The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-26
A LADY DRUM NJ E R.
TELLS UER EXPERIENCE IN THE SER
VICE OF A DRUG FIRM

1
| ples-Pnrticu,nr Episodes on the Road.
Woman has torn down as many Of the old
tight board fences OF prejudice and found SO
many new paths OF usefulness that her pres
| ence in the domain OF business is no longer u
novelty. But comparatively few persons have
| ever met tho woman drummer Her num-
| bers are not sufficiently great to have induced
the word-coiners to give her name. and SO
| she must DO introduced ne the travelling
saleswoman. or. in tho language Of "the
| road.' tho woman drummer
| 1t was by no means easy to find hero in New
| York one OF the followers OF this new depart
| ure. A search for her among the wholesale
| houses was like trying to run down the elusive
SEQ serpent Everybody had heard Of her. and
II fow had even met her in the course OF thor
travels. but when 1t camo to actually locating
her. memory either proved total blank or
| registered the chimerical woman drummer
from some quite remote quarter. At last.
however. the reporter was SO fortunate as TO
ind real. live and very interesting specimen
OF the now profession.
Mrs. Adele NJ. Graef IA a travelling sales
woman. She has been In the business year
and half. and she is. In tho words Of the firm
managers. "a great success"
Mrs Gracf Is a prepossessing woman. some-
what above the medium height. with pleasant
must be an important element in her success.
When the reporter found her at her hotel the
other day shc was dressed In a handsome dark
blue blazer suit with the most immaculate of
white shirt waists ana dark blue tie. A blue
trimu cd sailor hat Of quiet proportions COM
pleted an ideal business womnn's costume.
This attractive. dlgniiled. womnnly woman
seemed by no means cut out" for the hnrd
life which we commonly imagine that OF trav
cling salesmen to be, so tho first question
asked her was quite involuntary.
How in the world did you happen to go into
this businesst'
Mrs. Graei smiled.
We'll. it was for purely personal reasons"
she said. a great deal of trouble had come
to me and needed an occupation. ono which
would have variety in 1t. NY father and my
husband had both been physicians. and you
might say that tho study OF medicine had been
both born and bred In me. For that reason.
I selected the drug business rs the one most
suited to my capabilities. l went to the firm
for Which ON now travelling They had al
ready had ono woman salesman She had
not proved to be q brilliant success: She had
been in their employ Tor three weeks and dur
ns Es s lad 1a an as two rs
vow WHEN they ssns me out 1t
6St : no. 70 ne; that I succeeded there 1
That was year and half ago." and Mrs.
Groef paused with a reflective smile ,,.. ~
ansG snsy yah dd satea little
but how does your success compare with
that Of the men who travel for the tirin3,'
SO that it is diileult to say Which is ahead but
have tie harder work to do and yet am
HGw Do trayelhng statesmen regard the in
Who are entering their i iieid " ."' women
often makes them unkind. They drop little
tTy e injare her; / only BY 3 shrus Of the
rsseye With thS greatest possible
But it is a pleasure to me when finally con-
me and my goods in the light i want him to.
But these cases o! Gran klness are, very rare.
ness. and great many favors are shown mo
which a travt ,ag salesman rarely receives:
drusssss DO not svs me the same son s s
which they would give man. They doubt
have 70 oSsT %Sc
simply because l do thoroughly understand
what am trying to sell them. woman can
equipped with a. knowledge OF business
methods in general and her own business In
her personality. although. Of course. that is .
q Then what do, you consider the most nec-
essary qualifications for n successful travel
ling saleswoman :" tho reporter asked
She must have strong constitution. must
cal. economical. and attractive in person and
manner Commercial travelling requires real
instance / have charge very often OF the ex-
hlbit which our firm makes at medical con-
Dseto Sdm have sst ut sh ers FROM We're At
haps forty exhibits In q sort Of competition.
or course each person In charge had. as had.
things; But bad the responsibility as well
rs the labor. Then there is always the going
Giles. hiring assistants and. after tho thing is
all ready. one has TO be on ones feet al day
read % aSay
ones self to the mood Of every one.
Why, ! have T. DO quick as lightning to see
Then after it is all over there is the long Jour
ney. day or two in which to make up reports
again. For territory have practically the
whole country and am sent in all directions;
70 only to the large cities. Baltimore is ono
went there We dii hardly any business there
charge Of some work abroad for the firm. 1t is
great chance t? see every phase OF life. On
country towns which J. used to visit. and In the
asylums and hospitals which come in my
province; am brought into contact with every
phase Of life aud all sorts OF characters. Tho |
work is full OF Interest. and / sometimes have
very funny experiences.
=" remember one time was in the little
M 1t was cold and the fire was out in the |
little office Of the only hotel Lsave tho markD |
which the village afforded. The clerk. a great,
fat fellow. whose cheeks hung loosely and in
n6gliE6 manner over his collar. was sound
asleep In chnir.
:" foused him with some difficulty and told
narrow. winding hall and finally. showed me |
into room away of at one end ofthe building. |
After he went began to look around. found |
Q door which led into another room, and from
Ina snd an we
closet. OF course. NomAnlike. looked under
ton. but l could scarcely sleep. thinking Of |
that closet Tho next day asked the Young |
follow. green country boy, who came to |
build my flro about the room. and he tried to
e next and anhSs "hs sSat
me to rap on the wal! between us;
asleep Mhen-rapl rap! rap-something |