Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1857-07-23
From the Commercial Advertiser.
Experiences in the Life of Drummer

At another time during my engagement with
Mighty, Rusher & Co., new general clerk was
wanted, and as applicants came along (although
perfect strangers) Mr.. Rusher would tell each
one that he was short of money, and asked them
whether they could borrow a couple of thousand
dollars for him. Generally. this droll question
was met by a blank bewildered expression of
countenaEce and speedy exit. The place hun
ter didn't know what to make of the man
Some would respond that they were strangers
here, and had no facilities for borrowing money;
while others would take the matter as a good
Joke, give 2 sly wink to the clerks standing by,
oud iay;ns @Apsopsive foIeriiger oii the side
Of the nasal protuberance, as II to say, F" DO
you see anything green here, would just step
ahead. =
But the right man turned up at last He was
entirely unknown to any of us, and on asking
the usual question, g Whether we wanted to
hire a clerk" Rusher quietly intimated the de-
cayed state Of his finances, and asked him in
return, = Whether he could borrow couple of
thousand dollars for him " To this the young
gentleman quickly replied, Certainly / can
sir ! F" and then immediately went out of the
store In less than five minutes he returned
with check drawn by the neighboring house Of
Hurry Upthe Cakes & Co., to the order of
Mighty, Kusher x Co., for two thousand dollars.
"Ha, hal" exclaimed Rusher, his countenance
beaning with admiration, You'll do very WE'LL
now last please take this invoice, see that the
case Of goods is all right, and make our store
your home.
This was an easy exploit on the part OF the
clerk, you say and so twas, after 1t was thought
| Of. His merit consisted in being sagacious and
| ouick- witted enough TO fall in with Rusher' S
| hulnor and to devise the plan. Merely borrow
ing the money was OF little account, for of
course any OF the neghbors were only too anx-
ious TO lay the firm OF Mighty, Rusher Il Co.,
under obligation; and what if it did occur to
chem that the counsenance of the messenger
was not familiar; the check was drawn to order
and hence no risk was incurred. On inquiry
aiterward, though it was found that the enter
prising youth had asked the question Of Hurry
/ Upthe Cakes u Co. in a manner so composed
and natural as not to excite their most remote
suspicion, that the request was the result OF one
of Mr.. Rusher practical quizzes.
/ Several years before | commenced clerking
with NJ r. & Co., Mr.. Rushcr employed a
young man who came along hunting place, OF
whom they still retained humorous reminis-
cence. was informed that the incident was
/ the subject of a newspaper paragraph at the
time, bnt many years have since elapsed, 1
venture to give it again. The young man made
the usual application, when Mr.. Rusher in that
1 vein Of waggery so natural to him. asked him
if he understood drumming. Wall, no, said
he, . can't say deu, but I've given considera-
bic attention to the fife, aud des say couid larn
\ teu drum teu."
i "Nell des say you could teu, observed
4 Mr.. Eusher so you can just hang up Your
hat, and life for this establishment until you larn
the art of drumming
n Tie chaps yerdancy was the topic OF rdlcuie
for awhile, but when commenced my services
with Mighty, Rusher * Co, he had become
4 one of tie nest valuable clerks IN the house
On moro familiar acquaintance with the whole
sale dry goods trade, was led 10 the cnhciusioi
SO literally compensated Us these winch Were
rendered in the drumming department. a hial
who could 90 round to the hotels every evening
and drum customers, or in ether words, scare u
4 trade was regarded as extra desirable. A hlgl
; degree Of efficiency here was almost eqniFaien
10 the possession of capital. For these reasons
turned my attention that way and became
drummer; and from the untowaIa DEGREES OF ial'
Lam A drummer still In my first attempts !,
arm, far trade, / was very unsuccessful witt
tbe- customers met at the hotels, andreceiye'
several severe rebusfs some OF the youns
!, clerks i. the house, also, determined TO have
II LILLE fun al my expense, drew on cards seveTa
; pretty fair full length PORTRAITS OF me, as "a
supposed to appear AZ the notes IN my PROBES
: the symbolic drum, my fists grasplng pair Q
! drumsticks preposseFousiy large, and under
{ ,aash was printed the inscription, 8 drum 70
Mightv. RasEer s. Coz. Mr. RuSher got hol,
: of one the cards, and was wonderfully tickle
with it. lie privately advised me, though, 1
drum quietly and 10 be as smooth as eats paw
! . for in this way he observed, you can &c
1 yonr claws iii without their knowing it."
! PreGting by his advice, made human natur
. my peculiar study, so that, while under on
r mans ears played merely slight tattoo, a sol
aud musical tap, found it necessary TO CHAR
another with heavy booming music, and an III
usual flourish OF the STICKS The life of a drum
mer, however, IS beset by difficulties and d.
appointments. The competition is very sharl
When desirable man comes to town tor good
The viii sometimes be surrounded BY a ring
drummers as large as the room. To pursue Il
profession eifectaaily, requires one 70 be, as
were, az sorts Of q man; lnasmuch as there a
al sorts OF customers into whose affections
IS obliged 10 wind. Chewing little, sInokir
a little, drinking little, swearing little, golf
TO the theatre, drawing q long bow and sws
gerlng are all very useful accomplishments
TINS department, and If in addition TO these,
man could keep the run Of politics, get ht,
smattering Of agriculture and be enabled
discuss in fluent lnoutfy terms, some of the me
=" prominent doctrines Vi religion, hg would ma
~ Himself indispensably useful to house doin.
large business. What if his proficiency We
attained AZ the loss OF character and seit-lespe
~, 1