Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-09
CORRESPONDENCE.
Something About the Woes of a ssCon- Mercial Traveler.,'
 MsSc

Something About the Woes of a ssColn-
 mercfal Traveler.''
 SPRINGFIELD, Mass, Feb. 7. To the Editor ofthe JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 feel highly fattered by compliments which am constantly receiving from your numerous readers about the letters I have sent you of late, and particularly from those in our city. That those from out of town should speak of them and of you is not surprising, for New Haven has many friends in all parts of our land and to see a New Haven paper always pleases. But to hear so much 'locally' was not thought of by your correspondent.
 There are many sides to the life of ''com mercial traveler''-some shadows with the sun- shine, and good deal of hard and nerve-trying work mixed in with the amusement. To take @ line of samples q care not how popular the article) and go out on the road to make sales is no t'boy's play" Successful as I generally am, get dreadfully ''snubbed" often by some little upstart of buyer who in his brief ex- perienoe has already acquired more knowledge about my own business than my twenty years years experience have gi iven me, and too ire quently for my own good leave him to the enjoyment of his own opinion and ''strike out for other fields. But the real work comesin when you meet with keen, sharp buyers, who are really and correctly posted on the actual cost of goods. Selling, as do, to the largest houses suppose meet with the smartest men in the dry goods trade in this country. I always feel when am about to engage in an encounter" particularly at this season of the year, that the general sales agent of New Haven Ruff fling must do his best. But there is great deal more satisfaction in dealing with business man" than with ''supposition." Again, going without sleep is inconvenient as, for instance, on the Sound last Monday night, when the steamer New York came near foun- D-s. 1a-I washed, and about every one of her many hundreds of passengers sick-when every joint creaked and every sea seemed as though it would burst through. Good chance to sleep when the slightest accident to the machinery would force us on lee shore, lined with rocks. Fine time to rest when the whistling of the wind and the binding snow, combined with the shouting of the officers giving orders, was enough to almost wake the dead. And fancy the state of your mind when you had your advance circulars out to meet 8 dozen persons in Boston next day in the forenoon, and noon finds you yet on the boat, and by that disappointment your engage ments all broken for over week ahead.
 I had planned this week to be in Boston Monday, New York Tuesday, Buffalo and Rochester Wednesday, Syracuse and Utica Thursday, and home Friday, and you can imagine my feelings when the whole of one day was spent fighting the storm instead of the ssrufie buyers But was too thankful to get safely on shore to find very much fault. And once more, when do you suppose one who travels fast gets time to eat? guess I have told you how. My meals are mostly taken while am in motion, and gnawing stale sandwich, such as you get at almost any depot lunch counter, minus butter and about ditto meat, and thinking of roast turkey or nice porterhouse steak is all very nice on pa- per, but not so enjoyable in experiencing
 An, my dear JOURNAL, ''all that glitters is not gold, and if any of your friends want to change occupations with me tell them to send you their address and will promise them liberal salary if they will take the place of yours, M. 0. s.