New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-11
THE BUSINESS


We are commission house in the drygoods district.
Although our credit is of the highest. our place is not
so large but that each cmployc knows the Others well
and we work together in toerable peace and unity
Our senior partner IS state Of Maine man. Of large
frame determined face and keen business faculty.
beginning business for himself In small way thlrtv
or thirty five years ago. he has steadily gained on the
world by shrcwdness and application until now he IS
rated wealthy man. and IS president Of more than one
New England MILL But dryGoods do not have his sole
attention lie is man Of wide general information.
His familiarity with the stock market and railroad mat
ters is thorough and he IS director in several banks
and railways. lie would have made his mark In
diplomacy, for his tact is unfallng Many time,
when some mill treasurer from Down East has staked
Indignantly into his private Office. and opened upon
him with heated recital Of alleged unfair treatment
from the firm have clerks In the outer Office been
amazed although knew the ability OF the man. 10
hear our senior partner calmly replying to angry words
meeting accusation with fact explaining everything IN
, way that carried absolute conviction. until at last.
the Hlcd feathers all smOOted, he escorted the moui-
fed treasurer to the door and babe nm good day'
These not infrequent encounters, OF which We were
necessarily hearers. have induced in US feeling OF
bride at working thoroughly master OF MS
busines, himself and his adversary-in spite OF MS
rpanproacbability and his occasional gruifness Yet
this stern man is Just man: and tenderness Is IN
him. for when his son. fine manly fellow. recently
from college whom he planning to take into part
ucrshp, lay sick unto death OF fever. the fatler
seemed utterly broken and for days could talk Of moth
lnc else until the crisis was safely passed.
our gray haired junior partner. little bundle OF
oulvering nerves. has more winters than has the
q. old man. For the last Gfteen he has had
melancholy cough that would have landed other
man In grave long ago but MS lease OF lie seems
10 be ninety nine year one. lie bustlcs great deal
and tell, us clerks all about it when he makes good
sale 10 some Western OF southern buyer VINO comes
in. For him neither the stock market nor tic Grcas
,ord of letters has charms his horizon /, limited 10
the dry goods trade one OF his duties Is the engaging
and disnlssing OF employees. Each man or boy that
he hire, ha, heard the tale Of Mr.. rs passionate
Devotion In early life. to the flute, and his spartan
sacrifice Of Inclination duty, when he came 10 the
nartinc OF the roads maiden seeking 10 allure HIN
with tie tuncful pipe the other dangling before ms
Nth ;stSsi a hindy man. and takes human interest
In those who work for HIM. BUY IL 10 as Us
pnaran that he ,nG had 1sS ny more
than a shipping clerk must inevitably make.simpy
for the young mans so9S ne S wo@ he once ne dis
charged without cause, on the same DeheVoient
theory" and that young man Is worm more money
We clerks are a little body set apart Perhaps,
however, that description may better Apply - I,e
cage. We feel community Of interest. Tor we ar
seven" chief clerk. or office manager. Is a man
the financial management, Is often consulted by tie
partner and IS the " confidential man he Is some
| hing of a yachtsman and sportsman, ana taxes an
ocrason. dy OF In the season. He Is busy man. yet
he can always ind time To help junior clerk out OF
snap Tor loon made do mat Il brought b. the knowledge
OF the firm. would get the uh"ittihs onehuef iH''
''' our stock clerk glories in the fact that he has
lived all his life The East Side and Is Demo ral
m me- Eepa6can Bnsines, ea.. parade on the
SATURDAY afternoon before the last Pfcsleh'Itl e'c.
ph,ianx the same evening, and marched proudly up
Tlfth ave swinging a red lantern, thc token oi Ne
chr"nic srYubIcr always threatening u resign ana
once or twice when an unusually wntry blast .,
nm before his eyes he talked ii he really meant
T. carry out his threat But he VIII not ~. a.. ~
nc ,,rrcs the stock inaryeIoi-!y in his head and
keep, his books IN such way Wnat Nun ~ hm
, NssniutrlIcble t. any other man earth, that
the firm would be as unwilling 10 part WIN lin DO
he ea a.! i 10 & second occupant Of the cage has
been with the house since he i, srAgo; "a ,Srhl
s",. hearted and conscientious IN the dlschars 0'
h du lie Is STg @ ' yon E Ea Sr backed bead
Kabhi' an expression reminiscent 81 the oG t2 be
un,cr ,,d fs and perpetual conviction that he Is noi
Justly apprcciard by the partner on FROM he han mad"
H., trent 81 80 many year, In the firms service, 81
wavs I'm the same ever deepening groove l3 II -
ncNt impossible 70 imaslnr 'aI az az. T ,bs prIn
'ITi o ocsucn are the pltrcians q our business
taxing iansad pleasure IN patronizns the Pebc;a1,
sI,y~s Of tho desk Why this feeling should eAi',
SUPERIORITY the cOronet as 1t were-oi the h sS
ronrerclal traveller Is the world Ro"> lho mr.
| III, laf worn IN season and out 81 season., "l.'
80 coat ,r Jacket. But as>IrdN neither envy nor
srn. 81 unfa discrimination psrvadel our SOUS WI ~
yhr ether day the head OF the house presenter u.
c"ch ~ nj, statesmen a shining silk stovepipe,
with the Injunction Ia wear ~. onr salaries a."
rn, rninou,lv high. but prefer 10 buy orr Own
l,adcrar and consult our own H'A"''''" ~ - $780,
| sort We shall wear. ,,o.
our statesmen are like the usual run OF druulncis.
Thev know the stock. and d" hustle" when th'y are
.iro,d although one do ooca- ouall' COX 700
d.eply into the wine cup. and must a. Nuch tllc' c
| Ia nm for repair. And another although az IN,
,aIc,mru have Instructions 10 Lodge 1t tn pest n'l
/ i'm carh town they vi>it-ha> the curious mac.
%, witch not a few d7mmcrS addicted Of hvlnH ~
nlrd cl,e lnns and charging first class rates IN h''
EXPENSE book A. "A rule. our statesmen wear IN.
raim,nt. and have proper prm" IN adVan''ns nno
/ interests II the house Most Of them are yonhS'
| and look forward 81 the time Wh'l
they shall be taken into partnership In some nonrlsh
/ INC honsc or shall acluip confidence, capNu ana
crs,,t enough to ~ into business for themselves
man fresh from two years of ranch lifc VINO became
a salesman " through influence Ia the decp n,sust
~ mo stock boys who thought he should nave bcch
made To- serve an apprenticeship like them. lie ~
a nlr,sant fellow. though. and has worked ms way
| into the good elaccs even Of ~" boys.
| The stock boys the rising generation %
c,rry hon.r In the dry good, district and our bows
| nn,cntial salesman and merchant. They may WIN
uSticc be- called rising for they have mounted Only
nnn rnund of ladder. the oic" boys standing on
,hc loor behind them, waiting for the stock boys 10
=" go up higher.
RTTG NOF TERROR ~ rHE CCSrOM HOUSE.