Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1889-08-16
sHoPLlETERs.
Merchants Have TO Exercise Judgment and
Nerve in Dealing with Them.

Merchants Have to Exercise Judgment and
Nerve in Dealing with Them.
had an experience, said a merchant to
The Economist which has had q tendency
to make me go very slow with apparent shop
filters As entered the aisles where the
ribbon department. Is situated l saw lady
place some ribbon in hand bag. For mo-
ment did not know what to do. | did not
wish to make any fuss or noise, because it is
not always wise, but as we had lost much by
this class of thieving determined to invite
the lady to the private office and have lady
clerk examine her and demand an explana-
ton. / did not wish to have her arrested, be
cause she looked refined and as if she be-
longed to a family Of Importance. Going up
to the lady, l said:
will you please come with met l would
like to see you for a moment" She replied.
naturally and pleasantly;
Certainly and prepared TO accompany
me. had got about half way to the Office,
when | was suddenly called aside by mer-
chant friend who fortunately had come in on
some business "Do you know the ladyF
mo" "She is the wife Of Judge -, and
she will take anything that is not chained
down If she has done anything wrong, take
no notice Of it, but send the bill to her hus
band, and bowling to the lady he passed on.
did not know what to do had invited the
lady to my office, and clearly under the cir
cumstances l could not, nor did, wish to make
a demonstration. In fact, was heartily glad
that need not had to do some tall think
ing in the few steps to the office. l had no
sooner got in than l sent a clerk for the sam.
pie pieces of dress silks that had just arrived,
and before the lady left shefelt highly pleased
TO think that she was the first to see the new
styles. She appeared a little astonished that
| should know her, and take the trouble of
going to the private Office to show the pat
terms, but l explained that if my rivals in |
trade knew what goods had imported, they |
would move heaven and earth to checkmate |
me- am perfectly confident the lady did |
not associate the taking of tho ribbon with 1
guilt, and was entirely innocent of any wrong 4
intent | was fortunate in receiving a hint
in time. If had not I should have made a
mess Of the matter and my business would
have suffered.
~ could send to prison dozen shoplifters
if wished to-" said another merchant, "but
the papers would make so much Of the matter
that ladies would be afraid to enter my store
lest they be mistaken for thieves. have had
enough agitation on that score. had a suit
for damages go against me, and close my
eyes to many queer tricks"
At a jewelry sale recently held in one Of
our largest dry goods stores, where articles of
considerable value lay around on show cases
and counters, detectiveAwas stationed on a
raised stand, where he could see and be seen.
The writer, seeing the prominent position Of
the detective, said to the superintendent;
"Any thief who contemplates getting away
with some Of your goods will wait until the
eye is turned away, and will then
get in his work.
'Wehave arranged for all that" the SUI
assumed. You see that lady
at the second caseg Well, it has got to be a
pretty sharp crook that can get the better Of
her; it is on her we most depend The man
On the platform spots any crooks or suspicious
people that he knows, and u sign sets her to
but, bless your soul, unless we had
bright people behind the counter to sell the
goods and keep their eyes open, we would lose
much more than we do. Itison their watch
'ulness that we rely. limited States Econo-
mist