The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-03-15
-samplingv the Grocery HAN.
New York Tribune.l

AThere are samplers and samplers"
said a downtown grocer, as he carefully
covered up barrel of cut-loaf sugar
with wire protector and took 8 seat on
soap box. Talk about mean people,
I don't believe there's anbody in
this world meaner than full
fedged sampler. There are two
general classes of samplers-thos
who are honest and ask for SAM
pies for the purpose of testing the de-
sired article, and, if salts ssctory, OF
purchasing quantities OF the same after
ward, and those who are dishonest and
get samples simply for the purpose of
sponging their supplies out of the
grocer, have had considerable expe-
rience with both classes as have seen
in business on this corner for twenty
years, and have had plenty of opportu-
mites to udy human nature.
II will give you an illustration Of the
way In which some of these samplers
conduct their little game. A richly
dressed lady one day entered my store
and asked to look at some of my best
grades of coffee. The clerk showed
her samples She examined them with
much care, and at length turned to the
young man and said:
Would you be kind enough to give
me samples of this coffee to take home?
Ny husband is particular about his
coffee and SO I would like to try these
three kinds before purchasing. She
looked sweet and innocent as she said
this, and her face lit up with graft
fed smile as the obliging clerk re-
1uctantly complied with her request. I
had been watching the transaction
from behind my desk, and feeling some
what suspicious of the lady called one
of my boys aside and told him to follow
her when she left the store. In the
course of an hour he returned and re-
ported that the woman had visited four
other stores, and had obtained from
each samples in the same way as from
us. I made inquiries, and found that
she was the wife of well-to-do mer-
chant down town. She tried to play
the same game on us afterward, but
didn't succeed.
"There's another class of people who
give us trouble" remarked the grocer,
as he bit off the end of a cigar and
passed another to the reporter.
"I mean petty thieves. If your clerks
are not supplied with eyes in the back
part of their neck you will lose enough
groceries IN the course Of year to sup
ply boarding-house. A woman wear
ing shawl, or loose cloak. can grab a
handful of sugar, or q potato, or some-
thing of that sort, and conceal quickly,
when no one is watching her. Icaught an
old Irishwoman trying to get away with
cabbage which she had deftly slipped
into her basket when the clerks back
was turned. There are some people,
too, who have no idea that it is thieying
to appropriate things In this way.
How hard it seems to be for
folks to learn that honesty is
the best policy, especially when deal
ing with the grocer. When I catch
any of my substantial customers trying
to confscate a Goldfish or something else
of value, say nothing about it, but
charge it on the books. I never knew
one of them to object when he saw the
items in his bill. viii tell you con-
f1dentially that never have any scru-
pies in charging such persons double
price for the articles they have stolen.
'Tis sort of reminder, you know, that
the way of the transgressor is hard,
and the grocer laughed till the tears
rolled of the end of his nose and a
clerk shouted Cash"