The Burke County news. [volume] (Morganton, N.C.) 1899-1901, 1899-03-10

revolutions as they affect ours; about tho
haryests OF Russia. tie vineyards OK Italy,
the teafelds OF China Learn about the
great commercial centres OF Carthage and
Assvria and Ph6nicia Read all about the
Medici Q; Florence, mighty IN trade,
mightier in philanthroples. You belong
70 tie royal family OF merchants. BE
worthy ofthat royal family. On, take my
advice and turn the years OF WEAKNESS mo
years o~tlU1ury.
But YOU have come now near the END Oh
YOUR railroad travel. You begin business.
Now, let me say, there are two or three
things you ought TO remember. First,
that all the trade YOU get by the prac-
tice Of "treating" will not stick. II you
cannot get custom except by tipping q
vineg.a.s with somebody, you had better
not get his custom. An old commercial
traveller gives as his experience that trade
got by treating always damages the
house that gets it In one way or the
other.
commercial traveller. though Jul firm
may give YOU the largest salary OF any
nan In YOUR line, though they might give
you ten per cent. o. all you sell, or twenty
per cent. or fifty per cent. or ~nlnety-nlne
per cent, they cannot pay enough to make
1t worth your while to ruin your soul!
Besides that, a commercial house never
conpensates a man who has been morally
x0lUcU III tucIE 6llpiON. n NOuuS N1Au /
Philadelphia was turned out from his en-
pillow because OF inebriation got In the
service OF the merchant who employed
him, and here IS the letter be wrote to his
su ployer:
"Sir-I came into YOUR service uncor-
Yupt IN principles and In morals, but the
rules Of your house required mo to spend
my evenings at places OF public entertain
ment and amusement in search Of custom.
ORC tn = .O0n1 VliSh m V WORK In VOnr cor.
vice l WAS obliged to drink with them u
Join them In their pursuits OF pleasure. 1t
was not my choice, but the rule OF tho
house. went with them to the theatre
and the billiard table, but 1t was not my
choice. I did not wish to go; I went in
your Service. 1t was not my pleasure 50 TO
do, but l was the conductor and ompan-
ion Of the simple ones. void alike OF under
standing and OF principles, in their sinful
pleasures and deeds OF deeper darkness,
that l might retain them as our custom
ers. Your interest required it. l have
added thousands Of dollars to the profits OF
YOU trade. but at what expense YOU now
.~,. and / know too wei. Yon have be.
come wealthy, but / am poor indeed. and
now this cruel dismissal from your employ
is the recon pense receive FOR a character
ruined AMI prospects blasted in helping to
mako you q rich man." Alas for the man
who gets such n letter az that,
Again. l charge you, tell the whole truth
about anything yor sell. Living CONNER
clal travellers. will precede yOu. Lying
commercial travellers viii come right after
you into the same store. Do not let their
unfair competition tempt you from the
straight line. II is an awful bargain that
a man makes when he sells his goods and
his soul at the same time. A young man in
one or the stores Of New York was selling
some silks. He was binding them up when
Re said to the lady customer, st is nv
duty to show YOU. hat there Is a fracture
In that silk" She LOOKED ut it and rejected
the goods. The head OF the firm. hearing
OF 1t, wrote to the father OF the Young man
in the country, saving: Come and take
your son away. He will never make a
merchant The father came in agitation,
wondering what his boy had been doing.
and the head men Of the firm said: "Nhv.
your son stood here at this counter and
pointed out n fracture in the silk, and Of
course the lady wouldn't buy it. We are
not responsible for the ignorance Of Gus
toners. Customers must look for them
selves. Your son will never make a mer-
chant" is that all:" said the father.
"Ah! am prouder OF my boy that l ever
was. John, get Your hat and come home"
But 1t is almost night. and you so back
to the hotel. Now comes the mighty tug
FOR the commercial traveller. Tell ne where
he spends his evenings. and l will tell you
WneIe ne VIII Spenu eternity, ana L Wllllell
you what will be his worldly prospects.
There is an abundance Of choice. There is
our room with the books. There are the
Young Mems Christian Association rooms.
There are the week night services OF the
Christian churches. There Is the ganb-
ling saloon. There is the theatre. There
IS the house Of infany. Plenty OF places
10 go TO. But which, 0 immortal man,
which? o God. which? We'll" you say,
Il guess l will guess I will go TO tho
theatre" Do YOU think the tarrying in
that place until IL o'clock AZ night will i'm
prove your bodily health, or YOUR financial
prospects. or your eternal fortunes? No
man ever found the path to usefulness, OK
honor. or happiness, or commercial sue
cess. or heaven through the American the
atre. We'll" you say, Il guess, then. I
will so to- guess l will 60 TO the gambl-
lCS saloon" You VIII ursc 20 70 iOoE.