rich fast. "

"I am going in to-night, " I said, "and would be glad to carry in alittle order for you. I'll get it out myself and see that nice goodsare sent you. "

"No, I don't want anything. "

I heard almost a similar complaint from the next one I saw, but Imanaged to secure two orders for my day's work, and then I was done. Inever paid a hotel bill so gladly or bought a railroad ticket withhappier feelings. There was a pleasure in getting my baggage checkedhome, and no car ever seemed to me quite so comfortable and invitingas the one I rode home in. 

When I walked into the store it was difficult to believe that I hadbeen out of it more than twenty-four hours. The bill of goods on thefloor looked exactly like the one I saw there the day I started away. The porter and drayman seemed to be talking about the same accident or"wake" that they were engaged in when I last saw them together, andthe white head of the "old man" was bent over his books as if it hadnever moved. I couldn't help saying to myself, "How glad they ought tobe that they have only to do the work that comes to them, instead offeeling the responsibility of creating new business. "

They met me as if I had been off on a lark, and ought to feel gratefulto them for doing my work while I was away. I wondered if I was everass enough to meet our old travelers in any such way. I guess I was. 

"Well, old boy, had a good time?"

This from stock clerk, from salesman, from the packer, and from thebook-keeper. 

Good time! Great Caesar!

Good time! With a constant dread about you that you are going to fail!Pushing yourself boldly into men's offices a dozen times a day, yetalways nervously dreading the reception they may give you. Catchinglate trains and early trains; missing meals or sitting down to tableswhere things are so uninviting you cannot eat. And all the time, dayand night, wondering if your employers are satisfied with your salesand if they recognize the necessity of your cutting prices. A goodtime! If there is any business in the world that is so little of a"good time" I would like to know what it is. The firm met me verypleasantly. They joked me a little about my new beard and the extrafat they declared they saw on me, and then the welcomings were over. 

I took my place at my old desk with a firm resolution to let other mendo the traveling; I would stick to the store. 

"Come home to supper with me, " said the head of the house; "I'd liketo talk over your trip with you, and we can do it better at home thisevening. "

This was an honor I had not had before. The other boys looked at mewith envy. 

"How have things gone? Has business been good?" I asked my oldassistant in the stock. 

"Things have gone so-so; trade has been only middling. But you didfirst rate, old fellow. I heard the old man say you were a success. "

"Did he say that?"

"Yes, and lots more. You made a strike. "

This was pleasant news. 

After our tea that evening the head of the house began to question meabout my trip, and I saw that a detailed story of it was what hewanted. So I began with the first town that I had stopped at, and gavehim a history of the trip. He seemed to enjoy it, and to pick up agood many items from it. 

"Yes, " he said, "business is becoming less profitable every year. Theidiots who are going to get rich by selling flour at 25 cents a barrelless than cost, simply by doing a h--l of a business, are multiplying. Reachum can probably sell goods close and make money, as he has notraveling men; his principal expense is his postal cards. Simmons &Hibbard can sell our goods low because it is only one department of alarge business with them, and its proportion of expenses is not great. We will be compelled to do either less or more; either do a smallerbusiness in guns and ammunition and at less expense, or to put inother goods and drum a larger variety of trade. We have pretty muchdecided to do the latter. What do you think of it?"

I laughingly suggested that in Cleveland and Indianapolis some of thehouses were adding a silver mine to their stock, and that we ought tohave one too. 

"And then compel the traveling-men to buy or not give them orders?That would be a good scheme. But I had not thought of that. Our planis to lay in a line of goods that will work in well with general tradeand sell all the year round. "

I said I thought it was a capital idea. 

"Will you give up the stock and go on the road regularly?"

What? Go on the road regularly? Not a bit of it. Keep on, month aftermonth, year after year, hammering after orders? No, oh, no!

"Then you don't like it?"

No, I did not. There was altogether too much anxiety about it for me. There were men so constituted that they did not feel worried whetherthey got an order or not. They were the proper men to travel. But Iwas nervous and anxious, and worried when I had no order for fear Iwas not going to get one; and then worried after I had one, fearing Iwould not get any more. No, I was not made of the right kind of stufffor a traveling man. 

