Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-07-05
THERE GOOD HUMOR WON.

U'HERE GOOD HUMOR WON.
here Is a Story 7'hot Uin BE of Interest
to DTnninlcrS.
at is great fun for me" said promi-
nent business man to New York Mail
and Empress reporter, "to recall my
early experiences on the road in the
capacity of commercial drummer. 1
was only about seventeen years of age
at the time. One year previously had
walked away from school and answered
an advertisement calling for a book
keeper. made application for the
place, which was in large tea and spice
establishment, although 1 knew as much
about keeping books as 1 did about
playing the organ in Trinity Church. 1
kept the books for about two weeks; and
got everything into such confused con-
dition that I do not think they were
Strengthened out for year. As it hap
pened, day or so before the full
measure of my incompetency was dis
covered I was down at the store rather
early and managed to sell difficult
customer who came in large bill of
goods. This pleased the proprietors of
the establishment, and they not only
condoned my bookkeeping offenses, but
put me down on the salary list as a
salesman. I remained in the New York
store for about year, and was so sue
cessful that they finally put me on the
road.
I Il remember striking small village
upon the Hudson shortly after starting
out. The shades of evening were fall
ing rapidly as the hotel coach carried
me from the railroad station to the
hostelry, and determined that I would
not attempt to do anything that night
but secure good nights rest.
During the evening, however, got
into conversation with two or three
natives of the village who were standing
around the hotel office, and, as is quite
customary with young and inexperienced
drummers, began torefer rather boast
fully to the achievements had made in
the way Of sales. The natives seemed
to receive everything in good faith, and
one of them proposed as a test of my
ability as salesman that 1 should go
to store in the village and sell the
proprietor thereof, who loudly pro-
claimed his antipathy to all drummers,
d bill of goods. My pride was touched,
and I readily agreed to do it, and agreed
also to wager SIS on the result. Five
minutes afterward found me with my
gripsack in my hand on my way to the
store that had been referred to, and be-
fore 1 could plan my campaign was
inside the place. It was an ordinary
village store, and, as the time I speak
of was in the middle of the winter,
there was red-hot stove in the middle
of the floor, and dozen loungers were
sitting in circle about it, Knowing,
as they did, the prejudices of the pro-
prietor with respect to commercial men,
my entrance was greeted by significant
smiles and nudges and winks, and
whispered comments passed around the
circle. didn't mind this, but went up
at once to the man who stood behind
the counter, who answered the descrip-
ton that had been given to me of the
proprietor OF the store, and handed him
my card.
HE took the card, and without look
ing at it, slowly tore it into two or three
dozen pieces and scattered it on the
floor. The action was followed by a
roar of laughter from the circle around
the stove. But 1 was not to be beaten
yet.
You shouldn't do that I said, very
quietly; don't you know that those cards
cost money!
The proprietor glared at me for a
moment, and then, turning to a young
clerk, who stood behind the counter a
few feet away, he said: Give this
young man cents to pay for that card
"This grim sally brought another ex-
plosion of laughter from the circle
around the stove, and a dozen pair of
eyes looked over me curiously to see
how I would take the rebuff. I didn't
take it at all. [ took out my card case
a second time, and, selecting another
card, offered it to the proprietor. This
made him mad, and he began to swear.
What do you mean, you impudent
young dog, by handing me another
card?' And he brought his hand down
with good deal Of force on the counter.
"'Oh, I replied, L always give two
cards for cents
"This rather turned the laugh on him,
and after q moment he joined in the
laughter, and, taking the card, read it.
=" TIL talk with you moment he
said, If you'll come back in the store
here
"You may be sure I went back. He