Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-03-01

Few persons have any idea of the extent
of ths commission business 10 ordinary
affairs. / mean those disconnected with
politics. Il would be difficult TO name any
branch Of business where commissions are
not paid to somebody. Lawyers give COM
missions to those who send them clients
doctors pay those who recommend them
to patients; grocers, butchers, bankers
and candlestick makers pay commissions
TO those who send them patronage tailore,
milliners, haberdashers, confectiOners,
florists, bar keepers, taveruers--in fact,
nearly all persons Sho buy, or sell, or I'LL
orders, are obliged 10 pay commissions 10
somebody. Railway companies, steam
ship companies, and dozens Of other cor
ppratIons--repnted 10 be without soals-
pay commissions, and will continue to pay
them TO the end of time. Even under-
takers are not exempt.
know of two cases wherein they have
paid for the business which came to them,
and have heard of several others. One
that was told ME few weeks ago as fol-
lows: A woman in a fashionable board
ing house died suddenly, and her husband
asked the landlady to send for an under
taker. She did so, and the job proved
good one, as the bereaved husband was
possessed considerable money, and wished
to do the thing up 10 style. He told the
undertaken to make the funeral a swell
one, and not to stand on expense. The
undertaken obeyed orders, and the affair
was the envy of the remaining boarcers
in the house. A day or two after the pay
ment OF the bill the landlady called at the
coffin shop and quietly limited that death
in house is a sad thing, especially in a
boarding house. The undertaken assented,
and, without further parley, drew check
for $50, which consOled the unhappy
matron and turned her sorrow into delight.
When another boarder dies che will no
forget this slight testimonial OF the under
takers respect and esteem.
Many a nice young man about town is
clothed free of expense by fashionable
tailors who have an eye to business and
know It is to their advantage to keep the
much-yewsd swells 10 fine garments.
Grocers, butchers, bakers, and all men Of
their ilk pay commissions to house servants
much oftener than their employers i'm
agiRe. The custom has become very gen
eral in New York iR the past few years,
and in some households the wages Of the
servants are the smallest parl Of their
incomes. On New Years day the grocors
send presents to the servants, generally a
bottle of whisky or gin, to each cook OF
kitchen maid, and the result is that, In a
good many houses, the servants below
stairs, on the LIST of January, are quite as
drunk as the majority of the visitors and
entertainers in the parlors above. At the
railway and steamboat landings the hack
men frequently pay commissions to the
policemen, who allow them good places
In the line and do not press them to move
on. Policemen, by the way, make great
many commissions when their con
sciences are hexible-from gin-shops,
gambling-houses, and other establish
ments, which may as well be nameless
and In the same way hotel clerks ant
hackmen are enabled ia add materially Il
their regular INCOMES. The hotel elerl
comes in for commissions on the tailors
and the same Is the case with others who
como IN contact with strangers. For ex
ample, there is an English tailor hero whi
Is understood to have friendly relation
with the British censulate-I dou't meaI
! with the consul, but with some of tn
, subordnates. When an English travele
drops into. his. consulate, aud says,
want some clothes, you know, and wan
: to know, you know, where | can find
! COED taller, you know" some one /
moved to say, "My dear fellow, you know
: go to--'s here's his card awful RiO
= tailor, You know will Just suit you, m
7 boy" The traveller goes and remarks t
1 the tailor that they told him at the cor
t sulate that this was the place. Is II any
body's business if somebody gets th
$ handsome thing done for him l-oinei'
r aafH Gazette,