The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-09-19
o~~~~~~~~~

Il WOulQ ike 10 nave d uOAcu piC-
ture hooks-plain," said the red
bearded suburbanite to the hardware
dealer. ..I4ow ruch do you charge for
the plain ones:'
They're ~ cents a Dozen Do you
want a doZen!" asked the dealer.
Ten cents!" said his customer, re-
fectively. That's cents more than l
can get them for in town. I'm not
sure but the plain ones are cents
dozen. I'm not kicking, understand,
he added, as the hardware man look
ed at him grimly. Il know you have 10
| charge a little more for what you sell
than a big institution that buy in large
quantities. It's all right that you
should. Every man has to make his
living and my motto is Live and let
live Ten cents. eh!'
Ten cents" repeated the hardware
dealer. Did you say you wanted a
dozen of them?"
| The red-bearded suburbanite consid-
cred. "Lemme see," he said. Il don't
know but half dozen would be
enough. That would be 5 cents,
wouldn't it!'
Five CENTS" said the hardware
dealer. do you want half dozen"
Il might run short on half doz-
en- said the customer. But then II
l did l could get half a dozen more
any time at the same price. Maybe
I'd better do that than have lot of
extra ones lyong around. l don't mind
the price. 1t isn't everything"
Isn't it," returned the dealer.
shortly.
mot the way l look at it," said the
customer, with smile. Il figure that
it's worth a little something extra
| for convenience. Here you are in
business-one OF us. you've invested
your capital in d pretty fair stock and
it's a convenience to us all to have
you here. happen to want something
in a hurry, perhaps. and it's a good
deal easier for me to buy of you than
to fiddle around wasting time in a
big store in town. Your place isn't SO
| crowded that l have to wait for ten
minutes to get somebody to wait on
me and another ten minutes for my
change"
"No, it amt" said the dealer. II
wish it was"
'Then you can take the trouble to
show me what l want. You are
neighbor, l may say. I'm P. J. Bid
dick to you, Pm not just one of few
thousand people that you don't care
hang about, except to get their money
and get rid of 'em. l know you and
you know me. Isn't that right?'
Hmm" grunted the dealer.
Certainly. And if there's anything
wrong with what buy 1 know can
come to you and you'll make it right.
| You'll remember the transaction. You
won't ask me for my ticket and send
me from pillar to post hunting the
claim department"
The. hardware man grunted again.
do you want half q dozen Of them
hooks?"
"Yes, 1 believe I'll take half DOB
en-" answered the red-bearded man.
Wait a moment, though. Perhaps
you'd better make it dozen. l guess
l can use 'em. and If can't 10 cents
won't make me nor break me. No. sir,
believe in patrOnizing home insti-
tutions, even if it costs a little to do
it. The big city store doesn't do this
suburb any good. 1t doesn't enhance
the value of real estate particle; it
doesn't pay any taxes here. You're a
home institution. you're a taxpayer and
citizen. If we pay you little more
for your goods than we do the big
store, why. it's worth it to US. That's
what 1 always say when they talk
big store to me. Pay a little EXTRA
say"
"Why didn't you come to me for
your new lawn mower. then?" asked
the dealer.
The red-bearded suburbanite looked.
disconnected for an instant. "Well,
that's different" be said. IF you
had been a little more reasonable in
your prices I might have done so: but
my lawn mower cost me dollar and
a quarter less in town than you want
ed to charge lie. I've got to look out
for myself. you know. Business il
business when you get right down to
lacks"
That's all right" said the dealer,
'but why do you mix it with guff?"
Chicago Daily News.
The Story of an Obedient Boy.
"Mamma Won told mo that vyhor.