Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-29
l 2


Sol. Blum usually smiling and affable had unmis-
taxable Crouch
"See here, Drake, what your people trying get
away within? he asked, pointing to several boxes of
leather gloves that lay open top of his desk. Just
look at those gloves now!'
Drake looked at them, taking them out Of their vari
Gus boxes. whats the matter with them?"
"The matter? They're not what l ordere1. nothing
like them. l ordered" he took a memor .-ldum book
from pgeonhole and scufled through the pages "see
here-lO72 G-O43 M-and 90 double H-see, l wrote
it down. Now look at your stock numbers the
boxes-they We been rubbed out and written
know what | ordered, | remember the samples you
showed me-and these are another kind entirely"
Il don't Blum, that the rubbing out of the
bers has anything to do with it. The goods may have
been shifted into old boxes when taking stock,
and remarked to conform to the contents, that's
ALL Drake thought the shopkeeper bit unreasonable
to haggle over the box markings.
EYES, but the goods aren't the | ordered.
Don't you suppose l remember what ordered? Do
you call that AL buckskin-or that extra heavy
horsehde?' He waved two pairs before brakes face.
Il don't and you don't either
well you know, Blum, there's bound to be little
difference in them in gross order: they can't all
the same Drake felt the gloves carefully, rubbing the
leather and wrnkng in his fingers. He realized that
it not soft and pliable it might be; he took
other pairs at random from the boxes and similarly in
spected them Blum right in part at any rate: the
gloves certainly not like any he carried in his
sample The matter of the erased and rewritten
stock numbers he dismissed from consideration.
well change these for you Blum; don't worry about
that | see they re not quite up to sample; but don't
think anybodys trying to put one over he laughed off
stockroom: they just taken off the shelves
by their numbers and shipped to you. Well have
other lot here in twenty-four hours
"You needn't bother about that Drake. The next
ones might be just as bad I've put IN another order
for them
@Another order? Our house?"
Blum shook his head. mo- Sanford Lord"
ooh. has Elliott been in?" brakes grip the chair
frightened
He said he could fill the order better than that with
nod toward the tumble on the desk top.
"Im sorry, Blum, that you didn't give me chance
to straighten this out; but of it's up you
place your orders where you wish
Blums reply was expressive shrug of the shoulders.
Business is business, Drake he added. "Im not in
for my health, and couldn't sell dozen pairs of those
You can't blame me-"
As there to this Drake attempted
He talked of his other goods and tried every way
interest the storekeeper but talking all he
plshed. Blum apparently pondered the various items
suggested: but hesitated at ordering He all
stocked up he said Elliott had sold him large bill of
goods. and he didn't that there anything he
wanted just then; but perhaps shrug
Before the day ended Drake called Ripley the long
distance telephone and related the Blum incident He
also said he had not been able get order and laid
it to the poor shipment.
Il know what Blum ordered Ripley fired back at
him. "and he got what he ordered. When he
horsehide what does he expect-kd? He's fool! San
ford-Lord can't do any better than It's that
fellow Elliott tell you! He's grabbing you every chance
he gets You've let him walk in and take order right
under your You've got to do better than that,
Drake, You're not afraid Of him. are you2"
he last inquiry annoyed Drake more than the glove
episode. Afraid Of Elliott? Not in million years, His
more forceful than elegant; it let of
the steam escape.
@Then go after him. the sales manager continued.
@And don't believe all that customers tell you. They
don't think goods are ever UP to sample You've got
to handle these people without all this trouble Drake
If you can't do it, just let us know"
Drake left the telephone disturbed in mind than
he had ever been. "f you can't do it. just let know,
threw shadow things 1t seemed now that
his job in question. He had thought of in
quite that way. And with the shadow wrath
against Elliott burned in his heart.