The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-06-19
BUYING AND SELLING.
Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage Talks on
the Trickeries Of Trade.
The Desire for Wealth Often Overmasters
p Mans Better Nature-The Result
May be Present Prosperity
But the End is Ruin.

1F0E6Q III LHo DrOOhlJh ASi
Music, by Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage from
the text:
1t is naught, it is naught, sayeth the buyer;
but when he is gone his way, then he BOAST
eth-Prov. Xxx, IA.
Palaces are not such prisons as the
world imagines. If you think that the
only time Kings and Queens come forth |
from the royal gates is in proc ession
and gorgeously attended, you are mis-
taken. Incognito, by day or by night,
and clothed in citizens apparel, or the
dress of working woman, trey come
out and see the world as it is. In no
other way could King Solomon, the au-
thor of my text, have known every
thing that was going on. From MY
text / am sure he must, in disguise,
some day have walked into store OF
ready-made clothing, in Jerusalem, and
stood near the counter and overheard a
conversation between a buyer and
seller. The merchant put price on
coat and the customer began to dicker
and said: "Absurd that coat is not
worth what you ask for it. Why, just
look at the coarseness of the fabric! See
it does not fit. Twenty dollars for that?
Why, it isn't worth more than ten.
They have a better article than that,
and for cheaper price, down at Cloath-
EN-, Fitem s. Bros. Besides that I
don't want it at any price. Good
morning" "Hold, says the merchant;
'sdon't go off in that way. want to
sell you that coat I have some pay
ments to make and want the money.
that coat?" 'sWell," says the customer,
ST will split the difference. You asked
twenty dollars, and / said ten dollars.
Now, will give you fifteen dollars"
''Well," says the merchant ''it's great
sacrifice, but take it at that price"
Then Solomon saw the customer with
roll uT der his arm start and go out
and enter his own place of business,
and Solomon in disguise followed him.
He heard the customer as he unrolled
the coat say: Boys, have made a
great bargain. How much do you guess
/ gave for that eoat?' sWell," says
one, wishing to compliment his enter
prise, ''you gave thirty dollars tor it. y
Another says: 81 should think sou got
it cheap if you gave twenty-five dol
lars" mo" says the buyer in triumph,
81 got it for fifteen dollars. beat him
down and pointed out the imperfections,
until I really made him believe it was
not worth hardly any thing. 1t takes
me to make bargain. Ha! Ha!'' Oh,
man, you got the goods for less thar
they were worth by positive falsehood
and no wonder, when Solomon went
back to his palace and had put off his
disguise, that he sat down at his writ
ing desk and made for all ages crayor
sketch of you: sit is naught, it il
naught, sayeth the buyer, but when hi
is gone his way, then he boasteth."
There are no higher styles of men in
all the world than those row It the head
of merchandise in Brooklyn and New
York and in the other great cities o
this continent Their casual promise il
as good as bond with piles of collater
ais. Their reputation for integrity i
as well established as that of Petrarct
residing in the family of Cardinal Colon
ma, and when there was great disturb
ance in the family the Cardinal called
all his people together, and put then
under oath to tell the truth, except Pc
trareh, for when he came up to swea
the Cardinal put away his book and
said: "As to you, Petrarch, your wort
is sufficient" Never since the worl
stood have there been so many mel
chants whose transactions can stand tn
test of the ten commandments. Sue
bargain-makers are all the more to b
honored because they have withstoo(
year after year, temptations which hav
flung many so fat, and flung them S
hard they can never recover themselve
While all positions in life have power
full besetments to evil there are specif
forms of allurement which are peculia
to each occupation and profession, and
will be useful to speak of the peculi;
temptations of business men.
First, as in the scene of the text, bus
ness men are often tempted to sacrifC
plain truth, the seller by exaggeratin
the value of goods, and the buyer /
depreciating them. We can not but a
miro an expert salesman. See how
first induces the customer into a mot
favorable to the proper consideration
the value of the goods. He shows hi1
self to be an honest and frank salesma
How carefully the lights are arrang,
till they fall just right upon the ia bri
Beginning with goods of medium gu;
ity, he gradually advances toward tho
of more thorough make and of more {
tractive pattern. How he watches t
moods and whims of his customt
With what perfect calmness he tax
the ord and bows the purchaser frc
his presence, who goes away havi
made up his mind that he has bong
the goods at price which will allC
him living margin when he aga
sells them. The goods are worth VIII
the salesman said they were, and we
sold at a price which will not make
necessary for the house to fail every t
years in order to fix up things.
But with what burning indignant
we think of the ubiquitous stratagel
by which goods are sometimes dispos
OF. A glance at the morning pap,
shows the arrival at one of our hotels
young merchant from one of I
inland cities. He is comparati