Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-11-15
NEW VOL. 3O--NO. 4.


is seldom that any Of his clerks are at
their desks when he arrives. He re-
mains at his desk until 2 p. m, when
he takes an hour for lunch. He does
not leave the store until the last report
of the days business has been handed
in, and this is usually about $50 p.
m. Mr.. Rouss has devised system
of auditing the results of the days bus
iness each night, The heads of the de-
partments hand him the results of the
day s sales and purchases and before he
goes to his home at night he knows
what the profits were on the days
transactions. The magnitude of the
work which he takes on his own shoul-
ders can be imagined when one consid-
ers that the sales rarely so below S4O.-
600 day, Having finished his days
work Mr.. Rouss drives to his home on
9th ave, opposite the Cathedral. He
has supper aud is in bed at 9 o'clock,
NOT A HARD LIFE EoR HIM.
This seems like hard life fora man
of his wealth to lead, but as he said
the other day, that which is one mans
pleasure would be another mans
labor. All my pleasure | find in my
business. ! cannot sleep more than
seven hours night, and that is enough
forany one. Ny brain is then rested,
and when | come TO the store in the
morning | take the same Sest IN my
work that another man would take in
going to the theater."
Mr.. Rouss believes that the only
way for man to be successful IN bus
iness is for him TO give his personal
attention to every detail of it, He
has in his employ nearly FIVE hundred
people, many of them who earn large
salaries and are the most competent IN
their respective lines that can be hired
for money. When man applies to
him for a situation he does not ask HIM
whether he drinks, but if the indlvld-
ual should volunteer the information
that he does take an occasional mp
Mr. Rouss would very likely reply,
THAT is nothing, like a little Old
Blue Grass once in while myself.
He says that some of the best men he
ever had in his employ were men who
would occasionally go on sprees.
THAT DoLLAR-A-DAY STORY.
AS to the dollar-a-day story re-
ferred to above, it probably came about
in this way When man applies to
Mr. Rouss for situation he says,
"Are you willing TO work for a dollar
day." His contention il that II
the man is really anxious to make his
way in the world and is in need OF
work he will take the first situation
that presents himself Very likely IT
he went to work for that sum he would
find when he drew his pay at the end
of the week, if he had done his work
well, twice the amount promised await
ing him.
PAYS THE PENALTY or WEALTH
Like every man who has acquired
wealth Mr.. Rouss has had forced upon
him the penalty of owning money. He
gets begging letters from every section
of the globe. Every mail contains
them. Here are few illustrations OF
the demands made upon him for help,
many Of them from people he never
heard Of before. One man wants the
loan of 5000 TO improve his farm,
offering 10 secure it by pledge Of his
personal honor. Another $1,000 for
distribution among the poor, promis-
ing the donors name should not be
known. A girl wanted $500 TO edu-
cate herself, could give reference, but
did not want her name known, and
signed fictitious one. One had been
sentenced TO State prison for three
years, and $500 would give him a
new trial. One hundred dollars was
wanted TO buy headstone for dear
friend. The lightning had destroyed
church and $400 wonld build anoth-
er. One acknowledged receipt Of $40.
Nearly everybody promises him that
the good Lord would pay him back at
about the rate Of ten for one.
A lady returned her thanks for s.,
but coming to business" said she
wanted to borrow 81 900 for five years
and would pay ten per cent interest
A customer Of his early career had a
watch he had bought Of him thirty
years before in Winchester, az good az
ever, keeping good time, had paid
$3.50 for it, and would cell it as a
souvenir for $40.
To all such demands copy Of one