The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-01-19
Life on the Road.

A FER the returned drummer had
~ shaken hands with the book
keeper, the cashier and the two entry
clerks and had deposited his sample
cases in corner by the safe and pulled
of his sumptuous fur-lined overcoat,
which he hung on a knob of the letter
cabinet, he seated himself in the Junior
parfoer's revolving chair and elevated
his neat shoes to the blOtting pad on
rae desk and said: "How's tricks?"
Nothing to growl about" said the
cashier, shaking the ink from his pen
aud wiping it carefully on the lining
of his coat. We've got about all the
orders we can handle for one while. l
guess you can rest up and get acquaint-
cd with your family for the next week
OF So"
And get started out again in time
20 eat Christmas dinner at Jonesboro,
Cross Roads or in the dining-room at
Watertank Junction. | see my finish
all right. Didn't l make a dandy trip,
enough? What did the boss have to
say about it >"
He didn't say anything-he just
swore,' replied the bookkeeper. Yes.
n did, too. He said that if YOU hadn t
better sense than to sell to men like
8alsiager Bros and THEM d Waite,
people rated L and NJ in Dun last
AS long as you've been on the road. he'd
call you in and let you take up your
cd job in the prints. He's gone home
now, but he left word if ycr showed
up 20 tell you to come in at nine o'clock
tomorrow morning"
The drummer dropped HIS feet from.
the desk and started up from his chair.
''Boisinger Bros. rated" Then he
smiled gently and resumed his seat.
Pretty we'll for you" he said. You're
getting funny in your old age, Smithie.
Ii hurts my eyes to look at you, you're
81 bright. I'm going to take you out
with me the next time l go to enter
CaiR customers"
"If you took another man along to
sell goods you'd be fixed, wouldn't you?
R0H could attend to The expense ac-
'caG2t yourself all right. There's where
The CID man gives you the credit you're
entitled to. He says your expense ac-
counts are the most artistic things on
u grand scale he ever had sent in 20
him. How did you put in that over
,coat?"
Nou'2e 100 anxious to ge: my job.
OIL might tell you" said the drummer.
opening a penknife and beginning to
Trim his nails. Have you heard the
Latest story?"
II baye." said the bookkeeper. Il
amt going to tell it to you for a year
o. so, though. You might forget your
seI9 and spring it on somebody and
tEeu they'd fail dead. You were talking
about Christmas; where did you eat
S1ur Thanksgiving dinner?'
"Poriaker. kap.-a dollar'n half
mouse, and the best in the town at that.
Oh, 1 had turkey, all right, and cram
berry sauce, too, to say nothing of a
side dish of warm tomato juice a la
oyster cracker. But you never saw a
turkey worse treated in the kitchen
tLaE that one was in your life He was
SS.2csk on the outside. red in the middle
and blue at the core, and he had the
sinews Of a heavyweight champion.
There was pie, also" added the drum
mer, looking rehectively at his finger
mails. No, | don't want to talk about
THAI pie; 4 want to forget it if l can.
Ills better thus.
~ met man, though, that day-a
mar that was a man. resumed the
drummer. This amt no barroom talk.
I'm handing you The rectilinear, unde-
waiting merchandise. He was man"
Take him for all in all, we eer shall
look upon his like again" interrupted
one of the entry clerks. rs there any
curtain raiser to this, or do we crowd in
now and get il over WITH"
We'll" said the drummer, II want
to tell you that a man knocking about
CAS- do is apt to get cynical. His finer
feelings get the edge worn off, until
you can ride a-straddle of them with
out experiencing any sense of discom-
fort. He gets so that his ideals of the
good and the true and the beautiful get
as dim and shadowy as South Carolina
hog. By the :tme he's made ten towns
in seven days and has to send four
pages of closel y-written explanations
and quarter of page of orders on the
seventh day he has often come to the
conclusion that the world is as hollow
RS an Edam cheese rind two hours after