The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-05-25
THE DRUM MER.
The Man OF the Sa,chei aud Sampl,
"Glyen Away"
by n yeteran-A Contribution TO CuriOl 3
Chronicles.
A Noble Band OF Friends Indeed .

A HERALD reporter met yesterday TN old
veteran travelling salesman, who has for
years represented one 81 the largest COM
mercial houses In the country, WHOSE suHvt
manners, pleasant conversation aud gen.
eral bearing stamp him on sight NJ n gen.
,!eman ana model commercial tourist.
want me tn tell you something about
drummers, eh? Well, as this Is my last
Zip on the road. viii, do so. ! have bson
AZ IL long enough and am old enough
10 quit the business. To bepi1,
the name drummer, as applied TO travelling
statesmen In the south and west. originated
In the good old times, when merchants,
scattered thiDly ov, the country, used TO
make annual or semi.snaus visits to the
cities to buy their goods. Between seasons,
a member Of a wholesale house, or a trust
ed and experienced Representative, would
pack his saddle'bags. mount his faithful
horse ain and ~, sally nor..s forth oyer owe,
the country merchant and drum" up
their trade not necessarily to make Gales.
but obtain promises TO visit their house
when they came to the city to buy their
goods. In those good old days,
as they are fondly called by the
old bows merchants were of'en
located in out Of the way places, and sci.
dom had city visitors or read la e newspa.
pers, and In their isolation they regarded
the annual visit OF the drummer as a great
treat and devoured eagerly his newsy COS.
sip aud the funny storiss he told with old
fashioned gusto for the amusement OF his
customers ard their friends.
las the railroscs sIraad out their iron
fingers through the country, carrying out
settlers, civilization and Commerce
into the fertile valleys and ov,r
the rolling pruiries merchants
AID manufacturers discovered tn I
they could no longer depend upon the
country buyers coming TO seek them, and
the country merchant found he could III
spsre the time 10 leave his business for
days, Dr. perhaps weeks TO 20 10 the city
TO buy his goods Hence the present sys-
TEN Of Wholesale houses and manu-
factuTers sending on, statesmen to sell their
customers u Their homes was inausurated
aud instead OF the drummer with his sad
die bags, the travelling salesman or COM
mercial traveller sallied iortn with his
sa,chels and sample trunks to sell the
goods in which he dealt.
This system proved so much
more economical and successful than the
old plan, that it rapidly increased unul
now the bulk Of the business both In this
country and in Europe is done by the
mess increased, the number OF Travelling
Men has increased, until the
scramble for trade has made
the life Of Travelling Mao
anything but u bed OF roses. The per
sonel' OF the fraternity is as varied AZ the
interests they represent, In fact they can
scarcely be classed together, 30 wide do they
vary in education, retinem ent, social stand.
ing and general responsibility.
Probably majority OF the thousands II
commercial travellers, who are constantly
busy keeping the wheel OF commerce IN
motion, are married men who earn from
$500 TO 5000 Ter annum, and
average perhaps $1,000. which is more
than most OF them could earn Of
in other professions, and 1t Is for this that
they leave the comforts OF home, family
and friends, 90 80 to better provide their
families WITH the comforts and retnemen's
Of life, and lay up something for rainy
day. ,..v.,,.,,.,..
his satchel, and after fondly embracing the
faithful wife and precious children, marches
forth like soldier to battle, determined to
do or die, and plods along day by day, re-
gardless OF his own comfort. His mind bent
on business alone, cold, heat, rain or hail
do not stop his march, until
tired and weary and homesck, his trip 10
finished and with joyful hear ne returns to
the sacred preciEcts OF bis own hreside,
where he Is welcomed with wealth OF
affection known only by those whose
duties compel them to spend much
time from the charmed circle OF home.
This constant parting and meeting makes
the married life OF the travelling man one
continued ccurtship and 10 some degree
CON pensates for the hardship OF separation.
All travelling men have their special friends
or chums whom they meet regularly
on their trips and with whom they ex.
change confidence, and between whom
there is a friendship near 10 kinsnip.
Each grswl their own growl and agree that
this IL dogs life and they are determined
IL quit It. but the next 'rip finds them
sill on de,k. These are the regulars
some Of them old boys who will carry
young hearts long after their heads are GOV.
ered with silver threads.
Another aud q large class Of travelling
men Il OBJECT tc the term drimmer)
are men who ara hot Airlmoni-
into: cid c1eloi's, on the road, before
they knew IL. Most OF these are well-bred
and well.edncsted men, OF good
address. eood business qualities:
represent first class houses and get
good salaries They are generally
found on long trips or fer from home,
(which the Benedicts try TO avoid They
OF ples:ur and are welcome guests At balls
and parties in places they visit. Most OF
them have no Que to care for but them
selves, and have a great ragnrd for the
welfare OF that individual. They
have vices like other men OF their age, but
no worse II as had as those who remsiu at
home or engage in o:her svoca'ions. True,
business hours and may be seen
laying pool or billiards or
occasionally, but only occasionally, sit
ting behind q full hand But they
scarcely ever slop over. They know when
TO stop and attend strictly to business,
kno ving full " II that on their success Ia
making sales and avoiding bad debts
depends their chance Of q raise next year.
They are Jolly good fsilows-s genuine
band of brothers grouned In different Gets.
They invariably call each other by their
Christian names, such O. Billy. Sam, Jack,
Ned, etc. l warn oil matrimonisily dts.
posed ,dies against any OF this class; as
thew are great admirers OF the ladies, but
believe Ia slipping honey from every lower
Then there 10 the spec atty salesmsn.the
ligt Trims. striker, who has 10 carry bis Gus
toners b, storm. This cls's NJ the fra
tsrnity are briiny aud talk well In ther
own line, but mind they
don't talk you to ,,. dr ar
There Il also the unfortunate fellow who
although . really. good man, he Is con
stsptly haunted with bad luck,
and INDEPENDENTLY victim'Zss his
friends ,h by making .n smSsl o sHs
whom the thoroughbred, respectable trav.
cling men heartily despise, the more 90
because thew are frequently taken for as
representative drummers They are con.
,picous for the hardness OF their cheek AID
vulgar familiarity. They insist
| on keeping seat by to.
omnibus door aud compel others TO crowd
| nv them 20 ss to be first at the hotel regis
ter and call for q south room with three
Windows. These fresh young men who
boast OF their meshes and persecuts unpro-
tected female travellers, and whose only
eentility 10 that given them BY their tailor,
claim to be drummer, but they seldom