The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-06-16
Concerning Nibblcrs.


| From TIE ITOrtdtHcG Journal
There arc certain offences against good
manners, and even decent morality,
which yet hardly como within the purview
OF ordinary censorship or the practical nd
ministratiOn Of the law. They originate
in IN utter disregard Of the amenities Of
life, or wantOn and selfish indulgence in
appropriation OF the property OF Others
within such limits rs are deemed safe.
Among these violations Of prOpriety and
the rights OF property is one which, in
each particular instance insignificant, is
still in the aggregate great annoyance
and the cause OF no slight loss TO n certain
class Of retail dealers. Almost every deal.
er in groceries is painfully aware Of the
cost 10 him in the course of the year OF
the NIJ6lcrS. They ARE not usually
regular customers whose trade might
well excuse an occasional taking Of
choice dclicacy without payment,
but some casual purchaser who,
buying perhaps an article Of small value,
yielding u very tritling profit; will take d
handful Of prllnes, few crackers, or
dates, enough, and more than enough,
than TO take of all the profit Of the pur-
chase he makes. The shOpkeeper feels
reluctant to speak OF what seems, and is
in itself, IL trillG; but when he multiplics
the single loss by the hundreds who do
the same thing, he finds it is very ruinous
in his yearly expenses. If the people who
are guilty OF this imPcrtincnce would
stop 10 consider, they would admit that
their wrong is precisely rs distinct and
actual as though they were TO reach into
the till and take Il five cent piece, or n
ten cent scrip. They would be Mortified
should it be insinuatCd that they would
do this-but they do what is to the dealer
exactly equivalent.
That this is an evil Of n magnitude little
dreamed Of by the community at large, ill.,
Guiding those who indulge in it, would up
pear very evident were VIC 10 cite instan'
ces which have come TO our knowledge,
and which have called forth from our cor.
respondents indignant protests. Indeed
il is declared tlInt notices inlimlting n eau
ton not to convey" small articles Nrc Of
no avail, but that ruinOns inrOad upon
the profits Of the retailers is made by this
too common custom. Suppose the case
reversed; and that customer having
made Il purchase amounting 10 twenty
cents, and having handed II twenty-five
cent scrip to the stOrG.keeper, the latter
should coolly put it into his drawer and
offer in return no change? And suppose
that he should make practice Of doing it;
how long would he retain either his
trade or the reputation Of an honest
man! 1t should he remembered that the
profits Of the retail grocery trade are not
exorbitant, and that in these times it re-
quircs the utmost prudence 10 make in 1t
a comfortable living. In the great ma
jOrity Of cases, no doubt, this habit Is the
result of sheer thOughtlcssness-but
thoughtlcssness may be sin; but in other
instances It is pure meanness, the pur-
pose 10 obtain luxury, small though it
may be, without paying therefor. The
grocer may not be 10 blame, If he ut.
tributes to mere CarclessneSs, Il gross and u
disgraCelul motive. Those who in this
regard avoid even the appearance Of evil
will be certain not 10 be misjudgcd; and
it is our privilege, rs well us our duty, to
give the world, including the groccrs, rea-
son to think as well Of us rs we deserve.
1t is the little faults which Nrc so much
Deutschland talked about.