The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-03-08

4
Putting Through n Deal.
The business mans sign language is
not general language that ANYBODY
might study and understand. If thar
were the case, its value would soon he
eonc 1t is not even language generally
understood by any branch of business.
puch as the wholesale carpet dealers. the
tobacco importers, the furniture dealers.
and so on.
III is in deals among themselves that
these signs are mostly used and serve
their best purpose. The sign language
as used by business men is more of a
code Of signals. They all use the same
IMPRESSIONS and phrases in their sign
tak, but every merchant has his own
code with which he carries on his sign
fak with his partner or his subordinates.
Ii comes into play when partners are
fonferring together with an outsider with
whom the firm is doing business or else
tbe head of the house and some of his
snbordinates are putting through a bust
mes deal with the representative of some
Ether business house.
N Ii wouldn't do for the partners to CON
tinually whisper together or for the head
OF the house to turn to one of his sub
ordinates and say in hoarse, low growl.
~Ihis fellow is trying to charge us two
prices" 1t may be that the subordinate
should know what is in his superiors
mind. so that he can govern himself ac-
eordingly, but if there should be anv
Whispered consultation the representa-
tye Of the other firm might become sus-
pcious and feel that he was being plotted
against and show a sudden stubbornness
about reducing his price.
~ So the business man who wants to toll
the head of any department of his bust
PES who is assisting him in buying a
pertain line of goods that this fellow is
charging us two prices merely reaches
To- a cigar ana scratches Il match twice
before he lights it. Two partners in
CONSULTATION use their own code in talk
b. to each other in the presence of any
outsider. One will telegraph raise the
spHco' by passing his finger over his IN
bcr lip or "lowcr the price" Of the goods
b. question by stroiing the lower lin.
H. amount to lie raised or lowered Is
shown hy resting the head upon the
eTru left hand, one, two or more Of
Nap fingers will lie lifted clear of the
".'' - i"I 'd'I Iu-tf II small
amounts on fingers NJ so 10 500 apiece
b. big deals. The gestures are as nat
q as possible If done by an "old hand"
b. various firms use slight alterations
Raiah make the sign talk impossible for
Q stranger to read. The agents and en-
poEers Of til" business houses are sell
o. So thoroughly up in this tcle-
6"aphin. rs the managers, and two part
Dc will talk before the smartest rep
fCscn'ativr of a rival house wEhout his
pFeri'n@ tie drlit of the conversation,
even though he Elay know a sign con
Fersation is being carried on.
n II there Is anything shady about a
Nlhu ANA fourth party, the fact is some
fnes conveyed by momcntarjly rubbing
D. left eye with the back of the forc!in-
g. or If it be that dealer or a rival is
fcecp' ard tries to arrange a wen laid
echemc with most of the advantage or
his own side, one friend Signals to the
pthpr BE careful. Trying to catch
20. by resting his head on the first
IN second fingers Of the right hand.
Probably the cOmmoncSt of all signs
Pr, Accept the offer" or "Clinch the
teaI conveyed by pulling the vest down
tA BOTH hands. as If strengthening it,
ond Refuse or stop negotiations" Ivy
fiting at the thumb nail These signals
p made before carrying the resolution
out. To give the partner a chance 10
silently object if he disagrccs, when the
PIN Postpone" by passing the hand
ovcr the forehead is made and chance
70 discuss things in private.
81 Yves is signa!od by closing the right
hst and NO by closing the left. Pre-
{fnd Indifference" by biting the lower
hp, is frequent message. especially in
discussing contracts for large amounts,
men the outsider shows signs of anX-
F'y to clnch matters. In the whole
eale dry goods business biting the lip
neans Second class goods" and tile
nsh hand signal for the other is made
p stroklng the side of the face as if
NclinS whether shave is necessary.
be mastery and unconcerned way in
Fhlch two old hands at trade sign talk
III converse in company is wonderful.
EIru an expert will not catch the mes
ages though he knows he is being talk
over. BE careful; he suspects the
snaIS, Is used when necessary and
consists in arranging the necktie as
poaSh 1t had accidentally slipped down.
There is an almost universal code
emonS business experts and their employ
rs though it is altered slightly in diff
Ffeut cases, to throw the outsider off
le scent. y partner or manager often
companies his best expert inspector
men gong TO decide between goods that
offered and the expert signals the
uo>S whether to buy or not.
'''od Is telegraphed by resting the
bgh' hand on the right hip. Bad" by