The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-08-17
From the Columbian Magazine Tor April
GOING TO THE DOGS.
By 7. .. ARTHUR.

BN I. >. ARTHUR.
.. received your bill today. Mr.. Leon.
ard said a customer as he entered the shop
81 n master mechanic.
We are sending out our accounts nj this
season., returned the mechanic bowling.
j want tn pay YOU
very well, MIR. Baker, VIC are always
glad Ia ret money!
but YOU must throw oifsomething. Let
me see'-nnd the customer drew out the
hlll-'twenty seven dolurs and iorty-six
cents. Twenty-Five will do. There, re.
ccipt the bill, and will pay YOU
Bat Leonard shook bis head.
u can't deduct a cent from that bill Mr..
Baker. Every article is charged at our
regular price,
'Oh, YES, YOU can. Just make il TWEEN
ty-iivc dollars, even money. Here it IS
And Baker counted out the cash.
4 am sorry, Mr.. Baker, bu, cannot az
ford To deduct anything. II you'd oulv
owed me twenty five dalIars Your bill would
have been Just that amount. would not
have added a cent, beyond what is due. nor
can ] take anything less than my duc.'
then YOU won't deduct the odd mo-
ncyr
'lcannot indeed
Very WELL 'fhc manner Of the custom
CT changed. lie was evidently offended
The bill is too high by just the sum asked
10 have stricken off. Bat no matter, l can
pay it,
Then you mean 10 insinuntc.' said the
mechanic. who was an independent sor, II
man, THAT nm chca,in. you on, OF two
dollars and furty-six ccnisr
Il didn't say So
But il is plain that you think so, or YOU
wouldn't have asked m abatement. lfyon
considered my charges just you wouldn't
dispute them.
oh, never mind. we'll not wnsic words
abon, 1t. Here's Your money!, said Mr..
Baker: and he added another live dollar
bill 10 the sum lac had laid down. The me-
chanIc rceeipied the account aud gave the
change, both Of which his customer thrust
nj" his porkct with n peiulent air, and
then turned away and lett the shop with
out saving another word.
Its the last bill he ever has against INC, :
mn,tcrcd Baker 10 himself, as hn walked
away. Ill that's his manner Of treating
customers, he'll soon go TO the dogs. He
Wis downright insulting. and no gentleman
viii stand TINT from anu,her. much less from
a mechanic. Mean To insinuate! llumph.
Yes ] did mean Ia insinuaie. And Mr.. b.
ksr involun,nrily qnickcned his pace.-
He'll lose one good customer he coniin-
ued TO himself. i've paid him great deal
ni money, but il il the last dollar Of mine
he ever handles
Baker was az good as his word lie with
drew his custom from the offending me-
rllaDic, md gave il To another.
I've got one of Your old customers.
Leonard, saida friend in the same business
I" the mechanic, some SIX Or eight months
afterwards
.Ah, who is it?'
Baker
Leonard shrugged his shoulders.
.llow cainc YOU Ia lose hmG
I'll tell yon how YOU can keep him.
We'll how2'
'lf your bill amounts 10 thirty dollars,
make il thirty three and few odd cents.
increasing some Of the items. lie will
want this surplus knocked oil, which YOU
can atl'rd IL do; then he will pay il aud
think YOU arc just the man for him.
You lost him then, because YOU wouldn't
abaie anything from true bil?'
i did
Thank you. Eu, suppose nv bill should
I've twenty-six, ar seven, or eight what
then! couldn't knock oft odd dollars
for the purpose Of making an even sum-
M. In TINT case YOU must add on un-
Ill you get about thirty
And fall back 10 ihat?'
Yes. II will be knocking of the odd
dollars, which he will! think clear gain
That would hardly he honest
Hardly. But you mus, do it or lose his
custom some day or other
Il shall have to accommodate him, sup
pose. II lac will be cheated, it can't be
helped
On the very first bill TINT Baker paid TO
bis new tradcsman he obtained an abatc-
mcnt Of one dollar and ninety cents odd
money, but actually paid three dollars
more than was Justly due. Still he was
very we'll satisfied, imagining that he Ind
made saving Of one dollar and ninet.
cents. The not ovcr-scrupuloust radesnan
laughed in bis sleeve and kept his Gus
toner.
Having Withdrawn his support from
Leonard, il was the candid opinion Of Mr..
Baker that he was going to the dogs a
bout as fast as a man could go. lie often
passed the shop, but rarely saw Gus
toner.
No WONDER he would saw 10 himself. as
he went by. He annenred fn iake a stfa nre