davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Drummer Sized Up Boob; Dubbed Easy by Tip Takers

probably not be back at the hotel again ever.
or IL they do return II will be at distant
date They are Indifferent to the system with
which we have to contend. and the system
in turn, knows enough not TO bother about
them.
But the travelling salesman continually has
a point to make. He is in position where
he has to have his trunks brought to his
room or hurried to the train with unusual
haste He is continually playing over and
over the same territory. and doesn't for a mo-
ment think that these baggage men and por-
ters and hotel employees do not remember
man from trip to trip. Sometimes 1t is fortu-
nate for us that they 90 remember US. pro-
vidng We have been liberal with them in the
past but in the long run we are only paying
an extra price for the service that is due us
And for paying this price I agree with Mr..
Hobbs that We are the biggest boobs in the
world
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16

THINK that Joshua n. Hobbs was right
in his remarks before the National Asso-
citation of Travelling Men recently when
] he said that travelling men were the big
gest boobs in the world for permitting
themselves to be continually robbed by ho-
tells and railroads and transfer companies,
I am one of the boobs myself. andAave been
ever since I have been on the road. re-
sented the term boob " at first, but believe,
after all, it is just the word to apply to US
fellows
Ny territory has been t e state Of Indiana
in recent years but In talking with the other
boys 1 don't know as the territory makes
any difference unless it is that the Pacific
coast is about twice as bad as any other sec
ton. I have been coming across " to bag
gage men and store porters. hotel bellboye
doomen, trunk shifters, elevator boys. and
transfer folk OF all sorts for so long that
Il has become second nature. had almost
lost sight of the fact that I was a boob
until Mr Hobbs reminded me forcFbly of the
fact the other day.
What can we do about 1t? There doesn't
seem to be anything We can do. Some fel-
low years back began the tipping system
in order to make time on his trip and the sys-
TEN hasn't slipped a cog since. Every fel-
low on the road is It's victim-sometimes a
willing victim. but more often we shell out "
with feeling that We deserve>a good,
swift kick for doing SO.
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Jobber "Out of Stock"

held the trade of the little town reported
often that it was out of stock " in certain
lines Of goods. ODDLY enough. these Ger
tain lines were OF stuffs strongly in demand.
There were errors in shipments " every
little while Some of his new customers told
him that certain goods which he displayed
for sale were not up to the standard as sold
in the one other large house In the village.
Suddenly these customers began to protest
at paying IS cents a gallon for kerosene
when at the woodshed store it was sold for
only IL cents e gallon.
Here was competition in its most destruc-
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Where Art Fails.

It has been said there is no more alarm
ing word than the word art A great artist
said many scores of years ago that 1t was the
fate of the arts to be enveloped in mysterious
and incomprehensib7e language
Anything appealing to the mysterious ap-
peals to the faller, and he likes to associate
with nobler minds for it is the fault Of such
not 10 he watching for rogueries-it takes a
rogue 10 catch rogue.
When Robert owen. full of noble plans for
henefiting humanity, gave fortune and life
to this end. he failed because he attracted TO
himself the lazy and incompetent who often
have a singuiarly acute intelligence in ref
erence 20 the first OF physical laws, that Of
preservation. He was too noble to
recognize a meanness in others which was
no part of his own character.
Art is always failing in its great mission
TO humanity for much the same reason that
Robert owen failed. 1t shelters those whose
whole aim is TO make IL seem mysterious In
order that they may seem TO be persons OF
great attainment or genius
George r. Peck wrote some years ago:
Tn. Lord put it in my way TO learn long
ago, that we cannot eat poetry, or art. or sun
beams; and yet l hold it true, now and al
ways that life without these things is shorn
OF more than half its value"
Coming from business man Of Mr.. Peck's
position this testimony in reference to the
need of things that feed the spirit and mind
is of great Importance.
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Why Competitor Makes Money.

