National Republican., 1873-12-17
CuRfosIrIss or THE COUNTER.
SOME OF THE CUSTOM Fms WHO WORRY
Ann MNSrIEN rnAnESNIEN-

ol weaker persons who 10 to the wall, II IL not to
be denied that u they cry out pretty loudly they
will receive an immediate share OF public ntcn.
tion, and found to be much or unduiy squeezed,
we are iustIhcd by precedent In assuming that
sympathy and assistance will also be given them.
Very many classcs OF society whom found to be
suffering under the burden and heavy pressure OF
yoke 10 which they once Voluntarily submitted
themselves, have been relieved by the charitable
interfcrcace OF public opinion. These are gen.
orally found TO be suffering from the luac,on Of
too much work for too little money, which we call
grievance OF condition. but there arc other grev.
cpccs Of the feelings suffered by those whose call
ing brings them into constant and actual contact
With the public, which require !cr their slevIa.
tOn not the active interference, hut only the at
tontion and consideration OF society.
some time slncc there appeared in one OF our
eomic pcriod,eais ,ketCh entitled ~ irnSedSM
shgpmrn have Of saying "Slrr' amer tho customer
had stsed his requirements was criticised. such
n rehuko from such quarter attracted our nttcn.
tion toward shopmen IN general. and having al.
ways cultivated desire to hear both sides OF
sco,sidsraSle S extent, aseeriainiug their feelings
and opinions, and whcrcverwe found intchl'gcnce,
enoouragnE ioaSsci,y; Al ne sasnit s, ne m
their power 70 render the duties Of shopmen less
iaborious and irksomc.
who cutters % a shop Is AWARE Of what he requires.
Our experience, however, shows hat shopkeepcrs
md shemsn, & ars ae,ns,omsm n % 70 resogni,e Two two
want, and those who do not. In the hrst lie to be
found that customer who Is so rare and 40 perfect
that we will call him the IDEAL customer. lie
cxlstsas sort or foni dream In the mind Of the
shUprnan sometimes, but all too seldom, realised
iic knows what no wants, and l,e knows the price;
he asks tor II. pays for u, and takes II away.
Heaven prosper him on his way! io Is a model
to ali CUSTOMERS.
Now illhe shopkecper did not possess tho artL
clio required by tho Ideal customer. he would in.
form him so, and tho customer would leave the
shop In ,his respect, aud In this only, he differ.
from tho obstinate customer, who, although quite
a. clear on his rcqurcpcnts, gives fur more
trouble. For he Is no SOONER informed that the
article he wishes Is not kept than lie betrays be-
lief that II IT, and that only larness OF lack Of un
derstanding prevents him obtaining u. lie there.
fore Institute q little search on his own account
We viii suppose the obstinate customer enters
sssss Me 'nSg Z Did apS insi %%s keep
"Don't keep them, y he exelaims, gazing kceniy
around shs shop, "DenI ear me, .hsts very sSIs; SMs;
just over your head theres"
He I. told that they are chest. protectors.
wouldn't do, then-they-woudnt-do." This Is
said slowly, as the speakers eye wanders search.
s py IsT%G pointing 'nSR TaRd Si" snS SeSay Gs viz ~
"isn't that pile of things there with tho rcd
bordets to them washingslovesf think they
Thoy are accordingly taken down, and shown to
q G1g iS ssrsni '9 ,hs, wnsnag sSSys .Sn
upon him, and he win say, well, d you haven't
got them 1 can't have them, can IL" And then,
casting suspicious Hiances around him, he leaves
tho shop slowly, and the shopman may think him.
self fortunate q somct hing In the window does not
customer % much to be ayoIisd pI Is the niscreet
customer. lie orders readily, and speedily nnds
what hc wants. But he never thinks about price,
sSst the price i. three Or Ioar Zines what IL ex:
pected or can afford, and an awkward dllemms Is
opened, and the goods extracted until the amount
ID reduced to within the reach Of the indiscreet
This customer is the most annoy ing, ~ the mode
Of dsaing With him Is so difficult. If Il be at.
