Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-12-24
Tricks OF the Trade.

"Haye cigar" said the commercial
man as he nonehalantly lighted one
himself and tossed the match away,
land come over here and sit down
while l tell you about it."
| Comfortably seated, he went on:
YOu see. drummer's life is peculiar
in many respects. In the first place it
is a rowing, restless sort Of an existence
that keeps him always on the go. What
ever success be achieves is due 10 his
own individual eXertiOns, The cOmpe-
titiOn in almost every line of trade Is
intense, and if a man wants to sell any
goods he has got to make himself solid,
as the boys say, with his customers.
| The only way for him to do this is to
make himself popular. Now pOpulari-
ty IN nine cases out of ten is due to an
off hand goOd-fellowship and liberality
that drummers as a rule must possess
in order To succeed. 1t is absolutely
essential for him to be liberal with his
customers. and occasionally invite them
to dinner or TO the theatre. He must
do this even with his old customers, and
when he wants to catch on to a man
whom a rival is selling it is even more
essential. Well now, of course the
drummer can't stand the expense of
these racketS out of his salary They
would soon eat it up. How, then, does
he fix itI''
81 really give it up"
'The only way obviously Is for him
to catch Oh to some extra source of i'll
come. And this as matter of fact, is
hot Of L. lIha+ h.r- ~
means that we take to do this are al
ways Just what any one would call per-
fectly square is question. However,
I'll give you nv idea of what they are
on the strict 90. T.. you understand,
and you can judge for yourself.
Suppose now for example, that |
travel through the western part of the
state or in Rhode Island or COnnectI-
cut. Of course L pass over the same
roads very often, and in time come to
know all of the conductors, baggage
masters, and other railroad employees
very well. The conductor passes
through the train, recognizes me, stops
and shakes hands, and, after little
chat passes on, never thinking to ask
me for my ticket. | don't think OF II
either, and the result of it is that the
next time go over the road the same
ticket answers my purpose. Now, who
shall profit by this mistaken Not the
firm, certainly. / charge two fares on
my expense bill and pocket the profit,
see.
''Or, suppose again, that have few
hundred pounds extra baggage. know
the baggage master well. Perhaps he
has smoked more than one of my cigars
or taken sundry drinks with me. At
all events we are good friends. 90 TO
him and say: Look here, old man, I've
got little extra luggage; what is it
going to cost me2'
How much Is it?'
"'Oh, not a great deal;a few pounds,
perhaps
"'Well, 1 guess we won't charge you
anything for it.
i" Much obliged. Have a cigar?'
Aud | hand him over two or three
cigars.
"NOw, clearly, the firm ought to pay
for that extra luggage, and you can rest
assured that they do, too. In the course
of year it fOOts up Is quite little
sum.
'"Then there is the old racket Of hav-
ing your letters sent to the Fifth Ave
nue. hotel, New \ ork, and stopping at
some uptown hosiery. This, hOwey-
er, is something that the more respect
able members of the profession rather
look down upon. It's rather low, YOU
know. But now. here's another ques
tion. Suppose | have a friend, as very
often happens, in some of the towns
where have to stop two or three days,
and they invite me to stay with them. |
Must | charge the fiTm the regular bill !
for expenses? Rather a delicate ques- |
tion, amt il? We generally do. though,
all the same, and, as l think, properly. /
"There are lots of other little tricks |
of the trade similar to those | have !
spoken of that | could relate if | had !
time. As | have an appointment, how !
ever, with country customer at three |
O'Clock to sEo Y him little of this |
wicked city, L must leave you. Coed !
day.