That's just what I've done. only worse.
least a dozen times today he said. - You
see they don't stand to pay for an ounce or
two more than you cut ard they'd kick like
steers IL you asked one OF them to pay full
pound price for even fifteen and a half
ounces
But YOU are competing with another
merchant who has the accurate cheese cut
ter" at which the new merchant drew a long
face.
Yet this Is only an incident in this concrete
example OF the unframed man in an un-
familiar business.
discovered that his whole idea Of da y OF
good business was baSd upon his sales.
Time and again. rather than have customer
go to the spite store in the woodhouse, he
had cut his prices to the woodshed levels.
selling at a loss AS to comprehension OF
profits as a whole, the man hasn't the slight
est method OF reaching It. He has not estab
Iished even a double entry system OF book
keeping
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Lacks knowledge Of Business;
Blames Failure to Competition.
By HOLLIS w. FIELD.

tive form. Were any billion dollar COM
bination in the United States In the same
position as was the woodshed grocer in this
fight for determination of the weekling
store. federal grand jury might have had
the facts brought before It. AS IT was-and
as 1t still is-the story Is only Of neighbor-
hood import, furnishing gossip In an aside
while many of the gossipers are making hay
in the sunshine Of the woodshed merchants
spite.
As to the position Of this former freight
agent who has become keeper Of a general
store, however, even without tho unexpected
handicaps which he is facing, his unpre-
paredness for his work is a still greater
handicap. unless he shall learn On several
occasions have met him IN his store. One
time he may be buoyant and hopeful; at
another time he is blue and anticipating
failure. Why? Because he is engaged in a
business of which he knows nothing.
For example. he told me one day that his
sales of the day before had been $25. and he
was correspondingly elated.
= 4
No Time to Figure Profits.
What were your profits for the day." 1
asked.
Well, he hadn't had the time TO figure
that. lie wasn't busy at the time. and 1
suggested that We look into the days sales
for some indications of profits. Yes, he had
the record of the sales and OF the com
modIties sold, but he didn't have the cost
prices Of the stuffs for the rea son that a grain
man, two doors away, was allowing him use
of a safe for keeping his papers, and the
grain man had gone home for the eveadng.
As We talked a farmer came in for some
purchases Among other thinss the ia rTner
wanted a pound OF cheese. The new mer-
chant was awkward with the all-purpose
knife with which he sliced of the cut. He
put the cheese on the scales and It tipped to
full nine ounces.
We'll" he exclaimed. g thought I was
cutting that a Httle light: would you like to
have me cut another piece?"
%, no: don't bother" returned the Gus
toner: thatn do for this time. But why
don't you get a cheese cutter like Jones at
the other store? He can cut a pound Of
cheese to a hair line
The stcrekeeper was embarrassed for an
answer and remarked that his customer
might have the nine ounces OF cnesse at the
half pound price. When the customer was
gone l spoke OF the incident Of the cheese
which was priced at 5 cents a pound.
I've been cutting cheese a little over
weight all day" he said. and in trying to
cut that piece closer. I cut 1t too close"
But YOU gave him full ounce more than
he paid for, suggested.
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Waiting for Coin to Rattle.

Down In Indiana a few days ago was par
ticularly anxious to make connections for
another town or IT would mean my losing
half a day. / had ordered my trunks out
OF the hotel at least two hours before time.
As / took the bus to the depot 1t was rain
ing heavily. / found my trunks weren't
there. i spoke to the bus driver-a Hg.
burly feliow-about it. but he gave me no
satisfaction whatever.
Time went on and my train was about due
The bus driver wasn't interested In my case
at ALL He had some sort Of excuse because
my trunks had not come along, but It was
lame one and 1t was given to me In q most
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Old Chair Put
Him in Business.
By PAUL KELLER.

