The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1895-08-07
WAYS or BUSINESS.
te MERCHANT WHO coRREcTs
ONLY ONE KIND or MISTAKE

q Severe Criticism of tho Ways of Shop
keepers and Cashiers Tho Steamboat
Clerk who Said, 1--WE Never Rectiry Nils.
tnkcs Hcre"
No one percoives the wisdom, and in
Iced 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 endeavors
10 balance cash account. But why in
all bookkeeping systems, from banks to
Tho smallest retail shop, is it invariably
tho customer who gcts cheated If any
body? Tell me, ye winged winds, which
DER my pathway ROLL 1t is useless to
contradict and say that it isn't. The
one exception in thousand yonrs does
not count against the millions Of oppos-
ing instances have lately read the
pathetic account by some recluse, who
never goes shopping, Of the bloodthirsty
monsters who take moro change than is
due them and stalk out, leaving no ad-
dress behind them, little rocking the
snfferings of tho 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 hawk headed Horus at the desk"
waiting to pounce on mistake in the
customers favor of cent, and many'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 fufned.
Thank goodness, there are instances
in which the sharpshooters have wound
ed themselves. Once was on n "sound"
boat going from New York to Fall River,
and the man at the desk gave me u SO
bill too much in change when paying
after supper. There was something of
crowd, but that mistake would have
made itself evident to inc in mob. /
dashed back and said, you've made
mistake in my change"
Cant help that, said tho lordly
clerk. "We never rectify mistakes here.
"Oh, you don't?" retortod the head OF
the party. "Well, it will cost you some-
thing this time, for you have given MS
SIS too much. But if you never rectify
mistakes you are the loser for once. -
It is foolish to dwell Oh the sequel,
fand have forgotten it, only remem-
ber that the 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 at a furnishing
shop in State street, Chicago, buying a
tie. The price was $l.50, and present
ed the man with SO bill. He swung
over the little birdcage on telegraph
line and it came swiftly back with 30
cent piece. Seeing another tie for that
price, handed back the change and
was about to leave, when voice came
from tho elevated desk at the other end
Eli! This half dollar is counterfeit r.
Although it was public place and
am retiring lady, burst wildly forth
into clarion shout of joy. It is so sell
dom q modest customer has the chance
of beholding natural enemy caught
with his own quicklime. The mortifica
ton of the salesman serving me wal
something to see. 1t did me good for {
whole day. Sending counterfeit hall
dollar cheerfully and with promptitudt
in change and repudiating it on its re
turn the next minutel 1t was a sharl
game and little too sharp
Everybody who shops much knows
that it is next to impossible to get {
returned article credited, or, indeed
called for. If you take two rugs on ap
proval-I mention rugs because 20,
can't very we'll return them by hand
and state clearly and plainly and owe
and over the price of the one you hav
kept and the one yon wish returned
you are more likely than not to fin,
both on your bill tho next month, ant
you are likely to find the rug day aftel
day littering your hail unless you tele
phone twice q day and end by fiouncin
down yourself in a rage and demanding
| it's instant removal. OF course if it j
kept long you arc charged with it, any
way. The other night, when it was YER
hot, some friends of a lady in moderat
circumstances dining with her suggest
ed drive in the park. One Of the mo-
telephoned for landau, and at the en-
Of the drive paid for it, The next wee
the bill came into the lady. Now @
course this was an accident. But VIII
doesn't the other accident ever happen
Why should thousands Of bills come j
to be paid twice, while by no Oversight
or bad management does q bill ever &C
forgotten or overlooked? Money getting
grasping, greedy generation OF shol
keepersi Business is business, il 20
!. like, but business need not be cut
throat, bloodthirsty system of demand
ing what is not due, need it? Must it /
in this way that men grow rich?
It is because only one kind Of mi.
takes occur that one is justified in thinl
/ ing that only one kind is guarde
/ against. The customer has to look OF
, for himself and the shopkeeper too. III
shopkeeper only looks out for himself
As for the breaking of promises, til
calm delays and the superb indepent
ence Of "puryeyors, words fail N
} when attempt to depict their aggrav'
} tions. Success breeds contempt, it Seem
: and the only way to get thing dor
promptly is to patronizea little up tow
: place where they can't do it.-Mm
i Lorgnette in Chicago Post.
.s Ynnr IAtfar Again.