The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-01
Chicago Salesman Turns the Tables.
on a Tricky EOston Rival, X

! Chicago Salesman Turns the Tables
on a Tricky Eoston Rival. a
At the banquet given by the Chicago
Shoe Manufacturers and Jobbers' associa,
tion to their statesmen at the Auditorium,
recently the speschmaking was enlivened
by many illustrations of the enterprise
and resourcefulness Of the men who have
made this city only second to Boston in
their particular line of trade and are push.
ing the eastern city hard for first place.f
Some of the experiences related were also
of a humorous nature and one yarn In
particular, spun by Sam Pike, the dean
of the trade in Chicago, is well worth
publication.
1t happened good many years ago.,
said Mr., Pike, chow many I'm not going
to say, or else you fellows would put me
down as an old man, but was travelling
In Illinois and Iowa for Chicago house
when the firm started me out one day to
see man in town about hundred
miles or so from Chicago who was about
to add a shoe stock to his business and
whom we wanted to secure rs a customer,
/ got my sample trunks to the train and
after it had pulled out, found the agent of
Boston firnl--a wide awake, rattlinR
good salesman and one whom knew we'll
was aboard We smoked and chatted
and in the course of conversation found
We were bound for the same town.
"Now, the man was going to see lived
In town about two miles from the rail-
way. The railway station was at good
sized village, and there was to get q
team and drive over with my samples.
We reached the end of the railway journey.
and l walked up to the only hotel in the
place, tho Boston man excusing himself
saying he had to look after bis samples
and would join me later. After had reg
istered and washed some of the dirt of
my face 1t was 11:30 a. m, and az
dinner was to be at 1890 O'Clock
thought would go out and engage d
team to take me over to my man after
dinner. There was only ono livery stable
In town, and that had only three horses,
and when got there the owner told me
they were all engaged. That Boston man
had made a bee line for the livery stable
after left him and hired the whole stabls
to forestall me- There WASH t rig In the
town, as far as knew, that I could beg,
borrow or steal, and felt pretty blue,
''Going back to the hotel, noticed an
undertakers sign and went into the shop. !;
He had two horses, he said, but no wagon
or carriages-only hearse. l struck
bargain at once for the hearse and, civ.
ing him the checks for my trunks, told
him to drive down to the depot and sot
them and wait for me. Then went back
to the hotel to see II the Boston man was
there. He was, and he grinned as he said
he wasn't going to look for any business
until he had had good dinner. grInned
also as told him would have to hustle
around for a rig and left him. went
down to the depot helped put my trunks
In that hearse and away we drove on the
quickest trip that hearse ever mado before
or since.
II caught my man and sold him q
good bill. Twas just putting
up my samples when tho Boston man
came in the store, but he didn't see me-,
He looked little puzzled as he accosted
tho proprietor and hoped there was no
death In his family, as he saw hearse
outside. "
" oh, no, said the unconscious mer-
chant; that's only the rig that Chicago
shoe man there, pointing at me, drove
here In. He couldn't get anything else at
The depot ~
1.-THE Boston man turned like shot
and looked at me. I grinned and hoped
1e had enjoyed bis dinner. He laughed
himself after he had got over his disap-
and we went back to Chicago
ogether the best Of friends. Chicago
inter- Ocean. -