St. Landry democrat., 1888-05-05
THE PEDDLER'S TRADE.
Secrets of the Business Revealed by One
of the Peripatetic Merchants

|
of the Peripatetic Merchants.
"Good peddlers, like successful men
in the higher walks of life, are born,
not made" said a particular member
of the fraternity whom reporter
questioned on the subject He was
loaded down with rugs, door mats,
feather busters and other articles un-
til he looked like a perambulating
house furnishing store. Any or all of
the articles under which he struggled
he offered to sell on ''time payments
at fifty cents a week." and when the
reporter gently but unhesitatingly de-
clined the offer, the peddler looked so
unutterablY disgusted that the re.
porter offer ed him chair and some
refreshments. Soon the two were en-.
gagged in convers alton which
brought forth the observation made
! above.
No." he continued, ':a good
peddler is naturally a good peddler,
and no amount of training or trying
will make good one out of man
who hasn't it in him. On the other
hand, a good peddler is generally
good for nothing else on earth. Let
him try 10 stop peddling for any
other business and the chances are ten
to one that he II make fzzle of it.
Now, am born peddler, and at
peddling | have at last made a sue
cess, where in all things that I tried
before / failed. went to school un.
til was eighteen, and since then
that's twelve years ago-I have been
successfully 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 WE'LL
Does good peddler make much
money?' the reporter asked, guarded,
ly.
"Well, that depends. Now, l aver.
age $50 a week. Some, a few, make
more, but the majority make less.
Any body that's good peddler,
though. should be able to make So 8
week without any trouble and be able
to get out Sunday for time"
What characteristics must a good
peddler possessP"
20. a good many. Self-confidence.
or 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 pros.
pcrity, for in addition to failure he
often gets broken head. No, he
must have self-confdence. 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 a stiff price, and
who must be offered the goods at cut
rates.
ITO be good peddler you must
also have firm, yet gentle disposi.
ton. You must allow nothing to deter
you when you see a person to whom
you feel you can SELL No matter what
he or she says, you must persevere.
This is where the firmness comes in.
The gentleness is necessary, so that
you may under no circumstances lose
your temper. 1t doesn't pay. If 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
dignifed silence and smile indulgently
as you turn away. Then you can sell
to the neighbor. Her sympathy will
be aroused, and by patronizing you
she thinks she can administer re-
buke to the unmannerly woman next
door and shine by comparison" j"
us pedlling hard work?'
'Trudging upstairs and down with
this assortment of goods isn't as much
fun as playing poker, but there is
more money in it for the average per-
son; and besides, it's no harder than
many other things-selling dry goods,
for instance. can pick my customers
in this business. but when l was a
counter-jumper I 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 life-a dead mule and
dead peddler. Sometimes / think that
when mules and peddlers die Old
Nick carries 'em off bodily as choice
bits of 'cussedness. >"
'.Are all peddlers full of ways that
lead to Old Nick?"
This was rather leading question,
but the peddler met it un blushingly.
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.
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 the
value of the goods he takes out but
after awhile. when he gets better ac-
quainted, hs can get all the goods he
1rro TO foLo