The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-26
THE OBSERVANT BANKER.


N
'The man who signs himself 'One Who
is Not a Banker" said the Observant
Banker, land appropriates the title of OBJ
servant Banker in order to attract atten-
ton that people may read his thoughts,
labors very hard and tells the Observant
Banker how to conduct bank. There is
not one of my seven thousand customers
who does not know how to run bank bet
ter than the Observant Banker. However
the gentleman lays great stress on the idea
that a banker should be a gentleman. As
far as the Observant Bankers knowledge
goes. all the bankers in Indianapolis are
gentlemen, so evidently the One Who is
Not a Banker is not UP in the business.
1.-The Observant Bankers remarks that
called forth those of the One Who is Not
a Banker were like this: The Observant
Banker loaded up his shotgun with beans
and aimed out of the window, not par
a banker, but, 10 and behold, after the
discharge somebody is crippled and MANNED
for life With all due respect for One
Who is Not Banker the Observant
Banker VIII continue his observations from
a pedestal from which One Who is Not
Banker cannot shoot him with beans or
any other missile.
II wish you would explain how you get
your customers" the Observant Banker
was asked. you seem to have a mob of
them and you are rarely if ever seen at any
social functions or in hotel Hobbies or eat
ing your meals az clubs waylaying peo-
pie or riding horses in parades or at church
festivals or calling on people in a social
way and asking them to transact business
with you. In fact, about the only place
you are visible is in your bank.
oil nv q n
servant Banker. Il will cOntde in you and
tell you how l get my customers. Here is
the secret-patlence and absolutely stick
ing TO business, treating customers right
in fact always being ready to help when
their situation Justifes and not being afraid
to tell them so when 1t does not. Keep
your word, even if you lose. Don't steal
another banks customer by promises you
cannot fulfill, be square with the people
that trust you, help a fellow when he has
merritt may not be many cents in your
pocket but IL is a start for him, and it
makes you feel warm INSIDE even if the
fellow does not appreciate the help and
thank you for IL.
But the chief patent is sticking to it,
never get tired, hang on, 1t will come.
You know what the French say, All things
come to him who waits. The saying is all
right. but you must be endowed with a
small amount of brains besides the ability
TO wait For instance, / have personal
friend that thinks lots of me; conSultS me
about his business. does not like his bank
er. my competitor. but still does not do
his banking business with me. He cOmpli-
ments me on my statements, etc, and has
waited for eighteen years for me TO ask
him to bring his account TO my bank.
knowing this TO be true, L have concluded
to wait the Frenchmens wait, until my
friends banker goes out of business. which
will certainly come to pass, then my per-
sOnal friend will come in and consult me
as TO what bank he had better go to. just
as III [ were a grocer and not a banker
myself. But that waiting business is my
patent, and / will give you small exam
pie:
There is "A mouse at my house that has
been bOthering me for the past three years.
This mouse is probably the father of all
the other mice i'm the neighborhoOd. He is
a crackerjack. thoroughly up TO snuff and
his favorite range is my bedroom. There
are no other mice in my house, but this
patriarch sharpens his teeth on the leg of
my bed and wakes me up. L throw slip
per az him and he is filing his teeth on the
fender of the CRATE.
II have bought twenty-seven different
mOuse-traps. Ny collection is not sur
passed by any in the city, but this mouse
takes the bait every night and springs the
trap, but is never caught. He grows fat
and arrogant. ] take the trap upstairs
for him every night just religiously as
j say my prayers. | don't know when il is
going To end. but last night / took uD the
cheese. and with II / carried a new
tangled trap some fellow has recommended,
but the new trsp has no bait. / placed the
traps side by eide. and this morning found
Mr.. Mouse safely caught in the Undated
trap.
There YOU are. my boy" said the OBJ
servant Banker, with sententious chuckle.
1T is simply one of those things a man
can never explain. but IL comes some
where near describing "A man who waits