The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-16
Ten Business Rules.

MoTTo.-"Call on business men on bust.
ness during business hours; transact your
business, and 60 about your business, that
others may attend to their business"
Offices, stores, and other places of bust.
ness are established for business purposes
1t costs time, care, and money to maintain
and conduct them. The results are in pro
portion to the talent, industry, and attention
bestowed on the busjpsss. A concern which
is run without business rules or order will
not only fail, but will spoil young employers,
who become irregular, inattentve, slovenly,
INDECENT, and shittless.
l. Promptness is indispensable. Each
employee should always make it rule to be
on time, so as NOT to to deprive his employer,
or others who may require attention, Of his
presence and services when needed. If be
be ten minutes behind time, it may cause the
loss of time to ten others. Ten times ten
are a hundred
2. Diligence is not only duty to an en-
ployer, but lit secures promotion and increased
remuneration. O0e may not always be
pushed with work, in which case he should
push the work and fill up his time as best he
may.
3. LOSING TME.-One may be disposed
to talk and gossip about matters not con-
nected with the duties of the Office, which
not only consumes their own time, their en-
ployer's, but that also of listeners How
indignant would he feel if charged with rob
bing; and, as "time is money!" is he not a
robber who wastes another's time? One has
no right thus to "fool" away time for which
he is paid to work or to attend to business.
4. VIGILANCE TO be vigilant in bust
ness, not slothful, is divine command. 1t
is the duty of an employ6 to be watchful,
wide-awake, and mindful of bis employer g
interests. Mere "killing time" till the clock
strikes the hour to quit won't do; such iu-
difference aud neglect will neither secure
more pay nor promotion.
5. ECONOMY. Each is in duty bound to
see that nothing be wasted, paper, Irvine,
tools, books, etc. He IS also expected to
exercise his mind as we'll as hands in the in
terest of the business.
8. A shirk or an eye servant watches the
clock impatiently to have time arrive for
lunch or to quit, and il sure to be ready to
drop any duty the mon snt the clock strikes
He is not so careful TO be on hand in the
morning. Then he is sin the drag" Such
persons are seldom up to their work, and
often fail to keep their promises. They are
always unfortunate, and never rise in life.
7. INTEGRITY PAYs.-Let it be understood
that this office aims to do an honest bust
ness" Everything must be on the square.
Should customer oyerpsy when making
purchase, return him the amount Should
the cash receipts be over or under, continue
the investigation till the error is found.
8. PoLITENEsS.--A rough, rude, uncouth,
ill-tempered cur, boy, clrmudgeon, or man,
is a nuisance in any business concern, aud
the sooner he is set abor. something to which
he is better adapted the better. He will
drive away customers. One who smells of
whiskey, beer, or toba 20 is unfit to stand
behind counter and o wait on customers.
One who is polite patio 1t, kindly, neat, tidy,
talkative, honest. frier1ly, and capable of
reading character, to know who wants to
purchase, and who simply wants to look at
goods, is the best adapted to the place, and
will soon make his services indispensable.
9. A COOP PENMAN AND Quick IN FIG
UREs.-To excel and turn off work we'll and
with dispatch one must write handsome
hand, and be able to compute figures rapidly;
also to make change quickly and correctly.
Bungling or delay in these is inexcusable.
10. AIM HIGH,-Honorabe aspiration in
any calling is lsudable. No useful work is
mental A true lady will grace the kitchen
no less than the drawing tits just as
honorable to sweep and dust an office as it is
to wear laces, or count coppers, or keep &C
counts. The boy who runs on errands or
carries parcels may, if he does his whole
duty, work up through all the grades of por
ter, shippiDg-clerk, book-keeper, cashier,
partner, and principal. Many of our lead
ing newspaper editors and publishers were
once newsbOys; and most of our leading