The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-12-23
FRESH ROasTED PEANUTS,
N0ine lssnihrhS About the Fruit stand
:

IFhIhVs
"ferrlbly cold night this, si2'
The reporter had been hurrying along Mar.
kst stree, ut regular ?.2O gait, en,leayofing
to got up sufficient circulation 10 battle In II
i,lrAsuip the bitter cold wind lllat WAS blow.
Ing, and had stopped for moment nj oiIe Of
tbs numerous corner stands that ARE found In
the central portion OF the city, To Invest ont.
twentieth part oi n dollar IN apples As
be drew up, the nbOve sAlntiOn caniu from II
little old fellow with lulEsical look III his
face, who cat huddcd M In II little box with
hot charcoal peanut rooster ut his feet,
biting hts finger tips tt It fatile endeavdr 70
keep them warm, while oyGtlicaln suffering
gasoline light threw n llickerng glnte on the
motley collection OF bananas, oranges, apples,
nuts, lgs and nnilQuAicd confectionery Win
which his stand and shelves were loaded.
Before the salutai0n could be replied to, the
questions, "Don't you dread the snow and the
ice md cold that arc c0ninyH were piled on
top of each other. Before these could be 70.
nave been light to-day Its 30 cold every one
goes by with II rush and don't glance At the
goods. WHAT'S that? eleven o'clock. Guess
better close up"
The talker WIS one Of the individuals who
run the fruit Stands In the city, aud he talked
like machine. III Il quiet way they make
many II penny, some Of Them hnving become
SO wealthy that they have been able 10 rent u
.oom and carry on their business on large
scale. With II view 10 Ascertalninr some.
| thing about the finances and the AMOUNT ul
business done By one OF these street estab.
lisNnenis, tho question was asked Us soon Us
the old fellow stopped to blea,he, what do
your sales amount TO In day."
Like everything else, they depend on the
weather. was the reply. People nave n
queer idea that We make very little money,
because we don't dress finely md because We
Are In this business, but tell you We take In
some days quite load Of silver. Tbs reason
We don't get rich flster Is because so much
fruit spells OH our hands, and because many
Of the goods are soil at prices under those
asked the grocers. Then. too, people beat
us down terribly on prices, and altogether
the profit Is Whitfield down 10 u very fine
point"
THE beaters are boys, mostly, Isuppose,"
was ventured.
no. stree! The worst are often well dress.
ed ladies who Wan. u dimes or quarters
worth Of fruit or something. They're awfnl.
ly annoying sometimes. l'atience Of Job Is
Knocked way out Often it's enough To
make fellow swear when he has 10 wait ON
These customers. Now there was one dry, ii
lady stood here and bargaincd for over five
minutes trying to buy thirty cents worth Of
apples for II quarter. They cost me twenty.
six cents, bui finally l le. her have them d,
her price SO US to be rid OF her. How much
10 my sales average dailyf Well from s. to
81, and on that the profit Is from seventy.
i've cents to &. Circus days We roll In
wealth."
business been good in your line this
full p
"ies. better than for some time. Apples
did the WORT. have iiad immense sales
with them. They nre so scarce that people
buy without asking the price. One day |
made y clear on apples, | used to make
money on oranges, b,i. they come too high
now" a
well, yes sir. ! have good many req.
ular cns,omers,and like the business fairly,
as well as anything else probably. DO
!hink some Of quitting, though. Not much
Thu going into bankruptcy. Why I've 30,
.ome money Ind by. These cold nights ARE
bard you know OIL M old-wtiat's the tim. ?
Quarter past 'leyen-that settles il; I'm going
lome, and witha slam and bang, he closed