The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1897-07-30


Yes. Time is coming when women
will be as well paid for their toll in
mercantile circles as men are now paid
for their toll. Time is coming when a
woman will be allowed to do anything
she can do well. 1t Is only little
while ago when women knew nothing
of telegraphy. and they were kept out
of a great many commercial circles
where they are now welcome; and the
time will go ON until the woman who
at one counter In store sells SA, 1000
worth of goods In year, viii get as
high salary as the man who at the
other counter of the same store sells
S., 900 worth of goods. All honor to
Lydia, the Christian saleswoman.
The second counsel have to give to
clerks is that you seek cut what are
the lawful regulations of your eStab-
lishment, and then submit to them.
Every well-ordered hous. has Its
usages. In military life, on ships
deck, in commercial life, there must be
order and discipline. Those people
who do not learn how to obey will
never know how to command. l will
tell you what young man will make
ruin, financial and moral; 1t is the
young man who thrusts his thumb into
his vest and says; Nobody shall die
tate to me, / am my own master; l will
not submit to the regulations of this
house." Between an establishment in
which all the employees are under
thorough discipline and the establish
ment in which the employees do
about as they choose, is the differ
ence between success and failure
between rapid accumulation and bank
ruptcy. Do not come to the store ten
minutes after the time. Be there with
in two seconds, and let it be two sec
onds before, instead of two seconds
after. Do not think anything too in
significant to do well. Do not say:
Its only just once" From the most
important transaction in commerce
down to the particular style in which
you tie a string around bundle, obey
orders. Do not get easily Disguised.
While others in the store may lounge,
or fret, or complain, you go with ready
hands, and cheerful face, and contented
spirit to your work. When the bugle
sounds, the good soldier asks no ques-
tions, but shoulders his knapsack, fills
his canteen and listens for the COM
mand of march"
Do not get the idea that your in
terests and those of your employer are
antagonistic. His success will be your
honor His embarrassment will be
your dismay. Expose none of the frail-
ties of the firm. Tell no store secrets.
Do not blab. Rebuff those persons
who come to find out from clerks what
ought never to be known outside the
store. Do not be among those young
men who take on a mysterious air
when something is said against the
firm that employs them, as much as to
say: Il could tell you something if
would, but l won't?" Do not be among
those who imagine they can build
themselves up by pulling somebody
else down. Be not ashamed to be a
subaltern.
Again, counsel clerks to search out
what are the unlawful and dishonest
demands of an establishment, and re-
sist them. In the 5000 years that have
passed, there has never been an occa-
sion when it was ones duty to sin
Ok dlASb OOus IL ID hCNCt III W w
If the head men of the firm
expect of you dishonesty, disappolnt
them. "Oh," you say: Il should lose
my place then" Better lose your place
than lose your soul. But you will not
lose your place. Christian heroiSm is
always honored. You go to the head
man of your store, ami say: Sir, l
want to serve you; 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 sin
against my conscience, it is
sin against God, and 1 beg you,
flush up and swear, but he will cool
down, and he will have more admi-
ration for you than for those who sub
nit to his evil dictation; and while
they sink, you will rise. Do not, be-
cause 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 wrong entry,
Or change an invoice, or say goods cost
so much when they cost less, or impose
upon the verdancy of a customer, or
a style of fabric. How
1are he demand of you anyth ing so in
solent?
Again, / counsel all clerks to conquer
The trials of their particular position.
One great trial for clerks is the incon-
,ideration of customers. There are peo-
pic who are entirely polite everywhere
Else, but gruff and dictatorial and con-
when they come into a store
20 buy anything. There are thousands
If men and women who go from store
20 store to price things, without any
dea of purchase. They are not salts
led until every roll of goods is brought
Town and they have pointed out all
he real or imaginary defects. They
ry on all kinds of kid gloves, and
stretch them out of shape. and
hey put on all styles of cloak and walk
% the mirror to see how they look,
Ind then they sail out of the |
tore, saying: II will not take it to-
lay" which means, II don't want it at
H." leaving the clerk amid wreck of
and laces, and cloths, to
mooth out a thousand dollars worth
If goods-not one cent of whick did !
hat man or woman buy or expect to
Duy. Now call that dishonesty on
he part of the customer. IT boy runs |
nto store and takes a roll of cloth off |
he counter, and sneaks out into the |
treet, you all join in the cry pell-mell:
Stop thief !" When l see you go into
store, not expecting to buy anything |
nut to price things, stealing the time
f the clerk and stealing the time of /
lis employer, L say, too: stop thief p
If l were asked which class of per-
ons most need the grace of God amid
heir annoyances, / would say dry
GODS clerks" All the Indignation of
ustomers about the high prices comes
N the CLERK For inSfauoaS. orraa+