Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-07-29

generosity suggest that they must
drink. Business prospects are talked
over, and the stranger is warned
against certain dilnpidntcd mercantile
establishments that are about TO fall,
and for such kindness and magnanimi-
ty OF caution against the dishonesty OF
other business houses of course II is eX-
pected they willard so they do-take
Il drink. Other merchants lodging In
adjoining rooms find II hard to sleep
for the CHATTER of decanters, and the
COARSE carousal of these "hail fellows
well met" wakes louder. But they
sit not all night ut the wine cup. They
must see the sights They stagger
forth with cheeks flushed and eyes
bloodshot The outer gates OF hell
open TO let in the victims. The wings
OF lost souls fit among the lights, and
the steps Of the carOusers sound with
the rumbling thunders of the lost.
Farewell to all the sanctl,ies Of home!
Could mother, sister. father, slumber-
ing in the inland home in some vision
of that night catch 4 glimpse Of the
ruin wrought they would rend out
their hair by the roots and bite the
tongue till the blood spurtcd. shricklng
out, God save him!'
Gathering Curses.
What, suppose you, Will come upon
such business establishments? And
there are hundreds Of them in the
cities. They may boast of fabulous
sales. and they may have an unprecc-
denied run Of bnycrs, and the name or
the house may be Il terror to all rivals,
and from this thrifty root there may
spring up branch houses in other cities.
and all the partners of the firm may
move into their mansions and drive
their full blooded span, and the faml-
lies may sweep the street with the
most elegant apparel that human art
ever wovc or earthly mngnitcence ever
achieved. But a curse is gathering
surely for those men. and if it does not
seize hold Of the pillars and In one WIZ
ruin bring down the temple OF COM
mercia glory it will break up their
peace, and they will trcmblc with sick
ness and blont with designations, ana.
pushed to the prccipce Of this life,
they will try to hold back and cry for
help, but no help will come. and they
will clutch their gold 10 take 1t along
with them, but it will be snatched
from their grasp. and a voice will
sound through their soul, Not
|. farthiug, thou beggared spirit"
And the Judgment will come, and
they Will stand aglast before ii, and
all the business iniquities of lifetime
will gather around them, saying, do
YOU remember this?" and do you re-
member that" And clerks that they
! compelled to dishonesty and runners
and draymen and bookkeepers who
saw behind the scenes will bear testi-
mony to their nefarious deeds, ana
some virtuous soul that once stood
aghast ut the splendor and power or
these business men will say, Alas,
this Is all that is left OF that great firm
that occupied n block with their mer-
! chandlse and overshadowed the city
with their influence Irid Inndc- right
eousness and truth and purity tall IN
der the CALLING fire of avaricc and
crime"
While we admire and approve OF all
acutcness and tact in the sale OF goods
we must condemn any process by
which Il fabric or product Is represent
ed as possessing n value which 1t real
~ does not have Nothing but sheer
falsehood can represent MS perfection
boots that rip, silks that speedily lose
their luster calicoes that Immediate
ly wash out, stoves that crack under
the first hot fire, books lnsecureiy
bound. carpets that unrayel, old fur
niture rcjuycnatcd with putty ana glue
and sold as having been recently man
ufactured. gold watches made out OK
brass. barrels OF fruit. the biggest MP
pies OIL the top, wine adulterated with
strychnne, hosiery poorly woven
cloths Of domestic manufacture SHIN
ing with foreign labels. imported goods
represented rs rare and hard TO get
because foreign exchange is so high
rolled out Oh the counter with match
less display. Imported, indeed. but
from the factory in the next street.
A pattern already UNREASONABLE ana
unsuitable pulmed of rs new print
mon some country merchant who has
come to town TO make his first pur-
chase of dry goods and going home
with Il large stock of goods warranted
to keep.
Test. That Won't stand.
Again. business men are often tempt
ed TO make the habits and customs OF
other traders their law Of rectitude.
There are commercial usaSes which
will not stand the test Of the last day.
Yet men in business are apt to GO as
their neighbors do. If the majority OF
the traders in any locality are lax ID
principle. the commercial code III that
community will be spurious ana dis
honest. 1t is a hard thing TO stand
close by the law of right when your
next door neighbor by his looseness or
dealing is enabled to sell goods at
cheaper rate and decoy your customers,
OF course, you who promptly meet all
YOUR business engagements, paying
when you promise TO pay will find II
hard to compete with that merchant
who is hopclessly in debt to the I'M
porter for the goods and TO the land
lord whose store he occupies and to
the clerks who serve him. There are
q hundred practices prevalent In the
world of traffic which ought never to
become the rule for honest men. Their
,,rono docs NOT make YOUR right Sin