The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-20
FOR THE COUNTRY
Working with Circus---The Advan-
tages of Having Honest Goods at
Cheap Prices.

"What kind of business is it?"
Brooklyn man repeated, with some
surprise. He had advertised for the
privilege Of working a jewelry case
with circus during the coming sea-
son. 'Why, it's the business of sell
ling jewelry inside or outside the
tent to the patrons of the show.
Just as legitimate business as sell
ling jewelry in a marble front store
in Broadway, only it requires good
deal more judgment of human ma
ture. What do [ sell? Every thing.
Gold watches and some that are not
gold, watch chains, ladies' chains,
breast-pins, shirt studs, earrings,
cuff-buttons, bracelets, rings, orna-
ments for the hair, everything that
takes the fancy of young men and
young women in the rural towns.
Some dealers take out lot of drug
gist's fancy articles besides, but [
stick to the jeweiy business pure and
simple.
"Do you sell anything better than
brass?"
"Now, look here; you're wide of
the mark. | suppose you've got
the popular idea that everything
sold on the grounds of circus COM
pany is a swindle. Well you're way
off. Circuses are not what they
were. IF the managers desired
naturally to surround themselves
with a Lotto swindlers it wouldn't
pay. The public is mighty sharp
nowadays, | can tell you, and be-
cause crowd comes in from the
farms you mustn't think you can fool
much with them. News of a swim
die travels a good deal faster than
the show can, and the manager loses
more in patronage than he can get
from the best swindle that ever was
worked. But that isn't all. You
haven't seen a gang of country fell
lows come in, apparently as green as
grass, Just on purpose to catch crook.
He apparently has an easy job of it.
With mouths and eyes open, they
are astonished that prices are so low.
But all at once they reach out for
the man, and when he drags himself
back to the grounds from some pond
and tries to gethis business together
again trade prospects are not so en-
couraging.
''Prices are very low for every
thing sold from a jewelry case with
circuis or managerie, and of course
the patrons are not wealthy, but
they are muscular. The trade In
crooked jewelry is carried on more
or less at all these shows, but it is
by swindlers who follow it, and who
are careful to keep outside the circus
grounds. They sell at an enormous
profit, and are just as ready to pick
mans pocket as to sell him brass
watch for $25.
"There is a big profit on jewelry
anywhere, and man can sell honest
stuff at honest prices, and make a
good thing out of it. was in the
West last year, and one week in
Indiana l made-wel, I don't care to
mention figures, but it was more
than some good jewelry establish
ment make in as whole year. But
the next week | was way down with
rainy weather and all that, and
everything blue"
"What is a privilege worth?"
''That varies with the show. From
$40 to 800 a day, according to cir
cumstances. First-class jeweIry
statesmen for the business are rare.
There is a general suspicion of YOU
articles, and you may have just what
a man, wants what he can't get al
home and be unable to sell him. It.
one good thing to have a gooc
tongue and another thing to make
people believe it tells the truth.
am quiet and l work on an entirely
different plan. When get a crowC
around my case l say: have go
some good articles of iewelry her.
at reasonable prices. My. sales ar
large and l can afford to sell cheap
EVERYTHING here is lust what it 40