Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-07-28

1919.
of the peculiar temptations OF business
men.
First. as in the scene of the text.
business men are often tempted TO sac
rifce plain truth, the seller by exag-
gerating the value Of goods and the
buyer by deprecating them. We can
not but admire an expert salesman.
See how he first induces the customer
into a mood favorable to the proper
consideration of the value of the
goods. He shows himself TO be an
honest and frank salesman How care
fully the lights are arranged til they
Fall just right upon the fabric. Be
ginning with goods of medium quality.
he gradually advances toward those Of
more thorough make aud Of more at
tractye pattern. How he watches the
moods and whims of his customer.
| With what perfect calmness he takes
the order aud bows the purchaser from
his presence. who goes away. having
made up his mind that he has bought
the goods at n price which will allow
him a living margin when he again
sells them. The goods were worth
what the salesman said they were and
were sold at price which will not
make it necessary for the house 10
fail every ten years in order to fix up
things.
Ubiquitous Stratngems.
But with what burning Indignation
we think Of the iniquitous stratagems
by which goods are sometimes dispos-
ed OF. A glance at the morning papers
shows the arrival at one Of our hotels
Of young merchant from one of the
inland cities He is comparative
stranger in the great city. and, OF
course. he must be shown around. and
it will be the duty Of some OF our on
terprising houses to escort him. He is
large purchaser and has plenty Of
time and money, and it viii pay TO be
very attentive. The evening is spent
at place Of doubtful amusement
Then they 20 back to the hotel Hay
ing just come to town, they must, OF
course. drink.
A friend from the same mercantile
establishment drops in. and usage and
generosity suggest that they must
drink. Business prospects are talked
over and the stranger is warned
against certain dilapidated mercantile
establishments that are about 10 fail.
and for such kindness and ma-lan'mi-
ty of caution against the dishonesty 81
other business houses of course ID is cN
pected they willard SO they do-taac
a drink. Other merchants lodging .1
adjoining rooms lind t hard 20 sleep
for the clatter Of decauIcrs. and the
coarse carousal Of these hail fellows
well met" wakes louder. But they
sit not all night at tie wine cup. Tiny
must see the sights. They s;a-ger
forth with checks flushed aad eyes
bloodshot The outer gates Of Lcl
open to let in the victims The wing
of lost souls fit among the lights. and
the steps Of the carousets sound with
the rumbling thundcrs of the lost.
Farewell to all the sauctiiics of home.
Could mother. sister. father slumhcr-
ing in the inland home. in soae vision
of that night catch a glimpse Of tie
ruin wrought they would rcnd ont
their hair by the roots and bite the
tongue till the blood spurted, shrleking
out. God save him.
Gathering Curses.
What. suppose you, viii come upon
such business establishments And
there are hundreds Of them i'm The
cities. They may boast Of fabulous
sales, and they may have an unprece-
dented run Of buyers. aud the name OF
the house may be a terror To- all rivals
aud from this thrifty root there may
spring up branch houses In other cities.
aud all the partners Of the firm may
move into their mansions and drive
their full blooded span, and the fami-
lies may sweep the street with the
most elegant apparel that hJman art
ever wove or earthly masn.iiccnce ever
] achieved Brl n curse is gathering
surely for those men. and if it does not
seize hold Of the pillars and in one wild
ruin bring down the temple Of com
mercial glory it will break up their
peace. and they will tremblc with sick.
ness and bloat with dissipatlonS. and
pushed to the precipice Of this life
they will try TO hold back and cry for
help. but no help will come. and they
will clutch their gold TO take il along
with them. but it will be snatched
from their grasp and a voice VIII
sound through tier soul Not a
farthing. thou beggared spirit"
And the judgment will come. and
they will stand aghast before it. and
all the business iniquities Of lifetime
will gather around them, saying, DO
YOU remember thisY and do YOU re-
member thatY And clerks that they
compelled to dishonesty and runners
and draymen and bookkcepers who
J saw behind the scenes will bear teSti-
mony to their nefarous deeds. ana
some virtuous soul that once stood
aghast at the spendor and power OF
these business men will say, Alas.
this is all that is left Of that great firm
that occupied block with their mer-
chandlse and Overshadowed the city
with their influence and made right
eousness and truth and purity fall I'M
der the CALLING fire Of avarice and
crime"
While we admire and approve OF ali
ac1teness and tact in the sale of goods
we mus condemn any process by
which q fabric or product is represent
ed as possessing n value which It real
Iy doe, not have Nothing but sheer
falsehood can represent as perfection
boots that rip, silks that speedily lose
their luster, calicoes that immediate
Iy wash out, stoves that crack under
the first hot fire. books insecurely
bound, carpets that unravel. old FUR
niture rejuvenated with putty and glue