The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-15
REvFNGE CARRIED TOO FiR.
A Change in u business House Which Wal
Discounted the Wrong Way.

I"
Revenge is not always sw ect," said the man
with the red mustachc. Il remember one IN.
stance in particular where it had decidedly an
acrid flavor. Some ten years ago WAS collector
for a big publishing house that Sold high priced
books on the insiallment plan. | had been with
tho house fourteen years in one capacity or an.
other and when, at tho end Of that period, change,
were made in the management whereby il SEEMED
likely tlAt would he uustcd altogether, | naturally
felt pretty sore.
I was smarting under the disgrace Of being
discharged when ! went around On my March
collecting tour, and 50 fcrccly did my grievance
ranklc that ! took no pains To concel my resent.
ment. The first person ! called on after learning
that my days were in all probability numbered
with that particular firm was a pretty boukkccIer
in the Stock Exchange building.
" suppose, | said, after she had paid mo her
monthly i%nStallmcnt, that there will he a new
man around To take your money next month
The girl looked at mt wonderingly. Nhyr
she asked
"Brcausc.' said |, with fine sarcasm, m I'D
ana worn out I've ogtlivcd my usefulness
"" only been with this house fourteen YEAS
! began TO work for them when was 10,
Here could see that the pretty bookkccpcr wos
making a rapid mental calculation. and It was
PAIN from the working Of her lips. that she wa,
saying 10 herself, Twenty nine. And now.
! resumed, cloquently, after having given tho
corp"ratlun The best part Of my life. and after
having earned promotion 10 a responsible posi-.
tion, they reward my fidelity by knocking mo
down and out I've been fired or at leas, I
shall be. A younger brother Of the supenn.
tcndcnt. who hates me because | testified against
him once in n lawsuit. has been placed in au-
thority, and he'll take his revenge by giving
me my walking papers. He'll give me no more
consideration THANH III were q dog.
The pretty bookkccpcr was properly sym.
pathetic. Tn very sorry, she said. / wish
there was something | could do 10 help you get
even
There is something. said / When tho
ne" 'oiiect"r comes around for money, don
but how can ! get our ofit"' she asked
on, said there are plenty Of ways You
can tell him that You aIc not the person he wants
That you are not Miss BleWn, or YOU could
simply put him OIL from month 10 month. or, II Won
should happen I" CIV" up this position, you
'"ild 60 away and leave no address, They'd
never Ind you in all ,rcn'lon oh, there ore
- hundred ways YOU could work II, II YOU feel
y" disposed GU might not ind the game
worm The candle, but # You care Ia Wy ii, ia
never tell on you, YOU need have no fear Of that
"Ihe bu"kkecpcr WAS an honest little creature,
IN her way, and 1 could see that she was frightened
at my suggestion. Her anxiety To assist no
IN gaining r"Ncug" uNctcamc her conscientious
>ctnples, however, end although she did not
pledge herself never 10 pay the $50 still due IN
lhr books, she did promise 10 leHd the houP n
Wild chase before they collected another cent,
ana went away pretty well satisfied with my
dryiluN Fully tv"thirds 81 our debtors On
any. route were women, and aS worked the same
racket With equal skill with about 30 per cent uf
them | felt that there would be an aprreciahlc
dlniInuli"n ~ the receipts Of the company for
"Thr first # Npril the content plated changes
were mad" II! The iirm, and !, instead Of being
bounced, az had anticipated. was promoted
To- n me position in the financial department
WIN IN" promis. ui another raise soon If ! could
make a good showing ON collections. was
highly "lat"d AZ tins elevation, and seeing NE
necessity OF presenting a good hand in the hegli-
iing, l carefully instructed the new force Of COD
lrcturs, when th"N started out on their April tour,
g. dn ll'lr level best at gathering in the shekels
Most Of them collected the average amount, day
after day, but when the man on my old route r-
turned 10 the Office every evening, he reported
ab>"ln'" failure la my enthusiasm over my
un"N pccted good luck. had forgotten all about
my cold WDulrd sentiments 81 = few weeks before,
and was at a loss 10 Pccuunt for the astonishing
delinquency May came, and still my successor
met with NO better luck. began Ia get Spunky
then, and when the June collections became due,
| told my man Ia give the hacksliders some pretty
tall talk The first evening he came in after
receiving these instructions, he shook his heat
h"Spond"ntN This sign Il disappointment male
me feel squalIy all over. for had thai day been
taken severely g. task for the poor collections
$50 good said
"'\o, said he. no good
And WhHt reason do they give for This unao
Countable preach OF faith" asked
The man lowered his voice and looked Al mo
keenly They oil say, he said, that You tuld
them not To pay another cent They say you
promised never Ia tell on them
That pins" Of the situation almost noored
ms The sweet young things had taken me at
my word With u vengeance. and II was more Than
Il year before my books made q respectable show.
ing. during which time | was IN daily danger =
losing my place because II insufficient energy 10
III" collecting department Indeed, there Nae a
good deal 81 that money that never got at all,
and had a. tax" the blame for the loss But There
was no remedy Tor the difficulty our Cusiumcrs
had mo, and In order 10 save 'hr shrrds 81 nv
reputation with the firm, ! had to swallow ny
feNeng" medicine AMI never murmu