"If I did not see that you are so thoroughly in earnest I would sayyou are sarcastic. You evidently believe what you say, but you do notseem to understand that the very reason why you will make a successfulsalesman is this nervous dread of failure. When you meet a man whodoesn't care a copper cent whether trade is good or not you have met asecond-rate man. Trade can only be secured by persistent and hardwork. A man of your disposition will be pulling wires and ingratiatinghimself into the good will of his customers, while your contented manis playing billiards or making acquaintance of a sport of the town. Taking into consideration the times and the condition of business, your trip has been a remarkably successful one, but the second onewill be a better one for the house, and a pleasanter one for you. Youwill then call on acquaintances, not on strangers, and you will findyour task easier and your trade better. Think it over. You will bemore valuable to us on the road and it will pay you better. "

But I swore I would not consider it. Afterwards I fancied I mightthink of it. Then I did consider it, and yes, here I am. I representthe firm of Blank & Blank, Guns and Ammunition. If you are in need ofanything in my line I would be glad to figure with you, for I am

 A MAN OF SAMPLES. 

HIS LAST TRIP. 

[ILLUSTRATION]

Morgan had been on the road for one house about 20 years. This is along period of travel. In less time than that most men work up or workdown. No man can continue on a dead level as a salesman during thattime, even if his habits are good. If he has ability he is sure, withrare exception, to work himself off the road. If he is mediocre no onehouse can afford to carry him for twenty years. Morgan was the rareexception just mentioned. He was an excellent salesman, and hisability and success but served to weld him the closer to his work. Thehouse had made him a partner long since, but the business hecontrolled was so large and so profitable, that they all knew, and hebest, that to withdraw him and experiment with a new man would be butplaying with fire over a magazine of powder. So he went on his wayyear after year, making no plans for the future that would change hiswork or his life. 

But his family, consisting of his wife and their one daughter, Mary, aromping girl of twelve, was not of his disposition, These two couldnot see husband and father start off without a protest. The wife hadalways on her heart a burden of anxiety about him; of dangers onrailroads, of his possible robbery and murder; of the discomforts ofhotels, and the fear of his falling sick among strangers. She wasnaturally a timid woman, and the responsibility of the house weighedupon her. The whole burden of Mary's growth in body and mind, hertraining, her companions, and her pleasures were matters the motherwould gladly have shared with the father, but she was generallycompelled to decide them alone. 

The father's continued absence was a constant pain and grievance toMary. There was never a week but that she felt deprived of somespecial outing because he was not at home to go with her. Saturdaynight and Sunday, if he was where he could run home, were so manysolid hours of happiness to them all, but to Mary they were full ofperfect bliss. 

Morgan was known to all his friends as a man who never worried. If atrain was late he sat down and waited; if a customer failed he alwayssigned a compromise; if he didn't get the best room in the hotel, hetook what he could get; and he lost no sleep in picturing how hiscompetitors might get ahead of him. He always left home with theassurance that everything would go on all right until he returned, andwhen he went away he thought of the two he loved as being happy andwell. 

But as he started on this trip, he could not shake off a slightfeeling of anxiety that had possessed him all the night, and had grownsince he awoke. Their talk the previous day had been about theentrance Of diphtheria into the neighborhood, and of the fatal casebut two blocks away from their door. Mary had complained of a slightlysore throat, but on Monday morning declared it was entirely wellagain, kissing him good-by with more spirit than usual, as if tryingto convince him of the truth of her words, and send him away assuredand happy. 

When he was seated in the cars the shadows came over his spirits againand began to torture him with doubts and possibilities. It might be, he thought, that her sprightliness of the morning was due to fever, rather than to health. He wished he had looked into her throat, and heregretted that he had not cautioned his wife about her. He nursedthese fears until he felt himself becoming wild with apprehension, andthen he resolutely put the thoughts aside, declared he was foolish andwould have no more of it, and devoted himself to a companion and tohis papers. 

Men cannot always govern their minds. These are kingdoms thatfrequently rebel against all government. Several times during the dayMorgan caught himself going back to his morning thoughts and heresolutely changed the current. But at night, try as he would, hecould not conquer them. Even his dreams took up the forebodings of theday, exaggerated and intensified them, and tortured him. Next morningfound him out of sorts, nervous, and miserable. He had a long drive totake in the country, but he shrank from it as if he saw danger in histrack. All his intuitions seemed to be crying to him to go home, butwhat he thought was his common sense kept insisting that he should goon with his business, and not cross the bridge of trouble until hecame to it. 

