The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-01-09
TRICKS OF THE TRADE,
A. Explained by n Commercial Man
Of Experience.

boston Globe
"Have Il cigar said the commercial man,
as he nonchalantly 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,
Il drummei's life is peculiar in many respects.
In the first place it is a rowing, restless sort
Of ali existence that keeps him always on the
60. Whatever success no achieves is
due I" his own individual eIer
tiuns. The competition in almost
very line of traie is intense, and if man
wants to sell any goods he has got to make
himsek solid, as the boys say, with his Gus
toners The only way for him to do this is
to make himself popular Now popularity in
nine cases out of ten is due to an off-hand
good-fsllowship and lbelality that drum
mets as rule must possess in order to sue
coed 1t is absolutely essential for him to be
liberal with his customers, and occasionally
invite them to dinner or TO the theatre. He
must 60 this even with his old customers,
and when lie wants To- catch on to a man
whom rival is selling il is even more essen
tiai. Wen, 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 it,
Il really give it up"
The only way obviously is for him to
catch on to some extra source of income
And this as a matter of fact, is what most
Of us do Whether the means that we take
to do this are always just what any one would
call perfectly square is a question How
ever, I'll give you my idea Of what they are
on the strict @ 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 Connecticut or course
pass over the same roads very often, and in
time come 10 know all of the con
ductoS, haggagemasters, and other
rnilr0ad 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 il
either, and the result of ii is that next time
60 over the road the same ticket answers my
purpose, Now, who shall profit by this mis-
take, Not the firm, certainly charge tw,
fares on my expense bin and pocket tn
profit, see
"0r, suppose again, that have a few hun
dred pounds extra baggage ! know tn,
baggage master we'll Perhaps he ha
| smoked more than one of my cigars, or takei
sundry drinks with me At all events ",
ara good friends, | go to him and say: 'Iool
here, old man, I've got little extra luggage
what is it going to cost meH
How much is it,
"'Oh, not great deal; few pounds, per
haps'
We'll, l guess we won't charge you any
thing for it
Much obliged Have cigar!' And
hand over two or three cigars.
Now, clearly, the firm ought to pay fol
that extra luggage, and you can rest assured
that they do, too. In the course of year Il
foots up to quite little sum.
Then there is the old racket Of having
your letters sent to the Fifth Avenue hotel
| and stopping at some uptown hosiery This
however is something that the more respect
able members of the profession rather lool
down upon. It's rather low, yor
know. But now, here's another
question Suppose have friend, as very
| often happens, in some of the towns where
| have to stop two or three days. and they in
| vite-me to stay with them. Must | charge
the firm the regular bill for expenses, Rather
delicate question, amt it, We generally
do, though. all the same, and, as | think
| properly.
There are lots of other little tricks of thu
| trade similar TO those have spoken of that
| could relate If had time. As have an ap
pointment, however, with country custome
! at O'Clock to show him little Of this wicke,
| city, | must leave you. Good day"