St. Landry democrat., 1884-11-15

dertakes to apologize and runs Jam
against another customer! Well, he is
new man, and he is awSv2Fd and ont
Of place He may do better in TINA,
ss4d VIII be given a chance, but I rather
think he belongs behind the counter.
He was recently q salesman at the silk
counter, and am afraid he staid there
too long. He seems to have got set
tied in his ways and to feel the need of
the protection afforded by the counter"
WHERE THEY COME FROM.
care clerks often promoted to such
positions?'
1.-THE most of US have been clerks at
some time or other in our lives, but
changes arc not often made in Ehese
large stores. If a man is a good sRerk
they need him where he is, and il they
need foor-walker they hire one who
has had experience somewhere 8aae.
They get their start as a rule n sha
smaller stores, and often they bring q
certain amount of trade with them.
You know there are plenty of floor
walkers who have customers who would
follow them from one store to another.
This is one of the differences between
them and the CLERKS who have no Snch
influence"
'sWhat is the matter with the clerksP"
ssIt's hard to say. but they are not
what they used to be. The most of
them are careless and dispirited and
need to be watched, They can sell
whatever the customer calls for, but it
takes good salesman to make happy
suggestions of things forgotten by the
customer and lead him or her on until
everything needed has been purchased
s'1'll tell you," said another expert
enced foor-Walker, ''the ore thing
which I deem most valuable in floor
walker is his knowledge of character
and his ability to read couDtenances.
The idea is to treat different people in a
different way. There are women who
come into store with the airs of a
Duchess pushing right by everybody
and going straight ahead as if they knew
just where to find everything. Well,
the way to serve them is to stand back
and let them pass, as they do in Richard
ILL, you know, when they come on with
the coffin. Stand back and let them
pass,'' repeated the floor walker, bow
ing and holding out his open palms as
he ran his back against party of
women.
IN OTHER DAYS.
'tDo you know how long floor-walk-
ers have been employed in Chicagom
''Not exactly. / think about twenty
five years. / can remember time
when the clerks and fioor-walkers in
one of the principal stores were all one
and the same. AT one time we made
our own change from the money
drawer, taking the pay for the goods
just as the cashier does now. In my
case I remember | was permitted to
exercise my own Judgment very largely,
and when lady made a purchase
to forty or fifty dollars
would throw in pair of gloves, an
umbrella, or something of the kind to
encourage good feeling towards the
store. Now everything is sYstematized,
and the authority to give away goods is
vested with the proprietors only"
"In the new arrangement the floor
walker represents the politeness of the
concern, doesn't he?'
well, yes, to certain extent; but
let me remind you that politeness can
be overdone. It never pays to become
We must just be polite
enough, and just answer enough, al
ways maintaining our dignity and self
respect. Where people are timid and
oashful it is better to be little more
polite and attentive than to those in
,lined to be self-reliant and self-assert-
ing. The latter are apt to receive such
attention in spirit of cynicism?"
''How are floor walkers paid-wellp'
sThev draw from $25 to $50 per
week, according to their especial fit
less, those having the most extensive
among the women being
The most favored. - Chicago Tribune.
A ChiId's Logic.