The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-04

pounds three conundrrms and perhaps
comes near telling the truth once.
AS a result, the sansuinary country
merchant makes out an order for 500
worth of goods he don't need. and he
goes out and takes a drink which he
does not need.
HIS PARAPHEtR.NlALIA-
ssThe drummer inhslbits railroad trains
principally He also temporarily infests
the best rooms in the hotel. He is usu-
ally swung to q satchel containing
comb and brush. another shirt, 4 clean
celluIotd collar and a pair OF cuffs, ETC.,
also q railroad guide, and newspaper
wrapped around a suspicious-lookins bot
tie. That is about all his personal bag
Gaga He has. besides, 4 two-story, IRON
bound trunk containing samples.
He travels for & first-ciass house-the
largest firm in their line of business in
the United States-a firm, that sells more
goods and sells them cheaper than any
other two houses in the country. EIe
is very modest about stating these facts.
and bushes when he makes the state
nent but he makes it. nevertheless,
probably as a matter of duty.
When the drummer travels alone he oc-
cupies seat, and on the other piles up
his baggage and overcoat and tries to look
as il they didn't belong to him. but to
another man who has just stepped into
the smoking car. and would be back
presently.
Drummers are usually found in pairs
or quartettes on the cars. They git together
in @ double seat, with a valise on each
end between them, on which they play
poker and other sinful games When
they get tired of playing they go out
into tho smoking car. where a man who
Is travelling for liquor firm sets 'ern !
up out of his sample case, and for an
hour or two they swap lies about the
big bill of goods they have sold in the
last town they were in: tell hignly-sea-
soned stories about their personal adven-
lures and exhibit to each other tho pho
tographs OF the last girl on whom they
made impressions.
DARING INDIVIDUAL.
The drummer is the only man who
dares address hotel clerks by their Chris
tan names He knows every hotel and
every room in the hotel. When he arrives
by a late train he is the first to get out
OF the bus and reach the clerks desk,
when he says to the clerk: Hello, Char
Z lie, old fel, how are you? Got No. 10 for
meg? And the clerk flashes his kohinoor
and smile on him as he shakes his
hand, pounds the nickel-plated call bell
and shouts: John. take the sentIeman.s
baggage to No. 49,
In the dining-room the drummer IS a
favorite with the colored walters, although
he orders more dishes and finds more
fault with the fare than other guests do.
He does not believe the waiter when he
says the milk is all out. but sends him
4 off to inquire further into the matter, and
while he is gone he fills up his glass out
/ OF the blue milk in the cream pitcher
He firts with the chambermaids. leases
the bootblacks and plays practical jokes
on the regular boarders.
{ The drummer has much to worry him
Travelling at night. to save time Sleep
J ing in the baggage car or In the cabooseS
5of freight train. with nothing but his
ear for pillow, humping over rough
roads In stages and buckboards, living on
corn bread and coffee dinners yet he Is
usually good natured, although he some
times expresses his feelings regarding
the d;sconforts of travel or the tough
ness OF beefsteak in language one would
never attribute to the author OF Watts
hymns
The drummer Is tho growth of this fast
age. Withou. Elm tina car OF commerce.
;w-uld snee.k slowly along He Is an I
sener gettc and genial cuss. and we hope
he viii appreciate this complementary
notice. and show his appreciation by
contrasting the habit Of going Gown into
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