The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1883-01-05
LRARNING THE GROCERY BUSINESS

went to learn the grocery business with
Ar. Ginger, and 1 found him the clear ginger
itself, and he found me ditto.
L was only fourteen years old, but was 4
lot older in my own way OF thinking, and
stood right on my dignity the irrt day I was
there. Il only took me about half an hour to
learn the business, anyway.
learned the candy, sugar. apple. orange
and rnisin business in less time than that, for
knew all about it before got my hat OF.
After had been there about twenty minutes,
and was pretty we'll through with bottle of
gum drops, the boss asked ne if bad ever
been In grocery store before. 1 was too
full for reply-st least my mouth wss-but
as 5000 as got my mouth nearly empty
said "Often; been IN bigger ones than
/ this, too"
! "Well," be said, you seem to take hold OF
some parts of it pretty quick"
"Oh, yes - can learn anything quick that
l set my mind to-
'see," said he. ''lf you can learn to dust
on those lamp chimnsys, wash OF those
shelves, bring up some potatoes out Of the
cellar and leave of eating candy"
II don't think 1 can set my mind to do
that Have you no man to do these sort Of
things ?"
mo; we always make the boy do that"
We'll, where's the boy? Amt he come
yet? I'll bet you quarter that before I'm
here long he'll have to get here earlier In the
morning than this"
"Who2''
"The boy"
'What boy7"
"Didn't you say that the boy did all the
dirty work7 Come, old fellow, you can't
fool me. II you think I'm green, why, you
have got a hold of the wrong man, and it's
me that's telling You"
just then there was . lady come In She
asked the price Of our best -four. referred
her to the boss. "Plour has raised, !" be said,
land we couldn't let you haYe barrel for
less than seven dollars"
"Oh, 1 can get 1t for six dollars and City
cents" she said
'In your misty mind" saysI
"Hold your tongue, boy - says the boss.
"My advice to you, missus," said I, els II
you can get as good -four as we have for six
dollars and half you're a tangled up mon
key II you don't go and get it, II your credit
ia creditable"
A'u &c al 'ui P1uChe puppy EsWatAeu
the boss, saTagely
"The same to yourself any many Of them, -
says l, meekly
With this the lady marched out sedatelY.
'Hod on, old lady I says don't 90 Of
mad. III let you have barrel At six dollars
and seventy-fi cents, cash 70
She kept right on out. without letting on
she heard me.
I sang out "Good-bys, while you're
handy -
As soon as she was gone the boss said
boy, you won't suit me. You would
drive all by customers away with your sauce
besides driving me crazy"
Neither one OF them would be a very long
drive, hPm properly acquainted with myself,
and guess am."
"Clear ont 2" shouted the boss, "befors 1
kill you on the spot"
! (Which spot do you meanT" said I, at the
same time laughing heartily in his face.
| He threw q pound weight at me. 1 made
nice catch, and said, "out on frst base
! He looked Wild.
I threw it back to him. but he nufIed It
and It went ont through a window.
! don't know where this would have stop
! ped had not a customer come in.
/ l looked down the street and saw the boss
/ coming with a policeman, quickly got in
side, locked the door and busted ont the back
way. resolved to give up the grocery busi-
ness, and I have never been in that town
since.-L Small Boy IN Detroit Fres Prsss.