"A CHAIR, not plain, every day chair.
~ but a chair with a personality, was
~ what woke Edwards up and started
him in pursuit of hobby that eventu-
ally led to his own shop and a COM
petence.
Edwards had been pesging away for years
in the shipping department Of a chair factory
at a small wage and in a semi-comatose state
Of content He had not come into actual con-
tact with the factory's product, which was
Of an ordinary grade, and the idea of chairs
as a subject Of deep and thorough study
never entered his mind.
One evening, on his way home. Edwards
met an old friend who remarked that he
had seen advertised for sale at a country auc-
ton a fiddle back chair. Edwards had a
strong desire to know something about fiddle
back chairs. The feeling grew 20 upon him
that he obtained leave Of absence for the
afternoon of the auction sale. He managed
to bid the chair in for SO. which seemed a big
price.
why" said one farmer, We have one like
it over in our loft that was left when We
bought the farm"
Would you sell it?'' asked Edwards.
Il guess you might as well have it. and
there $ an old clumsy chair in the attic. You
can have that, too. for 81" the man said.
Edwards secured the chairs and made ar
rangements to have them delivered at his
home He looked up all kinds OF literature
pertaining TO chairs, and found that there
were indeed chairs Of high and low degree Of
individuality.
Edwards has his own shop now. From
chairs he branched out to acquiring other
pieces Of old furniture. refnishing and SELL
ing them at fancy prices to people in dis
tant cities, for he is known far and wide
as a collector and an authority on antique
furniture.
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Should Be Able to Buy Store.

lie ought to have money enough to buy
his store when he finally finds it. He pos
sibly might find some one VINO 10 willing to
assist him in starting his own business pro-
vidins ne has two-thirds or three -fourrhs OF
the capital essential to open a new or take
over an established store. But speaking
from the standpoint Of intimate knowledge
of such Affairs. he ought to thank any one
VINO has judgment enough to refuse to permit
him TO commit commercial suicide by trying
10 start on less than the amount have stated.
The Ete chosen. the young man should
study his town and loca ton as he never be-
fore has studied anything He should ascer-
tain beyond peradventure whether the trade
in the town he has selected is transient or
residential. Another important question he
should seriously consider is whether ne ex-
poets TO count on employees Of large factory
that may shut down. or those Of railroad
shops that may be moved to other towns
or that may find it necessary to lay OF some
Of their skilled labor.
And there are innumerable other features
into which he should probe before investing
his money In his own store.
Is the town growing toward. him or away
from him!
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16

Cam he count on the phyeicians and do these
doctors prescribe or dispense?
HiseIpense account disappearing expenses,
aside from replenishing his stock, ought not
to exceed 20 per cent of the sales. and tha;
percentage should include a liberal allow
ance Tor the unexpected. For, contrary TO
the general idea, the drug business is done
on comparatively small margin Of profit.
h Il
Annual Inventory Essential.
The amount Of credit We could consoi-
entiously extend tails young man would be
based rather more on the moral hazard than
upon the amount Of money he possessee.
We would, OF course demand a letter from
bis bankers showing that he had on deposit
a sufficient amount TO warrant the extending
of credit. He would be advised to meet our
regular terms of all bills payable in thirty
days. 1t doesn't take a student OF character
to determine satisfactorily whether or not
the young man is going to make good
would feel safe in opening accounts with
some men cor almost unlimited, credit; TO
some others l would give little leeway
base my judgment on the moral hazard.
The young man will not be in buslne. - long
before he discovers that proprietorship
brings with it responsibilities that the mere
clerk rarely dreams OF. A man may be an
accomplished pharmacist and fail as a drug
gist. He may know his profession. but not
his business. There is a distinction which
experience alone will teach him to draw.
The new retail druggist cannot know his
business without taking an inventory con-
scientiously and taking II annually-an in
ventory not Of his stock alone but of what he
owes. what he has. and what he is. He
always should bear in mind that credit Is one
OF his most invaluable assets and that his
credit is earned not alone by the amount Of
his name In . banking institution but by
his industry, his reputation. and his habits.
both commercial and personal.
He should beware Of buying too much be-
cause OF an attractive price. Above all, he
should guard against owing many small
accounts. Overstocks and the unexpected
total OF small debts have put many good
man out OF business. Conservative buying
and the gain Of discounts through meeting
his obligations promptly help swell his bank
balance.
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16

the nervy ones of this craft II is worth a
tip 10 have him finally outside the door
] have heard these boys converse with one
another in the hallway on different occasions
when my transom has been open, and know
to a certainty that they have us all cata-
logued among themselves. OF course the
hotel help is employed in many instances
with the understa nding that the bulk of their
pay Is to come out ofthe travelling man, and
nothing better can be expected.
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Competition Right from Start.

