Smyrna times., 1901-07-10
QUAINT WAYS IN RIO.
TO DISPUTE A BILL is TO MAKE
ONESELF AN OUTCAST.

anu tne Hlace IN w nlCh NO
Dodge a Debt.
"Rio is the easiest city in the world |
to get credit in," said a New Orleans
man who lived for awhile at the Bra
lillian capital, ''but it's the worst place |
in the world in which to dodge a debt. |
All business there is done on the semi
annual account system, and you can |
get anything you want and have it |
charged without difficulty, but the end |
of every six months is settlement day, !
and if you are not on hand with the |
cash-well, I'll give you a little expert |
ence of my own to show you what hap |
pens.
Il went to the city as the representa-
tive of a well known American house, |
and at the outset l was surprised to
find that it was practically impossible |
for me to pay for anything. Don't |
bother about that, senhOr,' the store
keeper would say. i will make an ac-
count of it. OF course my American
friends soon explained the system to
me, and, while didn't like it, thought
best to conform to the custom of the
country without rendering myself dis
agreeable by kicking.
"AbOut two months after my arrival
1 went to a native shoemaker's one
day, ordered a pair of English riding
boots, and, as had been used to wear
ing ready made foOtgear, l mentioned,
| incidentally, that my number was S12.
| The shoemaker gravely made a note of
| the fact and promised to send around
| the boots as soon as they were done.
Several weeks elapsed, when, one morn
! ing, a porter came staggering into the
office almost buried under an enor-
nous load of English top boots. To be
exact, he had II. l was thunderstruck,
4 but as he could give me no explanation
except that they were mine 1 rushed
Immediately to the shop, where the
proprietor received me blandly and in
sisted that he had merely sent what
had ordered. You said that yOu de-
sired them to the number of eight and
a half he added, 'and | accordingly
made you eight pairs and one boot, a
| right, which, if you desire, l will ex-
change for a left But, good heavens
protested. you ought to have known
there was some mistake! Why on
earth should l order half a pair of
boots? He shrugged his shoulders.
That was not for me to inquire he
said.
81 realized that the fatal reputation
for eccentricity which Americans en-
joy the world over was partly respon-
sible for the muddle. Still it was an
inexcusably stupid blunder, and, after
vainly arguing for an hour, put him
on notice that would only accept one
pair. When | returned, l sent back the
other 15 and considered the incident
closed. heard no more about it, in
fact, until exactly six months later,
when | received a bill for S1a pairs Of
riding boots at SIS each-total, $127.50
gold-and a polite notification that ~
pairs awaited my pleasure at the shop.
'"That made me furious. | sent the
man my check for $15 and told his
messenger to sue me and be hanged.
But he didn't sue me. They have a
much more effective method down
there.
"Within a week every tradesman
with whom | did business advised me
, cOurteously that he had closed my ac-
cOunt-meaning that my future GUS
tom was not desired. Moreover, the
foreign colony all gave me the cold
shoulder, and when dropped in at the
club the frost was something awful.
,, "At last l sent for particular friend
Look here said, Il want you to tel
3 me frankly why | am getting this ia
& boo Because you haven't paid fol
t your boots he replied. But this i:
e mOnstrousv said |. You know very
well that ! never ordered S12 pairs Oi
boots. of course not said he, blu
you'd best pay for 'em all the same. L
ruins a man here,' he went on to ex
plain. IF he allows any bill to pass set
: tlement day. No explanation is per
!. mitted, and everybody joins in cuttin,
b him. 1t seems hard, but we have to d,
e it to sustain this credit system. If w
# didn't. we'd all be ruined by bad aC
4 counts
= 81 groaned in spirit, but l sent tn
shoemaker S112.5O and told him to lie
:. me have the rest of my boots. | wa
so mad | could have worn out til
/ whole II on his anatomy, but | pre-
.d served my outward calm and wa
~ promptly reinstated socially and finar
cially throughout the town. Later o
used seven pairs of boots as Chris
mas presents to friends and gave th
It. one odd one to a one legged begga
g. on the plaza."-New Orleans Times
Is Democrat.
e.
"a A Door ka;II;o.o:.o