The clarion., 1885-01-28
A CHECK UPON THIEvERY.
a Rule Adopted by Business Men That
Often Causes Annoyance.

A young man, heavily freighted with
bundles, enrered the wholesale depart
ment of one of the largest dry-goods
establishments in this city, few days
ago, and called on the head of the de-
partment. He observed, sitting behind
a desk the door, a middle-aged gen.
tleman, who eyed him sRspiciously and
seemed on the point Of speaking to
him, but. as he was in hurry. and saw
bis friend sitting at the other end OF tho
room, he paid no attention to him, but
hastily brushed past the desk, carrying
| his packages with him. After a few
miautes' conversation with the man.
ager, he arose and again approached
| the door. Before he could pass the
desk, however, the doorkeeper, for
such was the position of the middle
aged gentleman, requested him to stop.
Il am sorry to trouble you, sir, no
remarked. ''but should like to exam
inc your parcels"
Examine my parcelsl" exclaimed
! the Young man in surprise. "What arc
thsy to you? brought them here with
us and intend to take them away with
me- 3"
..Thas is all right. SIR" replied the
doorkeeper, doggedly, but l must see
what they contall. myself:
What is that to yonT responded
the visitor. angrily. ':What do you
care whether they hold butte, or drY
goods? paid for them myself an. 1t
IS mono Of your business what they are.
Get out of the way and let me pass"
Hearing the loud talking at the door
the manager came quickly to the rescue
of his unfortunate friend and INQUIRED
what was the matter.
He won't let me examine his bum
die, SIR" responded the doorkoeper,
''and as | didn't check them when he
passed by here don't see what / am
to do about it. l know it's all right,
but you know as we'll as do that If [
don see them myself I'll lose my place
here"
That's fact explained the man
ager. You see there has been so much
thieving in the store that we have
adopted this rule. Look at the sign On
the door"
The visitor looked up and read a no.
tice to the effect that all persons COM
ing into the store with bundles in their
hands should leave the same with tho
doorkeeper, and receive a check for
them, otherwise the doorkeeper was re-
CURED to examine their contents and
satisfy himself that they contained
nothing pilfered from the store.
''Ihere Is no exception 20 the rulc,"
continued the manager. Il couldn't
take package out of here myself.
You see, the dishonest salesmen, and
every store has some of that kind at
one time or another, got in the habit of
having a confederate como in here with
a largo bundle. They would take him
around and show him goods, and mean
while manage to secrete some valuable
articles in his package. After this was
done, the confederate would walk out
with the stolen goods under his arm,
and no one would be any the wiser for
the theft. To prevent this the pro-
prietors adopted this rule, and this
dosrkeeper would be discharged If lie
made any exception to it.
AS the visitor, overcome with the
logic of his friends remarks, was
spreading ont his array of parcels on
the doorkeeper's desk, a well-dressed
gentleman. who had pencil back of
his ear, and wore no hat, came hurry
ing out of the door with n small paper
bundle in his hand.
II beg your pardon, SIR" remarked
the doorkeeper, stepping out from be-
hind his desk, "but orders is orders,
you know
ITO be sure" responded the gentle
man, ''to be sure, and he promptly
submitted the parcel to inspection. II
was soon examined, the contents noted
down in book kept for that purpose,
and in a minute it was returned to him
and he disappeared down the stairs.
THAT is the senior partner OBJ
served the doorkeeper, as he began un-
tying the largest parcel.-M 7. MGI
and Express.