New-York tribune., 1890-03-30
HARDER TO FIGHT THAN DUNS.
FORCED INTO BEING CHARITABLE.
QUESTIONABLE METHODS OF FURTHERING GOOD
CAUSES.

QUESTIONABLE METHODS OF FURTHERING GOOD
CAUSES.
"speaking of duns," said dry goods drummer 'ic
other night there IS more persistent duh tlan
vour charitable collector who insists on presenting
the needs OF his or her female collector by far t
worst worthy cause. In season and ont OF seaso'i
with a polite ndefatigabilty that Is truly exasperat
ing The rnder you are with them the more credit
do they take the nscves for travelling the suds"
and thorny path and the longer you hold out the
more are YOU expected 10 1--WE In the end by ldi
the best way according to my experience Is 10 ac-
oulesce the moment the collector opens her mouth
and YOU surprise her 50 that you can come on WIN
fylng colors under cover OF a very small amount
some men are thrown into panic by ths Class
OF persons and while they hate to give, fear equay
TO refuse cspecially merchants whose trade depchus
somewhat on their personal popularity in the comml-
nlty I remember when in western city uS
ing TO sell goods to an exceedingly stngy store
keeper that the man while talking to me was sudden
X thrown into a state OF nervo-s fear by clerk
telling him that there was lady IN the front part oi
the store who wanted to see him about subscnp-
ton TO a Christmas tree fos the orphans home
"'Confound the woman he said. DO you know
who she lsr
"'No, said the clerk. and guess she does not
know you. for she called me by your name ana
saving she had never met you
".Lct me see her. said the merchant. as he peeped
through scratch In the ground glass partition OF his
Office she's lady. he muttered ruefully, who
has only lately Joined church. oh, hang it,
never was any good at blufing lady.
Now the old curmudgcon had treated our house
,habblly in the only sale made to him. rival
drummer had secured the cream Of his trade anyway,
and felt that | could afford to vent little Of my
spite on him. 80 | spo' up with: Let me tackle
her. I'm a expert ealing with these people.
When I'm homo our IA always turns All Of them
over To- me. talk them blind and deaf, and
once made one Of them plank down dollar for a
fund pretended to be getting up for widow with
ten children whose husband had been killed by fall
Ing down our own elevator shaft. Just introduce me
to her as Mr. Nj. the owner Of the store and
I'll get her ont Of here In ten minutes as pleased a.
II YOU had erunblnsly given her Slo'
..I don't Ike to try it, said the old fellow, hcsi
tatlngiy. 4 have a good deal OF confidence in your
ability talkcr, but don't think You can 90
much IN this case
~.You Just try me-. said as he walked toward
The woman. and before Mr. Nj fully realized IT. the
clerk introduced me Mr.. NJ. while Mr.. NJ
himself drew away from her II She were dangerous
and fell TO counting the money in the cash drawer
silently.
IL came to ask you. Mr.. NJ, she began, TO
subscribe something to a Christmas tree for the
orphans home We hoping to
"'Dont say another word man,. broke in.
know all about the home. and | wish a Merry Christ
mas every little duier in it. Put me down for
$50 and mark it paid James. l added. turning
sharply to Mr.. NJ. give the lady 80 out Of the
til and be quick about H. She has a good many
places to 20 today doubtless her noble mission
and with my sweetest smile l checked the pretty
little womans thanks and stood by to watch the
effect on old NJ.
lie was struck dumb at first and could only glare
at both Of U.s. slowly he took IL all in. lie was
In a bad hole and hc knew It, What could he say
Nothing. without maiins matters worse. lie could
have got of with -. If he had relied himself at the
worst and here had played trick on him that
would cost him hye times that. slowly he counted
Let open the door for you ma'an.' said
| led tho way 10 tho front entrance. bowed the
collector out and stepped out after her knew
enough not 10 remain behind with old NJ.
"'lou Will pardon my saying 30 Mr.. N said the
little woman with "A sly smile, but am gratefully
surprised at your generosity | am stranger IN
this city and was tod thai You werc railer difficult
person to approach and seldom gave llbcrall 70 any
cause
deal depends on tho collector YOU know. whenever
yon want anything for the orphans call around at
my SS and Sd III chip a my % ; reputation and how
much II cost him TO do H. or not Ia do IT, never
That's a pretty good story said listener and
it's not often that collector finds the paved for
coming the natural elhshness OF mankind are worthy
Of study. remember when was running store
"a Il
effort was made to build a hospital \ lot OF
ndcatleablc took hold OF the scheme and
chose one Of their number more indciagahc than all
the rest the larger Of the town
and see what they would contribute
When she came 10 me she produced a subscription
list which some fifteen or 80 of my fellow merchants
had put themselves down for $3.50 each. Nobody
seemed to give less than that aud the collector
remarked that Mr.. A.. whose name stood al thc
top had started the list with that sum- and the other,
evidently doing Just well in their business
he was. and were not going to be beaten by him
in the matter of generosity She worked on my
pride In the usual def way they
Afford it, did not mt to seem ICS~ pro,pcrous tGsn
my rivals nor less public spirited About 800 would
have been more NV SIZE but single 500 that un.
broken list Of $25Os would look cons picuous that
hc,itdtcd. lost and made No. Ii to give u quarter
thousand.
THE next dav met my cousin Jim. who also was
In business for himself there and rs the subject of the
how much he had subscribed.
gave $ioo' he replied think that's quite
enough for man In my circumstances. you
other fellow. Are you making more money than we
think. old man ?"
No. / said. 800 was Just what thought Of
giving. but everybody the list had subscribed ~ 30
ana hated to be the first man TO lower the standard.
Who was bold enough 10 brca, the Ice. anyway p
: Ice be Jlggcrcd,' he replied. why did You not
put your name down on the other list -
" What other list replied in CONSERVATION as the
truth began to dawn me.
Why the list of small subscribers he said
There are two lists O this thing You see one for ths
subscriptions Of $3.50 and one for those of
less. put down my hundred among lot of - and
Tlo fellows and 1t shines out there like gold nugget
Well may heaven paint me a neat Sky. .hlu., !
said. If ever am bamboozlcd that way again ~
: served you right, old man. laughed linn nm
icchhgN for being willing TO give more for pridc's
sake and the advertisement than for pure unadnlnr,to
charity ''''"