The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-12-12

ne MADE no promises, Tor he did not fee
exactly like owning up to the error.
Mr. Cummings was a good customer
and on the next morning Brown made hi.
funnel. 1t took him until after ten o'clock
to do it, and then he went to work upor
the things for Mr. Moore. After dinner
Cummings came in and got his funnel, but
he was not so thankful to find it done as
Albert hoped he would be.
Just at dusk, Mr.. Moore came in. He
had heavy wagon with him, for the pur.
pose of taking his stove away; but the boil,
er and tea-kettle were not done.
81 declare" said Brown, II haven't got
your job done yet
"But how's that? You promised me
that should have them tonight without
fail"
"I know-but 1 had funnel to make
for Cummings, and it put me back"
"But you should not have engaged other
work until mine was DONE
'.Oh, had engaged this before yonrs. y
t'Then you might have calculated upon
that, and not promised me as you did. Had
you set tomorrow night as the time for me,
[ should not have left my work at a busy
period, and ridden seven miles away from
home for nothing"
II am sorry, Mr.. Moore, but really 1
could not help it."
"Perhaps you could not, said Moore,
with dubious shake of the head; "but
you remember you bothered me in the same
way last spring about my milk pans. l
came twice for those before l got them"
Poor Albert felt ashamed, and he stam-
mered out an apology.
.'Now, I'll tell you the truth, )" resumed
Moore, rather severely. II am just now
very busy, and have several hands engaged
to work for me, so l cannot leave them
again. If you will finish these things and
send them up to me tomorrow, L should
like it, otherwise l shall not want them"
Brown promised to send them up, and
Mr.. Moore took his leave. But the young
tinman was not cured of his fault Things
went on as before, and Mrs. Brown was
obliged to hear much complaint. The
winter passed away, and in the spring
another tin shop was opened in the village
A young man named Ames came to the
place and sought the patronage Of the in
habitants. Within month after this,
Albert Brown found himself almost with
out customer, To be sure he could make
up any quantity of tinware for peddlers,
but this was not to his taste. The most
ppiitable branch of his business was gone,
for all his old customers now tlOcked to
Ames', where their orders were promptly
answered.
Il declare, it is too bad, said Albert to
his wife, as they rose from the supper table.
1T is too bad, Albert; you ought not to
complain of your old customers"
Il don't-but why should Ames come
here?''
''He was asked to come back here, AL
bert You know the people had become
tired of waiting your motions. And there
is Mansfield, the tailor; he is also obliged
to 90 without customers"
II noticed that Mansfeld's shop was
closed as came by" said Albert, thought
fully.
';Then he's had to quit" resumed the
l.
people would not put up with his negli
gence much longer. He is good tailor,
but no one could depend upon him.
For some moments Albert sat in silence
and gazed into the fire. At length, while
a sad expression rested on his countenance,
he said:
Alice, l cannot deny that have lost
all through my own fault. | remember
what YOU have often said to me, and how
YOU have warned me of this; and | know
that all of this could have been avoided
had l but listened to you. But it's too
late now"
'No, no, Albert not too late, uttered
Alice, moving to her husbands side and
putting her arms about his neck; 'you can
yet work on"
'sBut not here We must give up this
snug little house and move to some strange
place"
"WelI, 'twere better SO, than to live
without business here"
"And could you be contented to give up
this pretty house, Alice p
II shall be contented wherever your
own good calls you, my husband"
Albert Brown kissed his wife, and short
" afterward he went out. AS he passed
down the street he saw light in the shop
which Mr. Ames occupied, and he went in.
A friendly greeting ensued, and after some
commonplace conversation Brown asked
Ames how he prospered,
"Oh, very we'll, replied Ames. II am
doing very well; yet l can do better. My
brother has sent me an offer to come to
l., and go into business with him.. [
was intending to call on you tomorrow and
see if I could not make trade with you.
If can sell out my heavy stock without
loss shall move, for my brother needs me,
and the place will be far better for me than
this. What say you now? If you will
buy my stoves and manufactured ware at
wholesale prices, you can have them and 1
am off. y
"How much will they come to ?" asked
Albert, anxiousl ".
''The whole that I must sell will come
to about $300-not over that
II will give you an answer tomorrow
noon," Albert returned.
This was satisfactory, and after some
further conversation, the latter left and re-
turned home. He told his wife how the
case stood, and she advised him to make
the purchase.
ave can raise the money" she said,
''and suppose everything he has will sell" J."
On the next day Mr.. Brown accepted
Ames' offer, and as soon as list of the
goods was made out he paid the money
over, and ere long he had the field once
more to himself He issued new adver-
tisement, and, after enumerating the arti-
cles he had for sale, he added these signi-
ficant words: ''Try me"
And now Albert Brown commenced
anew. He took book and set down eve
ry order as it came in, and noted the time
set for its completion. He now made no
promises without referring to his book, and
the consequence was that he never failed
to meet his engagements, and yet how sim
pie it was. Ay, and how much easier than
the old method. How smoothly all went
now. His work was more than before In
quantity, and yet he completed it more
easily than before.
The result was soon apparent Custom
orc AooL-ad IN rnon him. hic old friends