Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-03-11
pRofnsslonAL soApeooA1s.

professional scapegOat docs not
appear among the thousands of occu.
pations which designate the manner
Of employment Of the inhabitants Of
this city as classified in tho Philadcl.
phia directory. More than one man
whose name appears there gracod by
the simple but comprehensive word
clerk, " is, If tho truth were known,
fully entitled 10 classification rs a
professional scapcgoat.
There Is more than ono that Is paid
a substantial salary by largo houses
for no other occupation than taking
upon his shoulders the blanc for all
the misdecds OF the establishment
and suffering tho supposed loss of his
situation at the ratio Of n dozen times
n day, OF as much oftener as occasion
may require. Being discharged a
half dozen times a day without once
losing his position, and at the saIna
time being vol paid for the peculiar
performance, IL indeed novel idea.
This IL how 1t Is done;
a lady makes n purchase of several
articles, all Of which arc to be sent
10 her address as given, before a Ger
tain hour, without fail. The follow.
ing day the customer returns and In
her own sweet way proceeds 10 tear
out" the floor manager or proprietor,
us It may be, because the goods failed
TO arrive at the promised hour Tho
story Is patiently heard, and the word
is passed along for Smith. Smith
makes his appearance with n coun.
tcnanco professionally ponitent and
submissive.
Smith, the manager begins, "you
were instructed TO send this lndy's
goods TO the address given you before
do'clotkf
yes, sir, Is Smiths plaintivo ro-
ply, Out
'Ncvcr mind nm explanation. Im-
lcrstand. Your neglect caused the
delay and has risked the loss Of ono
Of our best customers. We cannot
put up with your carelessncss any
longer. You may 20 To the Office and
get your pay"
Smith steals away with n ready
made crestfallen look upon his face.
Madam, Iregrot the occurrence of
such an unnecessary blunder but as
suro you II will not happen again;
surely not from that man." aud
madam takes her departure fully
satisfied that she has had her revenge.
Another irato customer appears on
tho scene This time tho trouble IL
with suit Of furniture which Ind
been purchased week before ~ In
perfect order, but hns already begun
TO show signs of approaching disso-
luton. The aggricvcd purchaser
opens on the manager, who ut onco
sends for the ''man who takes tho
blame and opens his usual pro-
gramme.
How Is this, siri What do you
mean by sending out goods in such a
condition. You have been repeated
ly told not TO permit any goods 10
leave your department unless in per
feet order This Is not the first timo
this has happened, but It will DO the
last. Go to the office and get your
pay; we have no further use for your
services.
Madam, ! am very sorry that you
should havo boon 30 deceived by one
Of our statesmen. We cannot worry
well take back the furniture after it
has been used, but wo will send a
man TO your house to put 1t in proper
shape and the lady goes on her
way satisfied that sho has received
justice
'"rhe man who takes the blarno" 10
next discharged for overcharging in
making salo OF silk dress goods
He then suffers n TRADE Of abuse,
and IL also 10 20 because ho has sold
SGT Of fne china without calling
tho attention Of the purchaser 10 sew
eral little defects And NO il gocs
from morning to night, day after day,
week in and week out Tho poor
fellow is made 10 suffer for all the
sins Of the entire establishment, from
the manager down to the eirand boy.
1T Is somewhat strange" said a
floor walker, but the fact ia that
many people nrc satisfied TO put up
with considerable Inconvenience Il
they can only DO revengod by seeing
some ono discharged. Sometimes
when we bring out our man who takes
the blame, the customer ventures "a
suggest that no is not the man who
waited ON her, but we insist that he
Is, and the man adds his own asser
ton, and in nine cases out of ten the
customer Is convinced. Very few
people take enough notice Of sales
man to identify him unless they meet
him frequently.
II have known some establish.
ments that have employed two OF
more mon to take blame in order Ia
facilitate matters. The funniest part
of the thing is that our scapcgoat
man grows fat on being 'cussed. lie
has increased from $50 TO 29O pounds
IN fifteen months, and smiles 50 much
that we will have to change him and
got some dyspeptic looking individual
in his place, PHILADELPHIA Record
-=HHa=sHH=
Mail matter Is whirlcd between Paris