The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-06-22
Telephone No. 60.
THE DOG DAYS.

We quote today the following excellent
article from the Interstate Grocer, OF St.
Louis, Every retail and wholesale mer-
chant in the country win recognize in its
statements some homay truths that are
brought home to all Of them at this sea-
son of the year:
I'VE are now rapidly approaching that
time OF the year which the Germans
have named the dog days" We are not
posted as to the origin Of the term, nor
do we know why they nInied the duh
days Of ehe summer as they did, but
the term has been tolerably well ac-
reptcd In the English language and by It
we mean the dun days Of midsummer
when the climate is enervating and hot
and when all life. ambition and nctiv.ty
that is inherent in man is we'll nigh
crushed out of him by the climatic In
fiueuces which surround him. 1t Is of
course worse IN that respect as we ap-
proach the southern portion Of the coun-
try and those OF our friends who live
in the North near the lakes or near the
ocean escape the tril,s and the trlbu-
latlons which the dog days bring to us.
1t would be exceedingly pleasant If those
who write for newspapers could exercise
the same privileges which are exercised
by subscribers. With the latter 1t is
a0TAff ro0 40
read or mot; with the former it is a mat
ter of duty and they have got to write
even though they resemble the flower
that is born to blush unseen and to waste
its fragrance on the desert air This of
course is putting In roundabout way the
plain statement that they must write
even though they know that their efru.
sions wlll go into the waste basket.
In different lines of trade the dog days
have varied significance. In those lines
that have what are called seasons mer-
chants expect very dull trade between
the seasons Proprletors and favored
employees may avail themselves OF the
dullness incident to that period and take
their naeded vacations. The business OF
these lines Is crowded into perhaps four
months In the year. The balance of the
time Is divided between fair and duh
trade. With the grocer matters are dii-
ferent. While he, too, Is somewhat de-
pendent on the seasons, his business is
not at all Influenced by fashion, the
nmount OF groceries consumed does nor
vary materially from one month to the
other except In so far as the human body
requires more nourishment in cold, brac,
ing and exhilarating weather than it does
in the hot, languid and enervating tenn
perature OF the summer months, but there
is no rest for the grocer on account of
dull TRADE.
"At the time OF the year that is dullest
he Is supposed to be at the helm MAKING
contracts, taking orders for future de-
Every, watching the sugar market ana
amusing himself with the many pleasure
able pastimes that the grocery business
furnishes. While his nelghbor, the cloth,
Ing, dry goods, shoe or millinery mer.
chant goes to Europe or to the sel-shore,
the grocer stays at home and consoles
himself with the thought that he belongs |
TO the majority, wflce his nd dghbor be-
longs only to the few. There always
have been various Views as to which of
certain classes enjoy llfe's blessings most
The one chass that believes In many |
wants and supplying them all; the other |
that believes that man wants but little
here below nor wants that little long.
Judging by what we have seen almost an
the wholesale grocers in the land believe
with John Quincy Adams In the latter |
doctrlne. For ourselves we are free to
admit that in this case we are again
With the minority We believe In a large
earning capacity and in liberal enjoy
ment OF all that we can consistently have
for our families and ourselves. We would
prefer to spend the dog days in Europe
or at the sea-shore. but at the came time
our aversion to saying at home and work.
ng during the summer months is not so
great but that we can nuke ourselves
,mforiable under the circumstances and
carry the burdens allotted to
Vs."