Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1881-07-27
Trials of a 0ry-Goods Clerk.
By KATE THORN.

of Chesterfield. lie must tie able
to swallow his dinner on time, To
keep his boots BACKED III all kinds
Of weather, his finger nails tree OF
mourning stripes. and he must have
the ability 10 make twenty. five
cents worth of hair oil ,lo the exc
cution OF a dollars worth.
The dry goods clerk must admire
pretty women, and ugly ones, too,
and be just rs alert when old maids
of sixty, with skin like butter
milk cheese, comes in. as he is when
a blooming miss of seventeen sim.
pers at him across the counter aud
asks for yard ct edging.
He must never TIE tired. He
must have good teeth, So rs To be-
able to smile on customers bewitch.
ingly enough 10 induce them To pay
seventy.ivc cents for what is worth
only fifty. lie must keep his breath
sweet, or somebody will take OF
Tense. He must never blow his
nose; it is Vulgar. 1t tie hats II cold
he must grin aud bear il, or retire
to the cellar while he sees to his
nose. lie mast not have warts ON
his hands. He ought not To have
corns. but if he can manage tn bear
them it all night, tor as he does not
go barefoot nobody can see them.
But man troubled with cnrns Is
liable To tie out of temper at times,
aud the saints, If they ever had
corns in the flesh, will forgive him,
too.
His conscience must I've elastic
il is absolutely necessary. \ dry.
goods clerk who told the trHth oH
all occasions would never make
sales enough to pay for his salt.
When old MIS-, vino is yellow
rs birthstone. et,iites in, and insist )
on it that sky blue is more hrrom.
ing TO her than anything else. I'M
less II b. rose punk, il j. not Tor the
dry goods clerk 20 tell her that she
will look like he durc 1T ct't,r-tt
belongs ~ him to sell his employ.
er's goods.
He is not hired to educate people
in culur> or taste.
Let her hay what She wants. She
would ~ mad aS u Marsh hare.
however mad that may he, 1t Ht
should tell her the truth, that She
is too yellow To think ot such cuturS.
which belong only TO youth and
beauty.
He must bc polite to everybody.
No matter II 4 customer inNluualrs
he lies, he must take II as a cnmpll.
meat. People who spend their
money have right to express crr
opinion. Niue trnths of them don't
know WOODEN from cotton. after it is
incorporated into II piece at cloth.
but they all think they do, and Ii
would be folly in the clerk 10 ny
and convince them OF their mistake.
He had better save his breath Ia
say sweet thugs to his girl, when
he goes counting.
The clerk should I've willing to
show every piece of PRINT ~ the
store to the Woman who Is after two
yards OF calirn for patchwork. on
coarse she wants to be- suited. She
viii probably bay the iit>t piece size
looked ut, hut that Is no matter. il
will keep yon busy. Mr. Jerk. and
circulate Your blood, 10 put the nifty
pieces YOU have taken down for her
Inspection. back on the shelves
The customer who calls for soulc
thing every Hice-hest yoH have,
when she first comes i'll, and who
speaks as if she owned YOU, and
two.thirds of your relations. will
buy cheap thin. ut last, it indeed
she buys at all. Some customers F.
will always be telling you how they .
can bny the same class OF goods at
other stores, ten per ceut. less: bar
you must not tell them to 90 there
and bus them, no matter how strong
may be the temptation.
You must tell them "that our ia Z
cllliles for buying goods exceed /
those OF any dealer III the place. .
they may not believe YOU, but all /,
dealers will tell them the same
thing, aud they will expect it of |.
you.
Always smile in a superior man.
ner when rival merchant is spok.
en- OF. Do not say anything against
him--merely tolerate his existence,
and tell the customer that you know
very little of small dealers.
e. II