His first real experiences as a merchant.
however began to come soon and fast upon
him.
Unfortunately for the new merchant. the
tack-of-allIrades who had been disappolnt-
ed as a bidder had both money and credit.
Nursing his soreness, this disappointed one
rshabilitated . woodhouse on his home
premises q short distance up the street.
decorated the interior, put I'm a counter and
fixtures. and opened up third competing
a. store" The manner in which he arranged
competition. too, would have done credit
to any billion dollar trust in christendom.
His credit was good. as a first considera-
tIon. That OF the former freight agent had
yet to be established. The woodhouse store
could buy on the longest possible time. or its
proprietor could buy and receive the maxi
mum discount for cash. Whichever plan
the woodhouse store proprietor adopted. the
result was that virtually everything which
he crowded into his store was marked for
sale at only a shadow above the wholesale
cost.
In the comfortable little store in which the
freight agent had invested his minimum of
cash and his maximum OF interest bearing
money at per cent, his cash had 10 accom-
pany every order He got his cash dis
count, but he found he had difficulty in get
ting his goods
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
SCIENCE NOTES.

Great Britain's textile mills employ more
than l.OOo. o.OO0 persons
Books will not become yellow IL the pages
be exposed to sunlight occasionally.
Kentucky and Pennsylvania produce near
ly all the camel coal mined in the United
States.
The worlds largest wireless station b pro-
jected for Wales. where convenient noun
tains will enable the antenne to be erected
2.S0O feet above sea level
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Where Men Find Relaxa ton.

Every man likes to get out of himself, and
every man will do SO either in high or a low
Uav. and often. One man may watch the
birds and find that no one other thing gives
kim such mental rest. such complete for
getfulness Of care and responsibility.
Another goes a-fishing, because wind and
weather and the chances OF sport and the
contest with an intelligence of entirely diff
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
How to Open Retail Drug Store;
Caution in Site and Purchase.
By JAMES w. MORRISON.
president Morrison. Plummer L Co.

- EMERALD advice to young man wish
ing to start drug store Of his own?
II Much would depend upon the young
~ man himself There are men and
men in the drug business. many OF
whom would find It more profitable to leave
the prescription counter and embark upon
some line Of endeavor for which they possi-
bly, would be far better fitted. wouldn't
want to undertake to advise any ambitious
young man as to the best methods to pursue
TO become his own boss IN the retail drug
business unless I irst studied the young man
and learned his qualifications
The question of general advice to the young
man who desires to open his own retail
store bears . strong family resemblance TO
advice on marriage in general. Until your
young man has found his store or his girl
TO advise him would be wasted energy, for
there are about as many kinds of drug stores
az there are marriageable young women,
and about as many varieties of desirable
ones. What might be words Of wisdom 20
the man who starts a pharmacy with 4 bac-
THEOLOGICAL laboratory would be rankest
folly for him who is 10 run thinly disguised
ss ndwich emporium.
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Theatrical Folk Immune.

a. But is the travelling man the only one who
is held mp in this manner" You may ask
To which must reply that he is the big VIC
tim. Theatrical folk are known as a class
who will not tip. They know that they will
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Appeals to Imagina ton.

