Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1896-05-12
SPIRIT OF JEFFERSON.
TUESDAY MORNING. MAY II. 1886.
a Great New York Merchant
As He Is.

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As He Is.
Mr.. Rouss seems to be considered fair game
for the reporters of the big New York dailies
and other publications of that city and Others
as far south as New Orleans. In default Of
other subjects. they can always find in his IN
Vulnerable benefactious and his personal hah-
its and eccentricities of manner and speech,
material for an entertaining article.
Ono of the most graphic of these produe-
tions we find in the April number of the n. Y.
Hardware Dealer. It is accompanied by q
capital portrait of our friend, and jots down
the desultory conversation with which he in
,duIged tho reporter just as it went on We
should Ike to have room for it all, but must
be content with clippings.
Some of the cock-and-bull stories current
about Mr.. Rouss are enumerated, and then
the writer carries us with him into his million
aires sanctum, glapcing first at the entrance.
Mr. Rouss is phonetic spcllcr- This is
what confronts you on q great sign at the ele-
Yator:
Visitors making their headquarters here
arc requested to leave their dollars ard valua-
bles with the cashier. or at the hotel. The
The woods are full of EN- ["
"one hour now may save you years in the
credit hel of mercantile life"
''You are welcome to an hour in this con-
cern free to see for yourself which is the surcr,
shorter. quicker road to success-the old credit
gaun tlet or ten and twenty per cent. off for
cash before delivery"
some moment please, look at few stubborn
facts in our window"
"Half an hour through our warehouse.
containing one million auction values, will be
very apt to shake your faith in the credit sys-
tenn, and build your future fortune en- the
solid rock of cash before delivery"
CHARLES BROADWAY RoUss.
Down the elevator shaft comes strange
cries, boys shouting for Smith and Jones and
who happen to be wanted some
where else through the building. went into
the office and approached the said to be sight
les merchant. 1 took chair beside his
fiat top desk with two stenographers on the
other side of him.
Mr. Rouss, believe it costs 800 minute
to talk to you. Is that the latest quotation ~
''Ten cents an hour to-day, - he said as he
turned his eyes upon me, and appeared to see
all over and through me.
81 think 1 will take about ten minutes, 1
want to interview you for the Hardware
Dealers Magazine
Whats your manner"
''Addison Archer"
''wherc do you live?"
SIN New York"
''Where in New York;"
told him.
''Well, what do you want?"
Something about you. your business, your
life"
''Jennic, give him the 'Life,'" and one of
the stenosraphcrs handed me down n copy of
a pamphlet with q robins egg blue cover. which
said, ''The Life of Charles Broadway Rouss,
price one cent" 1t had his picture, and under
it that famous signature, which those who
don't know it at sight are never able to de-
cipher. and this piece of poetry;
Should fortune with smiling face strew roses
in our way,
When shall We stop to pick them up7 To-day,
But shall she come with tale of grief, or talk
of coming sorrow.
When shall we grieve, If gricyc we must? To-
morrow.
'You will find it full of anything you want
to know about me-" said Mr., Rouss, as
turned its leaves.
"I want to know particularly about your
Hardware Department and your ideas of the
hardware business"
Take the elevator, go right up aud sse the
floor full of hardware.
"You look to be rather young man, Mr
Rouss."
II am sixty; am blind can't see you at
ALL" would never judge this from the way
he looked at me. His eyes were as clear and
bright and apparently full of intelligent
seeing.
"How old are YOUR he asked inc suddenly.
'Thirty-two."
''I wish were only thirty-two. would
rather have youth than great riches"
"But you are young in heart and mind, Mr..
Rouss. BY tho way, what time do you get
down here in the morning"
six o'clock; used to get down at five."
every day in the year Pr
Except Sundays"
Chow late do you stay at night p
''six o'clock; but now look here, you are a
stenographer, aren't you ?"
No, but can take everything you say
verbatim
''well. then you can understand that want
to get through with my stenogrsphers before
seven o'clock. don't like TO keep them here
after that
"Nr. ROu.s, what time do you go to bed at
night?"
Eight o'clock. suppose you are one of
those all-night fellers who go to bed twelve,
two o'clock, four o'clock"
.I sometimes write at night" replied.
''That isn't right, do your work in the day
time and get done with it, aud 90 home and
go to bed, aud dream. Ny best i'd cas- come in
dreams. Go way now and let me keep on
with my work. Goodbye
Goodbye, / am very much abliged," and
walked out of the fenced in place. and went
over to a corner on the front VIII ere there was
a gas log burning in the CRATE, oyercoats and
hats hung up on the safes and thrown around
all over the tables and chairs and scattered in
among the books and papers-a most careless
sort of an arrangement, just about as things
are all over the store. Two men and a young
man were talking at a desk, and interviewed
them about Mr.. Rouss.
''This is Young Mr.. Rouss-" said one of thu
men; ask him your questions
The young man, a very young man by tn,
way, looked up with pair of eyes very mucl
like his fathers. except that they were no
sightless.
SIS it true that your father goes to bed
every night at o'clock ~
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