The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-08-21
WAYS OF BUSINESS.
THE MERCHANT WHO CORRECTS
ONLY ONE KIND OF MISTAKE.

A Severe Criticism of the Ways of Shop
keepers and Cashiers-Thc Steamboat
Clerk who Said, owe Never Rectify Mis-
takes Here"
No one perceives the wisdom, and in
deed the necessity, Of accurate book
keeping more fully than your humble
servant, who can't keep books to save
her life and who finds herself approach
ing dementia every time she ondeavors
to balance cash account. But why in
all bookkeeping systems, from banks to
the smallest retail shop, is it invariably
the customer who gets cheated if any
body? Tell me, ye winged winds, which
DER my pathway roll It is useless to
contradict and say that it isn't. The
one exception in thousand years does
not count against the millions Of oppos-
ing instances. / have lately read the
pathetic account by some rocluse, who
never goes shopping, of the bloodthirsty
monsters who take more change than is
due them and stalk out, leaving no adj
dress behind them, little reclling the
sufferings of the poorly paid employee
who has to make good the deficit out Of
his or her own pocket Fudgel No such
mistakes occur, or, if they do, they are
rarer than fresh vegetables on country
table. In all large establishments there
is a hawk headed Horus at the "desk"
waiting to pounce on mistake in the
customers favor of cent, and mauy's
the time every one Of us can testify the
little slips have been returned to be cor
rected of mistakes to our credit, while
we fumed.
Thank goodness, there are instances
in which the sharpshooters have wound
ed themselves. Once was on a Sound"
boat going from New York to Fall River,
and the man at the desk gave me 50
bill too much in change when paying
after supper. There was something of
crowd, but that mistake would have
made itself evident to mo in mob. l
dashed back and said, you've made a
mistake in my change"
Cant help that" said the lordly
clerk. "Weneve rectify mistakes here, "
"Oh, you don't?" retorted the head of
the party. "Well, it will cost you some
thing this time, for you have given us
So too much. But if you never rectify
mistakes you are the loser for once"
1t is foolish to dwell ON the sequel,
and have forgotten it. only remem-
Der that tho young man, pale and agi-
tated danced in supplication around the
unmoved figure Of the stern admonisher
for some minutes. I suppose he got his
money, and dare say there was no law
upholding one in keeping it, but hope,
at this distance Of time, he didn't. One
day, not long ago, was ut furnishing
shop in State street, Chicago, buying q
tie. The price was $3.50, and present.
cd the man with 50 bill. He swung
over the little birdcage on telegraph
line and it came swiftly back with 90
cent piece. Seeing another tie for that
price, I handed back the change and
w,s about to leave, when voice came
from the elevated desk at the other end (:
Hi! This half dollar is counterfeit I"
Although it was o public place and l
am q retiring lady, I burst wildly forth
into clarion shout Of joy. It is SO sell
dom modest customer has the chance
of beholding q natural enemy caught
with his own quicklime. The mortifica-
tion of the salesman serving me was
something to see 1t did me good for a
whole day. Sending a counterfeit half
dollar cheerfully and with promptitude
in change and repudiating it on its re-
turn the next minute! 1t was a sharp
game and little too sharp
Everybody who shops much knows
that it is next to impossible to get q
returned" article credited, or, indeed,
called for. If you take two rugs on ap-
proval--I mention rugs because you
can't very we'll return them by hand
and state clearly and plainly and over
and over the price Of the one you have
kept and the one you wish returned,
you are more likely than not to find
both ON your bill the next month, and
you are likely to find the rug day after
day littering your hall unless you tele-
phone twice day and end by flouncing
down yourself in rage and demanding
its instant removal. OF course if it is
kept long you are charged with it, any
way. The other night, when it was very
hot, some friends OF a lady in moderate
circumstances dining with her suggest