The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1876-08-11
GONE TO TEE DOGS.

entereu llle SnOp OF q master me
chanie.
1--WE are sending out all of oul
accounts this season." returned
the mechanic, bowing.
"a want to pay you"
every well, Mr.. Baker, we are
always glad to get money"
"Btgt you must throw off some.
thing. Let me see"-"and the
customer drew out the bill-$27.,
46. $25 will do; there, receipt the
bill and | will pay yoT."
But Leonard shook his head.
81 can't deduct cent from the
bill, Mr.. Baker. Every article is
charged at our regular price"
ooh, yes, you can. Just make
it $25 even money. Here it is"
And Baker counted out the mon
ey.
"I'm sorry, Mr.. Baker that
can't afford to deduct anything.
If you only owed me $25, your
bill would be just that amount. |
would not have added a cent be
yond what is due nor | take any
thing less than my due"
"Then you won't deduct the
odd money 2"
81 cannot, indeed"
every well. The manner of the
customer was changed. He was
evidently offended. "The bill is
too high by just the sum l asked
to have stricken off. But no mat
ter, | can pay it."
Then you mean to insiuuate,o
said the mechanic, who was an
independent sort of a man, "that
am beating you out of $2.46?"
II didn't say So"
But it is plain that you think
so, or you wouldn't have asked an
abatement. If you consider my
charges just, you wouldn't dis
pute them"
ooh, 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 ac-
count and gave the change, both
Of which his customer thrust into
his pocket with a petulent air,
and then turned and left the shop
without another word.
ut is the last bill he ever has
against me-" muttered Baker to
himself, as he walked away. "If
that is his manner Of treating his
customers, he'll soon go the dogs.
1t was downright insulting, and
No gentleman will stand that from
another, much less from a vulgar
mechanic. Mean to insinuater =
Humph. Yes, | do mean to in
sinuate," and Mr.. Baker involun-
tarily quickened his pace. "He'll
loose good customer" he con
tinued to himself. 1--WE paid him
a great deal Of money, but it's the
last dollar of mine he ever han
dies"
Baker was as good as his word.
He withdrew his custom from the
offending mechanic, and gave it
to another.
"Pve got one Of your old Gus
toners Leonard, said a friend in
the same business to the mechan-
ic, some six or eight monts after
wards.
"Ah! who is itG"
Baker"
Leonard shrugged his shoul-
ders.
GLOW came you to lose him."
Cpl tell you how to keep him."
"Well, howW
of your bill amounts to $50,
make it $33 and a few odd cents,
by increasing some Of the items.
He will want the surplus knocked
off, which you can afford to do;
then he will pay it, and think you
just the man for him."
You lost him, then, because you
wouldn't abate anything from a
true bill"
81 did"
"Thank you. But suppose my
bill should be twenty-six or sew
en- 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 on that9'
eyes. 1t will be knocking off
odd dollars, which he will think
clear gain"
"That would hardly be hon
est"
Hardly. But you must do it,
or lose his custom some day or
other"
"I shall have to accommodate
him | suppose. Ii he will be
cheated, it can't be helped"
On the very first bill Baker paid
to his new tradesman, he obtain
ed an abatement of $1.90, add mo
ney, and actually paid $3 more
than was justly due. Still he was
well satisfied, imagining that he
made a saving Of $l.90 cents. The
not over-scrupulous tradesman
laughed in his sleeve and kept
his customer.
Having withdrawn his support
from Leonard, it was the candid