The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-09-20
sSnpis Fotsrs.


There lads carry samples for commercial
drummers IN the Western cities. A reporter
interviewed one recently which disclosed
the fact that he is shrewd chief, with
well-6efned business ideas and thorough
knowledge OF all the ramihcations Of his
s'trade.h
"Well. youngster," SAID the reporter,
shows traffic this season9'
"'Bout up to the av'rage," was the
serene reply.
"Have many regular customers7"
eyes; thirty or forty"
"How many regulars and transients do
you do business for in the course of a
year2"
'"rwo or three hundred"
is the work hard2"
"Sometimes pretty tough"
'"Iell me exactly what you do"
"Well, come down to the Russell at 8
O'Clock In The morning. II any Of my GUS
toners show up I'm all right for the day;
but If they don't, why ketch on to some
other feller.'
.:Hew do you grade your charges9"
"Oh, we've got reg lar price hst-scale
OF prices, you know"
'And that is9"
"Carryln' notes ten to twenty-five cents,
'cordin' to distance; luggin' samples thirty
cents an hour or s. 30 a day. If wo carry
two hours straight IN the mornln' It's 81.
II we go out both forenoon and afternoon
It's only $780,"
Shave very long days9"
''Not more'n four or FIVE hours with any
one cuatOmerl"
GLOW do you fill in the remainder OF the
timer"
"Runnln' errands. excuse nae; there's
feller tlppin' me the wink now.')
And the leader OF the guild darted away,
to receive instructions about the delivery
. Of letter. He disappeared, but in about
ten minutes he returned and silently lntl.
mated his willingness to renew the inter-
view.
''Got thirty cents for takin' that noto
down to Guy Hinchman's," " he remarked In
confidential tone. "Say, young Teller, "
he exclaimed, as If suddenly struck with an
idea, fare you interviewln' me9"
Perhaps"
"WclI, I've been acquainted with you
80 long guess won't go back on you
now. Ask me sOmethin' more"
"Have you ever been to SCHOOL,"
"Shd think so-seven years at the
Bishop and Irving, and 'm goln' to the
nlRnI SCnOOl ILLS 1all.
Good idea"
''Think so9 Well, l guess so, too. A
Teller can't git too much learnin', not by no
means"
"What drummers-th IS to say, what
lines of business-do you like bestY"
"Joolry men"
"Why3"
''They stay In the stores the longest;
N ISt>
git extry from 'em. If they do good trade
they don't mind an extry half dollar. Why
Frolick, my friend from New York, who's
IN the jewe]ry line. sends me new suit of
clothes every Chrlstmas. rsg'lar. He's O
dandy, he is. There's other good fellers,
too, but he's my particular pard."
Don't you tackle some heavy loadsl"
"You're shoutin'. The tust Job a-curry-
in ever took was flatirons-pat fiat
irons. They broke me all up" he added,
In mournful tone, as If recollection of the
incident had something Of the pathetic IN
1t. 'Llnen's heavy, toc-~next to joolry-
but we gil used to 1t. and don't mind q
pretty big lug"
''Does the custom of showing samples IN
the agents rooms at the hotel interfere
with your prohts2"
II used to, but that's played out now
Merchants won't 60 to the rooms any more,
30 we've cot to 60 TO them. We find our
trade good deal better for it-aell more
goods and git through with town quick
er'n we used to when we had Sample rooms
so much"
"How much money do you e2''
II av'rage about 10 week. Pretty fair,
amt ila"
Don't you have any dull seasons In
your hne9"
''Of course, from about Christmas to,
say the goth of january, we don't dc
nothin' to speak Of; and then agln we have
dull summer season. We're jest glttln
over 1t now. Business is very good. though.
don't complain. iThere's another fcllcr
wants Inc. Go 4 day, mister. I'll sec
you tuture.O
And the boss OF the sample toters again
Whisked away on an erIand for a dude,
whose hair was parted IN tho middle and
the ends OF whose mustache tlCklcd his
ears.