American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-04-29
Anecdotes of the Late A. Il.
Stewart.

A friend of Mr.. Stewart relates an
anecdote which shows the methods that
the merchant adopted, when carrying
on small business, to increase the
number of his customers. Mr.. Stewart
made inquiries among his friends, and
learned the name and residence of the
leader of fashionable society in the city
and also the church that she attended.
He then sought out the sexton of the
church and leased a pew directly in
front of that of the lady. Regularly
Sunday after Sunday thereafter he sat
in his seat and took part in the worship.
A few months passed, and one Sunday
the church it suddenly began to rain.
The fashionable lady had a carriage,
but the sidewalk between the church
door and the roadway was wide, and
she stopped irresolutely at the door up
on perceiving the drops of rain, dread
ing injury to her costly dress. The fire.
quent mists and rain of Ireland had
caused Mr.. Stewart to form the habit
of carrying an umbrella on all days of
the year, and he had one on this day.
Raising it, he told the lady he would
shelter her beneath it until she could
walk to her carriage, if she would ac-
cept the service. The proffer was ac-
cepted, he took her to the carriage, and
was heartily thanked. The following
Sunday, after the service, she addressed
him and again thanked him for his
kindness. A short conversation fol-
lowed, and occasionally on Sundays
that succeeded, as they were coming
out of church, few words passed be-
tween them. While talking with a
member of the church one day the lady
learned Mr.. Stewards occupation, and
the next time she met him said:
ssMr. Stewart, have you any articles
in your store that you think 1 would
like to buyp''
"No," he replied; 81 don't think 1
have any thing"
81 would like to aid you in your bust
ness in some way
"You can in this way: have noticed
horses every day, and you. not caring
always to take ride, I presume the
carriage is frequently empty. If on the
days when you do not wish to use the
carriage you will order your coachman
to take it to my store and remain in
front of the store for half an hour, you
will do me good turn"
The lady was amused by Mr.. Stew
arts suggestion, and cheerfully granted
the request. The frequent appearance
of the carriage in front of the store, and
the presumptive presence of the fash
ionable owner of it within the store,
was soon noticed by other women, and
Mr.. Stewards scheme was speedily sue
cessful. Carriage after carriage stopped
before the store, and the stream of
fashion was started that has since run
ceaselessly in and out its doors.
Personally Mr.. Stewart was a very
unassuming man. He dressed plainly
and with good taste, and never wore
rings or diamonds. The only costly
article he carried about was gold
watch, and this was not fastened to a
chain, but to black silk cord. If he
saw one of his clerks displaying much
jewelry, this was considered sufficient
cause by him to establish an inquiry
into the habits of the man, the amount
of his salary, and his mode of living.
If his salary and circumstances did not
warrant such outlay Mr.. Stewart would
have a watch set on his actions, and the
result in many cases proved that the
clerk was dishonest. Many instances
could be recounted in which he discov-
cred dishonesty in his clerks by too
great display of jewelry on their part.
He was generally lenient with erring
employees, and never prosecuted them
if there were any extenuating circum-
stances His observation was remark
ably keen, and he was quick to observe
the slightest irregularity in the arrange
ment of the different departments of the
store, or any slovenliness in the dress
of the clerks. If clerk, on the other
hand, was dressed too extravagantly,
Mr. Stewart often took occasion to offer
gentle rebuke. AS an instance of this
distaste for outward display, it may be
mentioned that he was walking through
his retail store one day when a massive
gold chain and locket in the button
hole of one of his clerks attracted his at
tention. He stepped up to him and said |:
F" Young man, if were you I'd button
up my coat on that;' and, pointing
down to his own plain black silk watch
cord, he added, "That is the best that
I can afford to wear; take my advice,
and keep that covered up!"
He had constant watchfulness over
all the details of his business, and more
than one of his employees found himself
watched when he least supposed it.
s'He never spoke to me but twice." one
of his old clerks relates. ''Once tore
a piece of wrapping paper roughly
across, and he came around and told
me 1 should have folded it and made
even edges. People, he said, didn't
like to get shiftless-looking bundles.
Again, 1 wound bundle around with
an extra turn of string, and before l
could cut it he had the bundle out of
nv hand and unwound the unnecessary
turn. Never waste even a piece Of
string,' he said; waste is always
wrong"
Mr.. Stewart, in the selection of his
paintings, invariably chose those which