The colored American., 1902-10-25

IL the held is not OVerworked and the
seed scattered too thick. The Man-on-
Ihe-Corner Is the friend of the entire
bunch, and viii lend a hand all
around when wise counsel is needed.
During encampment week 1 was
proud to note the enterprising snirit
displayed by our representative hsi-
ness men located in the down town
district. All made ample preparations
| to entertain large crowds. Thev laid
in an enormous stock Of goods. and
hired additional help, maintaining the
latter at big expense several days
ahead OF the crowd, in order to have
them on hand when needed. Their
long heads yielded handsome returns
and not one failed to satisfy all de-
mandS despite the presence of the
greatest attendance within the history
of the Grand Army. Their decorations
compared favOrably with the hest Gas
kins and Gaines, and Gray and Castlev
showing some particularly beautiful
and novel conceptions in electrical
effects. Their cuisine surpassed all
previous efforts during Ine week, when
less conscientious caterers might have
taken advantage of the rush and
offered inferior V1andS. The same is
true of the other houses, the Southern
Hotel, the Philadelphia House, Wood
sons, Brunswick, Mckinley, Holmes,
and Moore and PriOlean. all of whom
Increased their facilities and gave ex-
cellent service to white and colored
alike. Our business folks did them
selves proud during gala week, and we
are glad they are many hundreds of
dollars ito the good.
Along this line it is interesting to
observe how neatly our enterprises
are keeping pace with the wave of
prosperity that the country has felt
in the past few years. 1t is reflected
in the enlarged space, elegant fixtures,
Increased number of helpers. and in
the volume and quality Of goods
handled, whether the institution be a
hotel, restaurant, grocery, professional
office, dressmaking establishment, bank
or an undertaker's shop. A spirit of
hustle" seems to have at last taken
hold of us. Not least among the i'm
provements is the presence in every
really progressive business place of
telephone. Life is too short to write
letters and wait for answers, and
vitality is too valuable to waste in
running around in persOn-sO the tele-
phone is an indispensable adjunct to
any properly equipped place of bust
ness-or pleasure. for the first-class
clubs have the hello machine too.
Speaking of the "hustling spirit,
there is Attorney John w. Patterson, a
sure enough hustler from Hustler
ville," yet perfect gentleman, every
inch of him, from his shining silk hat
down to his patent-leathers. When you
are down town it will pay you to drop
in upon him at 407 Seventh street
northwest and look him over" His
Office is handsomely furnished, and in
the line of legal paper he has a store
of forms covering every possible
branch of. Jurisprudence, and his
library is stocked with the finest as
sOrtment of legal works by the best
authorities. Books of various kinds
for handy reference are at his elbow,
and a great dictionary on its stand Is
within easy reach He has a private
telephone on his desk, and a file case
of carefully jacketed and indeXed rec
Ords of his clients is under his eye.
A skilled stenographer sits at her desk
in an outer room, and when called she
takes down in shorthand all interviews
upon material points involved IN the
respective cases. This becomes a part
of the history of the case, and is Valu-
able in the event of a controversy or
misunderstanding The furniture is OF
the most approved modern pattern and
an atmosphere of comfort and ease
DarvadeS the cosy Mace And why not?