Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-06-22
QUAINT WAYS IN RIO.
TO DISPUTE A BILL is TO MAKE
ONESELF AN OuTCAST.

The Brazilian Capital Is the Easiest
Plncc In the World to Get Credit
and the Hardest Place In which to
Dodge n Debt.
Rio is the easiest city in the world
to get credit in," said New Orleans
man who lived for awhile at the Bra
lillian capital, 'but it's the worst plnce
In the world in which to dodge debt.
All business there is done on the semi
annual account system, and you can
get anything you want and have 1t
charged without difficulty, but the end
OF every six months is settlement day,
and II you are not on hand with the
cash-well, I'll give you little expert.
ence Of my own to show you what hap.
pens.
II went to the city as the representa-.
tive of a well known American house,
and at the outset l was surprised to
md that it was practically impossible
for me to pay for anything. Don't
bother about that, SENIOR the store
keeper would say. 4 will make ali 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
I went to native shoemaker's one
day. ordered pair of English riding
boots, and, as had been used to wear
Ing ready made footgear, mentioned,
incidentally, that my number was S15.
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. was thunderstruck,
but as he could give me no explanation
except that they were mine rushed
Immediately to the shop, vii" the
proprietor received me blandly in
sisted that he had merely ser t /
had ordered. You said that de-
sired them to the number of md
a half he added. and I az gly
made you eight pairs and o., 81, q
right, which, If you desire, ey-
change for left But, good ens,'
1 protested. you ought to have ;nown
there was some mistake! Why on
earth should | order half n pair of
bootsp 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-
siblc for the muddle. Still 1t was an
inexcusably stupid blunder, and. after
vainly arguing for an hour, | put him
on notice that I would only accert one
pair. When | returned, sent back the
other 10 '''' considered the 'ldcnt
closed. I'D no more a.. !. in
fact, %actly six mont iater
when Kan we'd a bill for 81 p:irs of
riding IL S15 each-total. S12T.50
gold-.aIu 1t polite notification that ~
pairs awaited MY pleasure at the shop
'That made me furious. I sent the
man my check for SIS and told his
messenger to sue me and be hanged.
But he didn't sue me. They have
rnrt,i more effective method down
there.
"Within n week every tradesman
with whom I did business advised me
courtrously 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 I dropped in at the
club the frost was something awful.
"At last l sent for particular friend.
Look here said, 4 want you to tell
me frankly why 1 am getting this ta-
boo Because you haven't paid for
your boots he replied. But this Is
monstrousp said l. You know very
well that never ordered S1a pairs of
boots. OF course not said he, but
you'd best pay for 'em all the same. 1t
ruins a man here,' he went on to ex-
plain, If he allows any bill to pass set
Element day. No explanation is per-
mitted. and everybody joins in cutting
him. 1t seems hard. but we have to do
it to sustain this credit system. If we
didn't, we'd all be ruined by bad ac-
counts
II groaned in spirit, but sent the
shoemaker $112.50 and told him to let
me have the rest of my boots. was
so mad could have worn out the
whole IT on his anatomy, but pre-,
served my outward calm and was
promptly reinstated socially and finan'
cially throughout the town. Later on
1 used seven pairs of boots as Christ
mas presents to friends and gave the
one odd one to one legged beggar
on the plaza."-New Orleans Times.
Democrat.
Millions Made by Planting Trees.