Si~iSusi BY Sis ;ire.s and appearance there Is lie
~ utmost danger Of confoundlng him with the un.
known customer, who is a. once the horror and
facts We came across, TO Illustrate. ~
A shabby old gentleman walk into jewelers.
passes. fhree Of = four @ were accordingly shown 10
MD, va. hardly good enough, sAS, but you see
these stones arc expensive" said tho jewelcr,
rather patronilingly. ~ can assure you the one
you have chosen would answer any ordinary pur,
The old gentleman looked around him in dis
satisfied way, and presently caught sight of q
large and beautiful stone In corner Of the Jew
"rhst looks more like what I wsnt," said he
"lst me look at that enc. will your'
% dare pe ssrs tSagS vow ."ad I ro rSs
This stoae you have is good SIR"
In quiet voice, the ,Jd yonl llcman asked IL the
tho ieweleI produced II, naming 4 high price: II
wasimmcdiatel chosen; and his customer, taking
u sketch from his pocket. said:
'tust that coat OF arms engraved upon Il and
send me word when IT'S done"
He gave hts name and aidress. He was noble
earl; and the shopkevper had committed the
grievous error ofueatlng him as an lndlscreet,
when he was an unknown customer.
Ono Of the most remarkable specimens Ia the
nl,tu mi eaf I've ~ a re
will. i.wth the slightest announcement land some
tlmes withoutl converse freely about his pcrsor
aud private affairs, over shop counter, to an In
dividual he hss never seen before ia his liie..
Geptlenan Of this class, on the simple introduc
oS oScss,SnsS ,S ed sy the purchase oi hall ponn,t
have been In the grocery trade himself " he hat
stopped down In the country, where he was born
but tha, he haa always fancy TO come to Lon
~ wasn't worth much when ! arrived" :" said
the Sommnnieaiive customer, but I'm worth .
chAt cost me over hiicen hundred pounds, and l'n
going to furnish It amt let I. furnished. Ineve
GOULD got on With uniurnishc'i houses. One oi m,
Another Instance was man who. within fv,
minutes Of entering the shop, informed The shop
man where he WAS going to dine. whit lie wa
going y have, and what his balance Was at th'
OF course the most troublesome OT all custom
,ors arc To- found among those who 10 not know
what thoy want. Foremost among these, we art
informed, are ladies. The dinealty these ial
,oquaicd by the iiiheulty the shopman eAperlcnee
In making 1t up tor them. They are iinpresset
with tho idea that the task OF buying must be per
formed slowly, and II an article Is found speedily
that Il prima Jaeie evidence that II Is not suitable
Tho experience Of shopman In fancy shop wa
lrs lady and her erhusband are about to purchase
tho LADY, Of course, performs the selection.
Yea y.Py Pysh shppo.i Sss yos ,s%t have M hs say
Tho ialr one sbrinks ffbm tho conclusion. Shl
searches further, Presently she oxclaims again
\ inl 4 a Ia Int hast I.
Her husband observes. not unrcasonably;
"wsli, then, my dear, you'd better have tina
And we areassured that the lady will invarIabI,
put It on one side and look over the others agaln
object q the Barnaeics and stiiIstaiking was 81
ways how not 10 do IT," so the aim Of ioreigne
Obtain ssa. he reane lie de%ands an nj aree
It u shown to him. lie then wants Il with oi
without some particular attribute. This is pro
ducod, and he hnds some other qualification
Such I man viii enter a ststioncr,s shop an,
HppssnSns sa Sas Tia, SpsT IL wants very TsI iii
paper for foreign correspondence, the shopmai
shows him some. He looks At Il ihoughtluliy
shown, and the iereign customer 10 alarmed a
getting exactly what he wants; but presently
sppy y. rSSSR' fss sso sHs SunS nS
until At last, having, by patiencs and pcrseyer
raises his hat politely. and leaves the shop.
We regret to cay that II Is customary In som,
shops to get rid oifsreigners as soon possible.
All experience shows that the shopman should
avoid being particular as to the manner or mod,
otspeaking In euJomers. We have most Of u
met with people WHO annoyed us by a pecnliarit,
OF some sort In manner or conversation. This, M
doubt, arises from q little tastidiousness on oul
part; yet we do occasionally allow our feelings
little liberty In this respect. but It Is an exceed
ingly illadvised thing Tor q shopman to do, espe
caIy las Is most oitent the easel with habituai Gus
toners. We met with an nmiablo bookseller
who suffered intense annoyance from n younl
man who frequently came into his shop, and
commencing ut the door to speak In the highes
falsotto, would end when he arrived at the
counter In the deepest bass.
Fright down In his boots" said our informant
nngriIyt and althoug we pointed out that Il wa
but trivial fault, for which the young man wBs
perhaps, not altogether responsible, the book
seller declared he should be unable much longer
to restrain his Indignation,
young man behind q counter complained Of
customer who annoyed him by saying, "Err-yei
umr In nasal tone, at every available Upporiu
nifty In conversation. Tho shopman Away care
fully constructed his sentenced so as TO avoid, 1
m Han nd fall IA