The day was one of the loveliest October days he had ever seen. Hisdrive was through twenty miles of the best corn land of Illinois. Theblack road was as dry as a board, and as level as only a prairie canbe. The first effect of the beautiful day and pure air wasinvigorating. He enjoyed the drive through the street into the countryroad. Then the broad fields, the pleasant farm houses, the herds ofhorses and cattle, the long Osage hedges, the perpetual but alwayssurprised rabbit at the road side, all these attracted and entertainedhim, and his ride was successful in driving away his blues. Hiscustomer seemed especially glad to see him; took him to his house todinner; talked with him of important personal matters, and gave him alarge order for goods. He turned back to the railroad feeling as happyas he had ever done; took out his order-book and figured up the amountof the bill and the profit, as was his custom, and then began to sing. 

Suddenly there came across him a wave of anxious worry, and all histhoughts flew back to the daughter's sore throat, and the funeral hesaw last Sunday. He could not drive these away. They clung to him;they whispered to him; they unfolded themselves like a panorama, andon the canvas he saw Mary sick, then worse, and then dead! It was thelongest twenty-mile ride that he had ever taken, and his old friend, the landlord, concluded from his face that Morgan had met with badluck in sales that day. 

He had a night run to Decatur and determined that he would telegraphto the house, and quiet these nervous apprehensions that were socruel, though probably so absurd. It would cost but little, hereasoned, and though foolish, it was wiser than to continue to be tornby doubts. So before going to bed he gave the operator a half ratemessage, for morning delivery, as follows:

To Manning, Morgan & Co. , Chicago, Ill. : Is my wife or daughter sick?Answer, care Gilsey. 

C. MORGAN. 

He felt easier having done this, and passed a better night than theprevious one, although there was in all his sleeping and wakingthoughts an under current of solicitude over impending danger to Mary. 

With an attempt not to be anxious, yet terribly apprehensive at heart, he tore open the telegram that reached him about 9 o'clock:

To C. Morgan, care Gilsey & Co. , Decatur: Come home first train. 

MANNING. 

Good God, what was this! Were his forebodings indeed true? If so hewas all the more totally unprepared for the truth. His constantcomfort had been that his fears had not the slightest foundation torest upon, and the more they crowded upon him the surer he had beenthat they were flimsier than dreams. But here staring him in the facewere those four ominous words:

"Come home first train. "

Why had they not given him the whole story? He started for thetelegraph office to send for further particulars, but stopped. SupposeMary was dead! Did he want to learn it here, so far from his wife? No;he would wait. Such a story would unfold soon enough. There wereseveral hours before a train went his way; the discipline of twentyyears asserted itself, and he attended to his business. 

The ride home was one that can be understood in its depths only bythose who have been similarly circumstanced. The train seemed tocreep. The minutes were like hours. The stops seemed to beinterminable, and every mile nearer home seemed to be proportionatelylonger than the previous one. He reached the city at dark. The storewas closed. He had expected to find Manning there, but he suddenlyremembered that he had not telegraphed to him the time of his arrival. As he neared his home the first glance showed him there was a change. The lower part of the house was in darkness, and only a dim lightshone in the front chamber, which was but rarely occupied. 

"They have laid her there, " he said to himself, and all his soul criedwithin him in anguish. His poor wife! How she must have suffered, tohave gone through all this alone! What a brute he was to go awayMonday, when he ought to have known, and did know, that somethingdreadful was upon them! He reached the door; it was fastened; he wouldgo to the other side and enter quietly. But some one heard his step, and, opening the door, called him back. 

"Is it Mr. Morgan?" The voice was that of a neighbor. 

"Yes. " He passed in, expecting to see or hear his wife. The friendclosed the door and turned to him. 

"Have you heard--, " she began. 

"I have heard nothing; is Mary--, " he broke down. The door beside himopened. 

"Oh, papa!"

Give him air! What mystery was this?

"Mary, is it you? Are you alive? Why, I thought--I feared--Oh, darling, is it you?"

Yes, it was Mary. Oh, thank God! Thank God!

"Tell me again, dear, are you well?"

"Oh, yes, papa, but poor mamma!"

"Mamma! What of her? Is she sick? What is it? Tell me quick!" Andagain he was pushed from the heaven of happiness to the bottomless pitof doubt. "Is mamma sick? where is she?"

"Oh, papa, the doctor says she is going to--"

"Hush, " said the neighbor. "Step inside, sir; the doctor is with hernow; he will soon be down. Prepare yourself, Mr. Morgan; your wife isvery low. The servant's carelessness caused an explosion in thekitchen, setting herself on fire; your wife ran to her assistance andsaved her life, but, I fear, at the expense of her own. "

"I must see her. "

"No, sir, not now; be guided by me for a moment. The doctor will soonbe down. "

He took Mary in his arms and they wept together. Oh, if his wife, hisdarling wife! were to be taken from him! It was the cruelest blow Godever struck! And she saving another's life, too! He cursed and raved, but it was in his own heart; and Mary, crying on his breast, only knewwhat comfort it was to have her papa once more with her. 

