The Grenada gazette., 1888-05-12
THE PEopLER'S TRADE
Secrets Of the business Revealed by One
of the PeTlpat-tic Merchants

IN the higher walks of life. are born,
not made" said a particular member
OF the fraternity whom reporter
questioned on the subject. He wa
loaded down with rugs. door mas.
feather busters and other articles un,
I'll he looked like a pcrambnlating
house furnishing store. Any or all OF
the articles under which he struggied
he offered TO sell on time payment:
at fifty cents week" and when the
reporter gently hut unhesitatingly de.
clined the offer. the peddler looked SC
unutterably disgusted that the re-
porter Offer ed him chair and some
refreshments Soon the Two were en-
gagged in conversation which
| brought forth the observation made
above.
No." he continued "a good
peddIer is naturally good peldler.
and no amount of training or trying
will make a good one out Of man
who hasn't it in him. On the other
ha' d a good peddlcr is generally
good for nothing else on earth. Lei
him try 10 stop peddling for an!
other business and the chances are ten
to one that he Il make a fzzle of it.
Now, am a born peddler. and at
! peddling | have at last made a sue
cess, where in all things that l tried
before | failed ! went 10 school un.
til was eighteen. and since then
that's twelve years ago--I have been
successfully a lawyers clerk. book.
keeper in an importing house, CLERK
in dry-goods store, elevated railroad
guard. waiter and peddler. It's foul
years since found my true vocation,
and I've done pretty well.
Does a good pedller make much
money!" the reporter asked, guarded.
ly.
"Wrll, that depends. Now. aver.
age $50 week. Some, a few, make
more, but the majority make less.
Any body that's good peddler,
though. should be able to make 81 &
week without any trouble and be able
to get out Sunday for time. "
What characteristics must q good
| peddier possess?'
20. a good many. Self-confdence
or cheek, as it is called, is the most
essential. Without it no peddler evel
peddlcd with success But too much
of it is even more fatal for his pros.
pcrity, for in addition to failure he
often gets a broken head. No, he
must have self-con tidcnce. but not toe
much-just enough you know. Then
| he must be character reader-know
just to whom he can sell and whom
not who will stand stiff price, and
who must be offered the goods at cul
rates.
TO be good peddler you must
also have firm, yet gentle disposi'
lion. You must allow nothing to deter
you when you see person to whom
you feel you can sell. No matter whsl
he Or she says, you must perseyere.
This is where the tirnness comes in.
The gentleness is necessary. so that
You may under no circumstances lose
your temper 1t doesn't pay. II the
door is slammed in your face, swear
ing will only make matters worse.
The people next door will only laugh
at you. No. you must preserve a
dignitcd silence and smile indulgently
as you turn away. Then you can sell
to the neighbor Her sympathy will
be aroused. and by pa'ronizing you
she thinks she can administer a re-
buke TO the unmannerly woman next
door and shine by comparison. :"
Is pedIling hard work?'
"Trudging upstairs and down with
this assortment of goods isn't as much
fun as playing poker, but there i:
more money in it for the average per-
son; and besides, its no harder than
many other things-selling dry goods,
for instance can pick my customers
in this business. but when | was a
counter-jumper ! was entirely at the
mercy of any woman who happened
along"
What becomes Of all peddlers?'
THAT question has often puzzled
me. There are two things | never
saw in my lifc-a dead mule and .
d.aI peddler. Sometimes | think that
when mules and peddlers die Old
Nick carries en- off bodily as choice
bits Of 'cussedncss.
Are all p"ddlers full OF ways that
lead to Oh Nick?'
This was rather leading question.
but the peddlcr met it unblushingly.
We'll. generally he replied. nom
chalantly. ''Some save their money,
but very few | generally turn up
with big head and empty pockets
Monday morning. g
Then, how do you manage to buy
your goods? On timer
I'VE don't buy our goods. We get
them from houses around town that
are only too willing to let us have them
to sell on commission. When new
hand starts in he has to deposit tho
value of the goods he takes out, but
after awhile, when he gets better ac-
quainted, hs can get all the goods he
| wants to take ont.