Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-16

8hAS bNAaaa0 VI AAO NAANAN
character OF the publications and the
topics Of which they made a spe-
cialty.
About to start a news staud?"
asked the reporter Of his friend, as he
sat down beside him.
No"
Going to become an editor2"
mo; I'm still in the same old line,
selling clothing for the million at
prices utterly beyond competition"
What in the world are you doing
with all those papers, then? Surely
they can't be part of your stock in
trade-your samples?"
No, they're not samples, but they
are a part Of my stock in trade aud a
very important part"
will you tell me what part
they play in the sale OF shoddy trous>
ers?"
"Yes, [ will reveal trade secret,
and one that | consider a very valu
able one. / resd every one Of those
papers nearly every week, and a great
many more not included in the list
you tee here. | read as many papers
each week, in all probability, as does
the editor Of any daily pepper, and in
addition keep up with the current
literature of the day and with all the
atrical, musical and sporting events,
aud am constantly examining" up of
the principal events of the day at home
aud abroad, 1t is hard work, as you
can we'll imagine, but | believe it to
be necessary, and also believe that it
pays. | know that it pays me.
When | went into che business Of
commercial traveller | intended to
make a success of it. You know that
| have doDe it. 1 had love for the
business Most men in the profession,
for | hold that when the business is
properly done it rises to the dignity Of
profession, devote their leisure
time to story telling, billiard playing
and ether recreations. | made up my
mind to master the business, so that |
could not only get. but keep custom
ers. This was score OF years ago |
noticed that a customer was more
pleased to meet a drummer who could
talk intelligently upon some subject
in which he was interested than one
whose merits, outside his sample
trunk, consisted of his ability to tell
good story and to buy unlimited
cigars and drinks. So began to read.
The daily papers gave me q superficial
knowledge of everything, and | read
both sides politically, The neWspa-
pers Of those days didn't treat matters
so fully or intelligently as they do to-
day. Consequently | supplemented
the information | got there by read
ing weekly papers or we'll conducted
monthly publications and quarterlies
which treated special topics exhaust
lively. had both European and
American politics, and social, section.
al, religious, financial, and hundred
other topics at my fingers and tongues
ends. II had customer 10 view l
found his peculiar hobby, called on
him and talked with him about his
hobby. That pleased him. He became
a good fly for this very:greedy spider.
OF course, | didn't forgot to minple
with my specially as a heavy man
the low comedy element-that is,
the story telling and joke cracking.
Nor did | neglect the social part Of my
duties-that's what we call cigars and
drinks. The scheme worked admira-
bly, and paid we'll. got new custom.
ers and held them, because | kept pace
with them on their particular hobby
Some Of them, | really believe. were
glad TO see me come around | gave
up my salaried position and went "a
work on commission. The general plan
worked so well that 10 every city |
visited made il a point 20 read The
daily papers thoroughly for the locAI
news alone before | visited customer
So far as | could while flying about
the country | kept track Of what wer,
distlnctively matters Of interest L
particular localities.
My experiment has convinced m,
that the newspapers we're the qrea
educators and from them | managed
TO keep posted on art, literature. On,
topics with which deemed il neees
sary 10 keep acquainted to meet the a
many different hobbies Of my Gus
toners There were among my vic
/ tins a large number u Germans anC
Frenchmen, and | wanted to cultivat
their trade, so | went 10 work a
methodically as | had done in m
newspaper scheme aud studied bot
languages and now / speak both. an,
have adddsto my list Of papers severa
Q printed in those languages, and som
OF them Published abroad. | hay
also learned TO read Italian aud Span
! lsh. and to speak a little Of each
These accomplishments are truml
e cards ! fad iu the West, PARTICULAR
[ where a merchant is pleased TO hay
G you chat with him in bis own languag,
E 1t has proved beneficial to me In othe
{ ways, too. My knowledge Of thes
! languages have kept secret 50 IA
: Is my associate drummers are con
I cerned. Some Of these are Of Germa
0 and French birth, aud specially en-
gagged 10 handle that trade in the w IA,
= and South. They have always bee
5 Tree In talking about their bushes
a plans and their engagements, wit
persons OF their own nationality. bu
I selling other lines OF goods. The a.
5 crcts they have thus unwittiLply pu
B. me In the possession Of we're ofte
' Of much value. Many times A rev
D elation Of their plans has bee
made IN this way which has enable
me to iorestall arrival that | feared 1
0 particular locality and didn't lea
In another. For instance, time an,
I again | have mapped out route 10
D my trip. and because OF a chanc
/ remark dropped in German or Frenel
, have changed my entire route an,
! been enabled to preoede rival in M
line and make sales 10 cities wbioi
he had unwittingly given me notice b,
! was TO visit on certain dates, leavinI
customers that was sure of until
could attend to at leisure That il boy
silence in the right place as to my Sc
qulrement has proved golden. A drum
mer cant have zoo much education
you see, providing he knows how !,
use Il, and providing il is Of the kim
that he can make use Of among bil
customers.
See what carry around with m,
just for use in case of an emereene,
among the merchants Of the South va
exclusively. ] know the record n
every trotting horse in the country d
any consequence, the exploits of ever
baseball club aud every individual
play, and yet very rarely attend 1
horse race or ball game, because /
don't have time. Every merchant in
that section is up in that sort Of thing.
though, and have to be prepared to
meet and talk with them on these
their hobbies"
How in the world can you carry
al this information about with YOU'D