Owyhee tidal wave. [volume] (Silver City, Owyhee County, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1869-1870, 1869-10-14

NIBBLISG' WHAT 1T CosTs OUR
GRocERs-Is THERE ANY REMEDY -
The proprietor of a grocery store in
this city. having come across the
following paragraph in a newspaper,
clipped it out and sends it to us for
publication. For his benefit, as
well as for the benefit of all engaged |
in the grocery business, we print it,
and in doing so, take occasion to |
call the attention Of certain parties
to it:
Some of our grocery men COM
plain of species of biped that in
fest stores and are constantly nib
bling around, taking a chew of to-
baceo, a bit Of cheese, lump OF
sugar, an apple, handful of berries,
or anything they take a fancy to.
Four or five of these nibblers eat a
man up in year or two. II tbs very
annoying, and is, to say the least OF
it, aspecies of small thoughtlessness.
This disposition to nibble is a mild
species Of kleptomania, with. which
nearly everybody is afflicted to
greater or less degree. Grocers I'M
doubtedly suffer the most from it OF
any species of tradesmen, as they
deal in articles which every person
is disposed to eat, and in order to
sell their wares they must expose
them TO sight. At one time, a year
or two ago. the custom prevailed OF
covering up barrels and boxes with
a wire network, through which Gus
TONERS could see but not taste but
this plan seems to have been gene
rally abandoned now. Perhaps it
is on the principal that " stolen fruit
is always the sweetest" that the
lump of sugar, the piece of cheese,
the peach, or whatever it may be,
which is :" tasted " is always better
than the package of which it was a
sample is when it is delivered at
home. There are many persons who
are conscientious in this respect,
and never touch an article until 1T IS
weighed out, but they usually have
TO taste it just before it is tied up,
and they know that it is always bet
ter than when the package is opened
at home again. These little tasters
are almost a matter of necessity and
the man who never permits himself
to indulge in them carries with him
through life very heavy cross.
If it were only the regular Gus
toner. one whose trade is worth
something, who INDUCED in these
little pickings, the whole thing could
be remedied by adding small per
centage now and then TO his bill ;
or. many would not grumble il a
little item should be added now and
then to his bill, such as;
Nibblings to date. 70
As it is, the grocer is compelled
to make up from his regular custom
ers not only the amount of their own
pickings. but those of the dead beats
as well ; or bear the loss himself,
and usually, we imagine, the burden
comes principally upon him.
Very few persons have much idea
of the extent of this tax upon the
dealers in a town like this. We
asked retail grocer last evening
what il cost him, aud he said, at first,
a dollar a day, but upon second
thought said it was more. 1t prob
ablv amounts to fully $500 year
a. most the cost of clerk-and
taking the whole city together. 1t
will amount to fully SIS, 900 or $780,
a wear. This seems like large sum,
hui an estimate can readily be made
, which viii. support it.
We have heard of lounger who
was cured Of whiting a tailor's
counter by having a corner OF ms
coat tail cut off by the taiior's
shears but this will not put an end
{ ia all the nibbIing. In some cases
such remedy is necessary, and gro
Ger must estimate whether he will
gain or lose by losing a customer
who is an inveterate and persistent
nibbIer. In the main, however, he
must make calculations upon a large
amount which be cannot thus put a
ston to. and must count in large
item on the debit side Of his profit
and loss account under this leaf in
, striking his balance. 1t is a passion
of human nature which must be met
, and. like many other evils, nibbline
: must be kept in check as much a.
f possible, but it can never be entirel
L,d;ondnoliS Journal