The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-05-23
The Grocer and the Workman.

Once upon time their lived in the city
of St. Paul grocer and a workman. 1t
so happened, that the workman owed the
grocer the sum of twelve dollars Now"
said the grocer to the workman one day,
Il do not want to be hard on you. knowing
your wife to be sick, and all that. so | will
do the best thing l can for you. You owe
me twelve dollars. New, provided you pay
me at tlfe rate of dollar month, l Will
give you a discount of ten cents on the
dollar"
"Thank you. thank you, SIR" the work
man replied to this generous proposition.
Il will do my part faithfully. | will then
have but to pay you. altogether, the twelve
dollars less the 10 per cent.-120 cents
which would amount to $1,000. Not SOP"
well no. not exactly. At least not &C
cording to my system of figuring. L admit
that Jones. yOnder. and Smith across the
way. and Brown down the street. transact
business according to that system of arIth
metic, but with me it is different. My an
ceS,Ors many years ago instituted SYSTEM
very complicated l admit. of figuring such
matters; the system along with the bust
ness was handed down to me. and for that
reason hold it sacred. | figure your case
out in this wise: You are to discharge a
debt OF twelve dollars in monthly payments
of one dollar. And if. so, regularly. paid
deduction of ten cents for every dollar paid.
shall be made from the total amount, twelve
dollars. Now. you see. by the time you
have paid your tenth dollar or. let me see
! Figures tor half an hOur) yes. that's about
it; by the time you have paid me. 5000.
you have become entitled to S1,09. which
is the ten per cent. discount l give. you
know. This S1.O9. now add to the 5000
which gives me within one cent of my
S12. You are welcome to the one cent,
however. Do you understands"
/ Yes" the workman glOOmily mods,
scratching his head; Il understand, and |
ought to be thankful to you for any dis
count at all-but nevertheless l do not
think it a just way of figuring 1 owe you
S12. and were you to allow me no discount
| would be obliged to pay you II full dol
lars Dependent upon certain conditions
you agree to deduct 10 per cent. for every
dollar paid you. which must be S12. since
that is the amount l owe you. Look at it
| in this light for Instance: Say pay you
the amount in full, S12 in the specified -
months. and then come to you and claim
my 10 per cent. S1.2O. Does it not strike
you, that you would be in honor bound to
pay me?"
1T seems that way. Well. to satisfy
you. and to decide whether or not my sys-
tenn is permissible, l will call in John
Brightwit from across the way"
After due lapse of time. that notable
gentleman arrived. But alas! He decided
against the grOcer's system. And from
that day to this. the worthy grocer who had
relied too much upon his fOrefatherS figured
all such accounts according to the common
sense and universal system.
n. B. Will not some Mr.. Brightwit step
in, and decide against the ridiculous system
now in vogue of figuring the cOnvict's good
time, which practically takes back from the
convict PERCENTAGE of the benefits the law
of the state would give him? c. NJ. NJ.
Is the World on Its Head!