The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-04-22
From the WiLliamsto,on Advocate.
SECRETS IN TRADE


mixed company, several of whom related
some anecdotes connected with his individ-
ual calling. Among the rest was a Tin
Pedlar, who had all the craft and shrewd-
ness for which that class of society are so
much celebrated. How is it, inquired one,
when there are so many pedlars travelling
IN all directions who hardly make living,
that you contrive to make peddling profta-
BILE: why do not others of your craft sue
coed as well as you? o, replied he, thew
DO not understand the secrets of the trade.
What secret, in the name of wonder, ex-
tin peddling. l do not gain my living by
knavery, assure you, said the pedlar. /
intend always to deal honestly; but the Sc
crets of which l spoke, are simply those of
making people know and feel their wants.
Why, said the first, when you call at
house and ask them if they wish to buy any
of your wares, and they tell you no, l can
not see but you must take their opinion, in
stead of giving yours on their wants. No
such thing, said the pedlar people never
know what they want till they either see it
or hear it particularly described. This is
principle in human nature, and is true in
more trades than mne. How often do we
see people sending for a physician, who
would never have dreamed of being sick if
some careful friend had not told them so !?
Every body knows how thirsty it makes
most men to see others drink so true is
1t in this case that temperate people are
persuaded that when children do not see
their parents and neighbors swallowing in
toxlcating liquors, and when they are not
met at every corner by a crop shop, the
evils OF intemperance will cease in our land.
But lhtcmperance has not much to do with
tin peddling, | acknowledge, SO l will re-
late an anecdote in piont, and leave you to
Judge of the truth of my remarks. A few
days since, in my travels, | called at a
house where l suspected the family had
money; and l determined, before leaving
it, to obtain some Of it in an honorable way
in exchange for my wares. Upon inquirng
of the good lady, if she wanted any thing in
my line, met with an indignant frown and
an emphatic no! But l knew better. l
replied, my ware is very superior, will
bring in some of it and you shall Judge for
yourself Nothing daunted her exclama-
| tons that she would not buy any, and that
| might spare myself any further trouble
deliberately proceeded to my cart, and FL
led my arms with an assortment of articles
which were forthwith depositedAon the
| floor of the hnnen Than taking 1hnn,
by one, explained their uses, their beauty,
their cheapness, and the lady's absolute
want of them. In the course of half an
hour she was fully convinced that she could
not do without certain articles, and actually
paid me thirteen dollars in cash, besides all
the paper rags, old pewter, &C., she had on
! hand. Depend upon it, if you show people
your wares, you will seldom fail of convinc-
ing them that they are in pressing need of
them. Yes, yes, l know that S the way,
said merchant who sat near him; you
pedlars are going all over the country,
showing your wares, and telling your sto-
| ries; and although you pay no tax, trade
more in proportion to your capital than the
honest merchant who keeps an assortment
of articles to accommodate the public. |
wish the law would put stop to such un-
just traffic. | have no means of showing
my wares to all the neighborhood, for l
cannot put my store in cart and draw it
round from place to place. do not like
the plan of giving pedlars such advantage
over the regular dealer.
There you are wrong, said the pedlar.
! | have no advantage over you whatever.
IT'S true you do not put your goods in a
cart and tumble them over every time you
wish to sell an article, wearing them out or
spelling their beauty but you can for a
trihing expense, show them to the whole
nelghborhood without. You can show
them, not to one or two in family, as do
mine but to all, men, women, and children.
! And after you have shown them, Ito the
minds eyes | mean,) they know exactly
where to find you, and will buy of you of
course; while we, poor pedlars would
starve. The merchant appeared doubtful.
How is it, said he, that have lived so long,
and have not found out this secret in trade
| cannot imagine what you mean Why,
said the pedlar, advertise IN the Newspaper:
every decent family takes it, and you may
he absolutely certain, if you specify partic-
ular articles, that the children, when they
read it, will persuade their parents to buy so
much of what they would not otherwise
think of, that your extra profit for a month,
in consequence of advertising will be great
err than the expense would be for year.
At this the countenance of the merchant
frightened with that peculiar expression
which seems to say, "see if do not make
more money next year than did the last %
The company were well satisfied with the
peuldTS EedSoHiiIS anu We iCtlleu ih iuii
persuation that all who have any thing to
sell should Immediately profit by this
wholesome advice.
4 PorAro PUDDING. Few people are aware
how delicious a pudding can be made from the
farina Of potato, or potato.starch. The fellow.
ing are the ingredients To one quart Of boil
ed milk, add, gradually, as in making hasty
nudd;nr y unarter of n Mound of notato flour
well puverized-a quarter of pound of sugar
and a little butter--when cold, add three eggs
and bake il half an hour.
f DRYING CASpLEs. In a village in Eng
, land, lady entered her kitchen, and found the
oven swimming with grease. On asking the
servant, Welsh girl, the cause, the Cambrian