Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-08-12
GOING TO TIE DOGS.

"I received your bill to-day, Mr.
Leonard" said customer as he entered
the shop of a master mechanic.
"We are sending out all our accounts
this season." returned the mechanic
bowing.
"I want to pay you.
Very well, Mr.. Baker, we're Away
glad to get money.
"But you must throw off something
Let me see and the customer drew
out the bill" $27 46. $25 will do
There, receipt the bill. and I will pa.
YOU"
But Leonard shook his head.
"I can't deduct cent from the bill
Mr.. Baker. Every article is charged
at our regular price,"
"Oh, yes, you can. just make il
$25, even money. Here it is."
Baker counted out the cash.
elm sorry, Mr.. Baker, can't af
ford to deduct anything. If you only
owed me $25, your bill would have beer
just that amount. I would not have
added cent beyond what is due mol
can I take anything less than my due. "
"Then you won't deduct the odd
money"
II cannot, indeed"
i" Very we'll" The manner of the
customer was changed. He was evi-
deutly offended. "The bill is too high
by lust the sum asked to have strick.
en- off. But, no matter, can pay it,"
"Then you mean to insinuate," said
the mechanic, who was an independent
sort of q man, "that am beating you
out of 81 46?"
81 didn't say So"
"But it is plain that you think so,
or you wouldn't have asked an abate-
ment. If you considered my charges
Just, you wouldn't dispute them"
"Oh, never mind, never mind! we'll
not waste words about it. Here's your
money" said Mr.. Baker, and he added
another S. bill to the sum he had laid
down. The mechanic receipted the
account and gave the change, both Of
which his customer thrust into his
pocket with q petulant air, and then
turned and left the shop without an
other word.
cit is the last bill he everhas against
me-, muttered Baker to himself, as hs
walked away. If that is his manner
of treating his customers, he'll soon GO
to the dogs. 1t was downright insult
ing, and no gentleman will stand that
from another, much less from vulgar
mechanic. "Mean to insinuate!'-
Humph! Yes, do mean to insin-
uate," and MIR. Baker involuntarily
quickened his pace. He'll lose good
customer" he continued to himself.
I've paid him great deal of money.
but it's the last dollar of mine he ever
handles
Baker Was good as his word. He
withdrew his custom from the offend
ing mechanic, and gave it another.
"I've got one of your old customers
Leonard, said friend in the same
business to the mechanic, some six OF
eight months afterwards.
"Ah! who is it?
"Baker."
Leonard shrugged his shoulders.
"How came you to lose him?"
"Tll tell you now to keep him."
Well, howY
eff your bill amounts to $50, make
it $33 and few odd cents, by increas-
ing some of the items. He will want
the surplus knocked of, which you can
afford to do; then he will pay it, and
think you just the man for him."
You lost him, taen, because you
wouldn't abate anything from q true
BILL"
{" / did.
"Thank you. But suppose my bill
should be twenty-six or seven or eight
what then? couldn't knock off the
odd dollars for the purpose of making
an even sum-"
"No. In that case you must add on
until you get above thirty"
"And fall back on that ?"
eyes. 1t will be knocking off odd
dollars, which he will think clear gain. :"
"That would hardly be honest"
"Hardly but you must do it, or lose
his custom, some day or other"
II shall have to accommodate him
suppose. If he will be cheated, it can't
be helped!'
On the very first bill Baker paid to
his new trade sman, he obtained on
abatement of 81 80, odd money, and
actually paid So more than was justly
due. Still he was we'll satisfied, i'm
agining that he had made saving Of
81 80 cents. The not over-scrupulous
tradesman laughed in his sleeve and
kept his customer.
Hsving withdrawn his support from
Leonard, it was the candid opinion oi
Mr.. Baker that he was "going to the
dogs" as he expressedit, about as fast
as man could 60. He often passed
the shop, but rarely saw q customer.
"No wonder" he would say to him
self. GA man like him can. expect,
and don't deserve custom"
In the eyes of Mr.. Baker, the grass
seemed to grow upon the pavement
before the door of the declining trades
man. Dust settled thickly in his win.
dow, and the old sign turned greyer
and greyer in the bleeching air.
"Going to the dogs, and no wonder,
Baker would say to himself, as he went
by. He appeared to take strange in.
/ terest in watching the gradual decay oi
the mechanics fortune. Ono day q
merchant friend said to him
DO you know anything about thii