in sreaking ofSworks of art:
Those mastery efforts OF genius which
at once kindle the whole soul and force it
into sudden and irresistible appreciation.
The great end Of art is TO strike the lima gina
ton"
Art has its boundaries, but ina gina tion has
none What the work of art inspires NAV
be greater, at any rate for the man inspired
than the work of art itself. The seeing Of
great picture may do for man what the
reading OF great poem will do for him. The
effect of the works of Michael Angelo has
been compared to that felt by a great man
who said of his reading of Homer that his
whole frame appeared TO him enlarged, and
all nature which surrounded him to be dimin-
Ished to atoms"
Again 1t has been authorita atively said that
all arts have means within them Of apply
ing themselves With success both 10 the In
tellectual and sensitive parts OF our ma
lures"
When a ma ton becomes great and powerful
II IL sure 10 become a promoter OF the arts.
When a man gains opulence and power b. -
almost sure TO desire to be known as among
the lovers and judges OF the arts. When a
nation or its head becomes great. learned,
polite-and commercial: 1t takes money to be
an art patron-the arts flourish The truest
elegance and refinement are expressed only
through the arts, and are universally the last
effect OF opulence and power.
# the business man or the worker could
realize it. the best models of untiring In
dustry through century after century have
been the great artists. They spent years Of
unremitting industry TO perfect their tech
nical skill and to raise their minds to q high
plane of vision.
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16

- De MAY see streaming through the
art galleries Of our great cities, es-
wv pecially on a Sunday, motley
throngs Of people, many In but the
poorest garments and Of the most
ungroomed appearance. But the minute we
mention art We seem to be talking Of some
thing that is above the heads Of the multi
tude, something that belongs to the few,
something that only the few can appreciate.
What, then. do these throngs at free public
exhibitions mean? II the pictures Of the
galleries do not belong to these people, the
whole people, to enjoy, if these visitors can
not appreciate what is before their eyes, what
are they there for? If objects of art. statues.
bas reliefs. architectural monuments do not
interest them, why do they stand before them
in rspt attention. forgetful of all else in the
world? If they have not those two fine fac
uties of the mind. imagination and sensibil
ity. to which the artist addresses himself.
why should they subject their eyes. the win
6ows of the mind and soul, to this trial? II
these works OF art are TOO fine for their COM
prehension. too elevated in subject for their
understanding, what does their interest in
them signify?
1t signifies for one thing that when men
are not depraved they yearn for the things
tHat raise them up. that bring elevation of
mind and spirit. 1t signifies thatmen do not
step higher by means of things that are mere
ly on their level, but by those TO which they
can raise their minds.
Then there are those who hold thu belief
you must come down to the intelligence Of
the masses II you would influence them. The
artist cannot do this for II he does his work
10 not art. He must ork out the highest that
Is in him by the perfected means Of long
disripine, and what he represents, in marble
or on canvas. is not something that he alone
can understand. He has expressed. because
he has been trained to express, nothing be-
yond what the majority of man can conceive.
dimly perhaps. though they lack entirely the
power TO express what they can see.
The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
Extreme Caution Urged.

If the young man has turned his thoughts
to establishing himself in his own store In
small town, the best word can give him
would be to earnestly advise him to wait.
] would tell him TO be cautious in the ex-
trems and not to- take the first alluring offer
that presents itself. Most Of US are born i'm
patient. and wei too prone to accept chance
for opportunity. As a consequence the ma
jority Of US are not always satisfied with
what we succeed in getting. No mathemati-
clan ever could compute the valuable time
a great many Of US have spent in the pursuit
of the elusive.
The young man who has been thrifty and
saved his money should first determine in
his own mind just where he desires to open
his store. He should avoid Chicago. for the
field already Is far too overcrowded. He
should choose . smaller town-one with
which he believes he could be in accord. II
he first would seek employment as clerk
in a desirable store in a pleasant location.
such time would be advantageously spent.
Having become acquainted with the resi-
dents Of the town and having acquired a
knowledge Of the proper conduct of drug
store through personal application, he then
would be qualified to seek to become the pro-
prietor Of his own establishment. In short.
the experience will be worth even more than
money-and he II apt to need both.