Smyrna times., 1888-05-30
A PEDDLER'S METHODS.
ONE OF THE FRATERNITY TELLS
ALL ABOUT HIS WORK.

Ways That Are Dark and Tricks That
Are Vain-A Successful PeddIer Must
Have just Enough Self Confidence.
Up Stairs and Down.
"Good peddlers, like successful men in the
higher walks Of life, are born, not made"
said the particular member of the fraternity
whom reporter questioned on the subject.
He was loaded down with rugs, door mats,
feather busters and other articles until he
looked like perambulating house furnishing
store. Any or all of the articles under which
he struggled he offered to sell on "time pay
ments Of fifty cents a week." and when the
reporter gently but unhesitatingly declined
the offer, the peddler looked so unutterably
disgusted that the reporter offered him a
chair and some refreshments. Soon the two
were engaged in a conversation which
brought forth the observation made above.
'NO,n he continued, ga peddler is naturally
good peddler, and no amount of training
OF trying will make good one of man who
hasn't it in him. On the other hand, good
peddler is generally good for nothing else on
earth. Let him try to stop peddling for any
other business and the chances are ten to one
that he'll make fzzle OF it.n
MADE A SUCCESS.
"Now, 1 am a born peddler, and at peddling
l have at last made a success, where in all
things that I tried before failed 1 went to
school until was IS, and since then-thats
twelve years ago-I have been successively a
lawyers clerk, bookkeeper in an importing
house, clerk in a dry goods store, driver of a
delivery wagon, car driver, elevated railroad
guard, waiter and peddler. It's four years
since found my true vocation, and I've done
pretty we'll"
docs good peddler make much money!"
the reporter asked guardedly.
"Well, that depends Now, I average $50
week. Some, few, make more, but the
majority make less. Anybody that's good
peddler, though, should be able to make $25
week without any trouble and be able to go
out on Sunday for a good time"
"What characteristics must good peddler
possess"
ooh, a great many Self-confidence, OF
Cheek as it is called is the most essential.
Without it no peddler ever peddled with
success. But too much of it is even more
fatal for his prosperity, for in addition to
failure he often gets broken head No, he
must have self-confdence, but not too much
just enough, you know. Then he must be
acharacter reader-know just to whom he can
sell and whom not, who will stand stiff
price and who must be offered the goods at
cut rates.
ITO be good peddler you must also have
a firm, yet gentle disposition. You must al
low nothing to deter you when you see q per
son to whom you feel you can SELL No mat
ter what he or she says, you must persevere.
This is where the firmness comes in. The
gentleness is necessary, so that you may, un-
der no circumstances, lose your temper. It
doesn't pay. If the door is slammed in your
face, swearing will only make matters worse.
The people next door will only laugh at you.
No, you must preserve a dignified silence
and smile indulgently as you turn away.
Then you can sell to the neighbor. Her svm-
pathy will be aroused, and by patronizing
you she thinks she can administer a rebuke
to the unmannerly woman next door and
shine by comparison"
UP STAIRS AND DOWN
''Is peddlng hard workr'
"Trudging up stairs and down with this as.
sortment of goods isn't as much fun as play
ing poker, but there is more money in it for
the average person; and, besides, it's no
harder than many other things-selling dry
goods, for instance. I can pick my custom
ers in this business but when l was a counter
jumper / was entirely at the mercy Of any
WOuldu WHO udppeneu alOng.
"Vhat becomes of all the peddlersln
"Thatquestion has often puzzled me- There
are two things l never saw in my Hfe-a
dead mule and a dead peddler Sometimes
think that when mules and peddlers die Old
Nick carries 'em off bodily as choice bits of
'cussedness'n
Are all peddlers full OF ways that lead to
Old NickF'
This was rather leading question, but the
peddler met it unblushingly.
'Well, generally, " he replied, nonchalantly.
"Some save their money, but very few. I
generally turn up with big head and empty
pockets on Monday morning"
''Then how do you manage to buy your
goodsl On timer
eve don't bdy our goods We get them
from houses around town that are only too
willing to let us have them to sell on commits
sion. When a new hand starts in he has to
deposit the value Of the goods he takes out,
but after awhile, when he gets better ac-
quainted, he can get all the goods he wants
to take out.
81 must go now. 1 Just saw the red headed
woman who lives across the street return.
knew she was out, and I've been waiting for
her all this time. I can always sell to a red
headed woman. I don't know why, but l
can. A red headed man, though, is q useless
being as far as peddlers are concerned"
With this parting shot (the reporters hair
takes on a russell tinge at sunset the migrate
full vender of rugs took his departure
York Press.