The physician came down with manner so grave that it told its ownstory. "There is scarcely a chance, " he said; "you can go to her; shewill not know you. "

"When did this happen?"

"Monday evening. "

"Have you consulted others? Can nothing more be done?"

"Nothing except to help her to die easy. "

 * * * * * * *

But she did not die. She knew her husband. He begged of her to live, as only a man can plead whose soul is bound up in a woman's life, andwhether love, or whether medicine, or whether care saved her, I do notknow. But she lived. But Morgan informed Manning that his travelingdays were over; that a new man must be engaged for that route. Theyfound him, after diligent search, and much to the surprise of everyoneconnected with the house, he sold more goods for the firm than Morganhad ever done. The one who rejoices most at this is Morgan, who sayshe has made his last trip. 

"LET US KICK. "

[The following sketch by M. Quad in the Detroit Free Press, will benew to some of our readers, and will, we think, be appreciated by themall. ]

I really and truly believe that the day will come when the kicker willbe classed where he belongs and be entitled to the reverence due him. I look upon him as a philosopher and a philanthropist. He stands forthone man out of ten thousand. He is actuated by the most unselfishmotives. He is the real reformer. 

I am not a kicker. I am simply taking the preparatory lessons toenable me to blossom out. The other day when I bought a ticket to goeast they told me at the ticket office:

"While the train does not leave until about eleven, the sleeper isopen at nine, and you can go right to bed and wake up at Niagara Fallsnext morning. "

I entered the sleeper at half-past nine and went to bed. That is, itis called going to bed. You are boxed up, boxed in, surrounded andsmothered and charged two dollars for the misery. A sleeping-car is amockery, a fraud and a deception. The avarice of the companies resultsin misery for the passengers. Four other persons had gone to bed, andat ten o'clock we were all asleep. At that hour two men entered with agreat clatter. They were talking loudly, and they sat down andcontinued. I waited fifteen minutes for one of the other sleepers tokick. No one uttered a protest Then I rose up and asked:

"Do you men know that this is a sleeping-car?"

"We do, " they answered. 

"And do you propose to continue this disturbance?"

"We propose to talk as long and as loud as we please!"

I called the conductor and inquired:

"I have paid for a berth in which to sleep. I can't sleep for thisdisturbance. Will you stop it?"

"Really, I can't, " he answered. 

"Are there no rules?"

"Yes, but people in a sleeping-car must expect to be disturbed. "

"Oh, they must. Very well--see me later. "

Four others came in with just as much racket, and they kept theirchattering going until eleven o'clock. At half-past eleven the lightswere turned down and everybody was ready for sleep. I had beenpatiently waiting for this. Lying on my back, arms locked over my headand my palate down, I brought a snore which went thundering over thatcar in a way to open every eye. After two more a man called out. 

"Thunder and blazes, but we've got a whale aboard!"

After three more they began to yell at me from every berth. I put intwo extra ones, and the porter came down and shook my arm and said:

"Heah--you--stop dat!"

"Colored man!" I said, as I looked up at him, "if you come here and dothat again I may fire upon you!"

As soon as he had gone I went back to business. When a man sets out tosnore for revenge you'd be surprised to know what a success he canmake of it. In five minutes they were calling for the conductor. Hecame down and parted the curtains and said:

"Hey--you--wake up! You are disturbing the car. 

"Conductor, haven't I paid for this berth?" I asked. 

"Yes. "

"Is there any rule which prohibits snoring?"

"No, but--"

"Then you keep away from me! I have a revolver, and I might take youfor a robber!"

Then I returned to the main question. I snored in every key of thescale. I snored for blood. I had every person in the car swearing madand ready to fight, and they sent for the passenger conductor. Herefused to interfere. Several chaps volunteered to "pull me out o'that, " but when they came close enough to see the muzzle of a revolverthey fell back. At two o'clock in the morning they held a convention, and as the result one of them asked:

"Stranger, can we buy you off?"

"No, sir. "

"Is there any way on earth to stop that bazoo of yours?"

"The four of you who came in last were grossly selfish. You had nocare for the rights of others. The four who were here before I camewere disturbed but hadn't the grit to kick. Now, then, promise me onyour solemn words that if you ever enter a sleeping-car again youwill respect; the situation, and I will let you off. "

Every soul in that car made the promise, and half an hour later wewere all asleep.