The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-01-06
Select Sturp.
GOING TO THE DOGS

received your bill to-day, Mr.. Leon.
ard, said Mr. Baker, as he entered the
shop Of u master mechanic
hope it will cause you no trouble.
make it rule to send out all bills at this
season" returned the mechanic, bowling.
Oh, no; not at all. am ready to pay
you, said Baker; "but think your bill
rather high. You must throw off some
thing. Let me see" and the customer
drew out the twenty seven dollars
and torty-six cents-twenty-fv will do.
There, receipt the bill, and will pay you +"
But Leonard shook his head.
:" cant deduct a cent from the bill
Mr. Baker. Every article is charged at
pur regular prices, and every cent less than
the bill is just so much clear loss to me.
~ "Oh, yes, you eau. just make it
twenty-tre dollars, even money. Here it
U.s." And Mr.. Baker counted out the
cash
81 am sorry, Mr.. Baker, cannot afford
70 deduct anything. If you owed me only
twenty-five dollars your bill would have
been just THAI amount. would not have
addeda cent beyond what is due, nor can
~ take anything less than my due"
"Then you won't deduct the odd mon
ey?"
I" cannot, indeed"
"Very we'll" The manner of the Gus
somer was changed lie was evidently
efended. "The bill is too high by Just
the sum asked to have stricken off. But
10 matter. | can pay it.
Then you mean to insinuatc," said the
mechanic, who was an Independent sort of
man, "that am cheating you out of
sno dollars and for.y-six cents.
" didn't say So"
=" But it is plain you think so, or you
Npuldn't have asked an abatement. If
{on considered my charges just you wouldn't
dispute them"
oh, never mind, never mind we'll
oot waste words about it. Here's your
tponey,' said Mr.. Baker, and he added
apother five dollar bill to the sum he had
alrcady laid down. The mechanic re.
ceipted the account and made the change,
both Of which the customer thrust into
his pocket with petulant air, and then
turned and left the shop without another
word.
It's the last bill he will ever have
against me, muttercd Baker to himself
~ he turned away. "If that is his man
PEI of treating his customers he III soon 20
q the dogs. 1t was downright insulting,
eng no gentleman will stand that from
another, much less from vulgar mechan.
e Mean to insinuate Yes, humph
Aes, did mean to insinuate," said MIR.
mixer, voluntarily quickening his pace.
i.he will lose good customer" he con-
tinned to himself, 81 have paid him great
deal OF money, but it's the last dollar of
NY money he'll ever handle"
Baker was as good as his word. He
Withdrew his custom from the offending
mechanic and gave it to another.
I've got one of your old customers,
k'onard, said friend in the same busi.
eess to the mechanic, some six or eight
Hpnths afterwards
/" All who is it?"
Baker"
Leonard shrugged his shoulders.
' How came you to lose him p
LII tell you how to keep him." said
feonard, "if you want to adopt that kind
p business | confess | do not myself"
Well, how?"
a eff your bill amounts to thirty dollars
1nake 1t thirty-three and a few odd cents
'by Increasing some of the items. He will
Raht the surplus knocked of, which you
pan afford to do; then he will pay it and
thlqk you are just the man for him.
4 You lost him, then, because you wouldn't
nbate anything from a true bill p
81 did"
"Jhauk you. But suppose my bill
Phould be twenty-six, or twenty seven, or
elghti what then? couldn't knock of
The odd dollars for the purpose of making
an even sum.
No; in that case you must add on in
you get above thirty
Aud fall back on that?p
Yes; it will be knocking off odd dol.
lars, which he will think clear gain"
That would hardly be honest"
Very true. Remember ] do not nd.
wise you to follow such plan. lam only
telling you what kind of man YOU are
dealing with"
Well, | do not intend to cheat him;
but IT he likes that way | suppose must
accommodate him"