Connecticut western news., 1897-07-22

ary as the man who at the other coun- ter of the same store sells $5, 900 worth of goods. All honor to Lydia, the Chris tian saleswoman.
 Submission to Rules.
 The second counsel 1 have to give to clerks is that you seek out what are the lawful regulations of your establish ment, and then submit to them. Every we'll ordered house has it's usages. In military life, on ships deck, in con- mercial life, there must be order and discipline Those people who do not learn how to obey will never know how to command. Twill tell you what young man will make ruin, financial and nor al. It is the young man who thrusts his thumb into his vest and says: Nobody shall dictate to mo. l am my own mag-5 ter. 1 will not submit to the regula- tions of this house." Between :atn estab- lisARsntt in which all the employees arc pnder thorough discipline and the -estkbIishment in which the employees do about as they choose is the difference between success and failure-between rapid accumulation and utter bankrupt cy Do not come to the store ten min utes after the time. Be there within two seconds and let it be two seconds before instead of two seconds after. Do ! not think anything too insignificant to do well. Do not say, Its only just once." From the most important trans action in commerce down to the partic- ular style in which you tie string around bundle obey orders. Do not get easily disgusted. While others in the store may lounge or fret or com plain you go with ready hands and cheerful face and contented spirit to your work. When the bugle sounds, the good soldier asks no questions, but shoulders his knapsaok, fills his canteen and listens for the command of "MarchP'
 Do not get the idea that your inter ests and those of your employer arc an- tagonistic. His success will be your honor. His embarrassment will be your dismay. Expose none of tbe frailties of the firm. Tell no store secrets. Do not blab. Rebuff those persons who come | to find out from clerks what ought ney- CT to be known outside the store. Do not be among those young men who take on mysterious air when something is said against the firm that employs them, as much as to say, "I could tell you something if I would, but I won't." Do not be among those who imagine they can build themselves up by pull | ing somebody else down. Be not ashamed to be subaltern.
 Again, counsel clerks to search out what are the unlawful and dishonest demands of an establishment and resist them. In the 5000 years that have passed there has never been an occasion ] when it was one's duty to sin against | God. It is never right to do wrong. If | the head men of the firm expect of you l dishonesty, disappoint them. "Oh," | you say, 1T should lose my place then" | Better lose your place than lose your soul. But you will not lose your place. l Christian heroism is always honored. | You go to the head man of your store and say: "Sir, want to serve you. I want to oblige you. It is from no lack | of industry on my part, but this thing seems to me to be wrong, and it is a sin against my conscience, it is sin against God, and I beg you, sir, to ex- | cuse me-" He may flush up and swear, but he will cool down, and he will have | more admiration for you than for those who su bmit to his evil dictation, and while they sink you will rise. Do not, because of seeming temporary advan
 tage, give up your character, young man. Under God that is the only thing you have to build on. Give up that, you give up everything That employer asks a young man to hurt himself for time and for eternity who expects him | to make Q wrong entry, or change all invoice, or say goods cost so much when they cost less, or impose upon the yer dancy of a customer, or misrepresent a style of fabric. How dare he demand of l you anything so insolent?
 | A Few Trials.
 | Again, counsel all clerks to conquer
 the trials of their particular position. One great trial for clerks is the incon- | sideration of customers. There are peo- pie who are entirely polite everywhere else, but gruff and dictatorial and con- temptible when they come into store to buy anything. There are thousands of men and women who go from store
 to store to price things, without any
 idea of purchase. They are not satisfied
 until every roll of goods is brought
 down and they have pointed out all the
 real or imaginary defects. They try
 on all kinds of kid gloves and stretch
 them out of shape, and they put on all
 styles of cloak and walk to the mirror to
 see how they look, and then they sail
 out of the store, saying, 'I will not
 take it today" which means "I don't
 want it at all," leaving the clerk amid
 wreck of ribbons and laces and cloths
 to smooth out thousand dollars
 worth of goods-not cent of which
 did that man or woman buy or expect
 to buy. Now, I call that dishonesty
 on the part of the customer. If boy
 runs into a store and takes roll of
 cloth off the counter and sneaks out into
 the street, you all join in the cry pell-
 nell, "Stop thiefp When I see you go
 into a store, not expecting to buy any
 thing, but to price things, stealing the
 time of the clerk and stealing the time
 of his employer, I say, too, "Stop thief"
 If 1 were asked which class of per
 sons most need the grace of God amid
 their annoyances, I would say, Dry
 goods clerks. ' All the indignation of
 customers about the high prices comes
 on the clerk. For instance: A great
 war comes. The manufactories are
 closed. The people go off to battle The
 price of goods runs up. A customer
 comes into store. Goods have gone up
 "How much is that worth?" "A dol
 lar" "A dollarl Outrageous A dol
 larr' Why, who is to blame for tho fact | hot f< hn JoII tl,o
 indignation go out to the manufacturers
 on the banks of the Merrimac because
 they have closed up? No. Does the ill
 dignation go out toward the employer,
 who is out at his country seati No. It
 comes on the clerk. He got up the war.
 Ho levied the taxes. He puts up the