The Florence daily tribune. (Florence, Colo.) 1898-1903, 1899-08-05

Then they go 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 diIapidated
mercantile establishments that are
about to fail. and for such kindness
an magnanimity OF caution against
the dishonesty of other business
houses, OF course 1t is expected they
willard so they do-take a drink.
Other merchants lodging in adjoining
rooms find it hard to sleep for the
clatter of decanters. and the coarse
carousal of these hail fellows well
met" wakes louder. But they sit not
all night at the wine cup. They mus:
see the sights. They stagger forth
with flushed cheeks and eyes blood
shos. 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. Fare
well to the sanctities OF home, Could
mother. sister. father. slumbering in
the inland home. in some vision OF that
night catch glimpse of the ruin
wrought, they would rend out their
hair by the roots and bite the tongue
till the blood spurted. shrieking out:
God save hint"
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 UMPIRE
cedented run of buyers. and the name
of the house may be a terror to all ri
walls. 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
FAMILIES may sweep the street with the
most elegant apparel that human art
ever wove, or earthly magnifieence
ever achieved. But curse is gather
ing surely for those men, and IL 1t does
not seize hold of the pillars and in one
wild ruin bring down the temple OF
commercial glory. It will break up
their peace. and they will tremble with
sickness and bloat with designations,
and, pushed to the preelpice of this
!iie' they VIII try to hold back and cry
Tor help. but no help will come; and
they VIII clutch their gold to take 1t
along with them. but it will be snatch
ed from their grasp. and a voice will
sound through their soul Not far
thing. thou beggared spirit" And
the Judgment will come and they will
stand agalst before 1t, and all the bus
mess iniquitles of lifetime will gath
er around them. saying. DO you re-
member this?" and do you remember
; that! And clerks that they com
peiied to dishonesty. and runners and
draymen and bookkeepers who saw
behind the scenes. will bear testimony
10 their nefarious deeds, and some
virtuous soul that once stood aghast at
the splendor and power of these BUSH
ness men will say, "Alasi this is all
that is left of that great firm that oc-
cupied block with their merchandise
and overshadowed the city with their
influence, and made righteousness and
truth and purity fall under the calling
fire of avarice and crime"
While we admire and approve of all
acuteness and tact in the sale of goods,
we must condemn any process by
which fabric or product is repre-
scented as possessing a value which it
really does not have Nothing but
sheer falsehood can represent as per-
lection boots that rip, silks that spec
Oily lose their lustre. calicoes that i'm
mediately wash out, stoves that crack
under the first hot fire. books insecure
ly bound. carpets that unravel. old
furniture rejuvenated with putty and
glue. and sold as having been recently
manufactured. gold watches made out
of brass. barrels of fruit. the biggest
apples on the top, wine adulterated
with strychnine. hosiery poorly woven.
cloths of domestic manufactures
shining with foreign labels. imported
goods represented as rare and hard
to get, because foreign exchange is so
high, rolled out on the counter with
matchless display. Imported indeed,
but from the factory in the next street.
A pattern already questionable and
unstable palmed off as a new print
upon some country merchant who has
come to town to make his first pur-
chase of drygoods and going home
with large stock of goods warranted
to keep.
Again business men are often tempt
ed to let their calling interfere with
the interests of the soul. God sends
men into the business world to get ed
ucated, just as boys are sent to school
and college. Purchase and sale, loss
and gain, disappointment. prosperity,
tne dishonesty OF others. panic. and
blank suspension. are but different les
sons in the school. The more bust
ness the more means of grace. Many
have gona through widest panics un-
hurt. Are you not -afraid you will
break?" said some one to a merchant
in time of great commercial excite