Putnam patriot., 1929-11-14
UNIQUE BUSINESS
 ON TOP OF THE HILL
Self Service Customer Also Acts As His Own Cashier
 And Bookkeeper


 self service as Co helping oneself Co the merchandise displayed but the payment for merchandise taken left ! Co the honesty of each individual customer? Such a business is unique and an outstanding venture Co bring a cash return to the individual who sponsors 1t. person never seen by the customer who makes a selection from the stock of edibles in a little cupboard on the Hill Top.
 When friends told of visiting the Top of the Hill and selecting such merchandise as they desired, deposit ing the money to pay for the select ions without being greeted by the own CT of the business, without even sec ing anyone about the vacant let where the goods are kept for sale. curiosity was aroused.
 On a bright Sunday morning q few weeks ago a friend took us Co the Hill Top in Dudley and there We found conditions just as our friends told us we would.
 While there may be more direct ways of reaching the beautiful spot our course was north through Fab van. to Dudley and up the hill toward Dudley Academy. Just as the east corner of the academy grounds are reached an interseeting country road leads down Co the left. We use down" adyisedly for there IS a steep incline into a valley. Down. down. and down one drives the car. with brakes taxed and squeaking. before the bot tom of the long hill is reached. After [ .H hundred yards the ear is headed up- ward Then 1t is up, up. up, to the Top of the Hill.
 The Best View
 X neatly painted arrow points into vacant lot to inform one that here is the best view obtainable. North ward one looks down on Dudley Ac- ademy. itself on a high hill, but far overtopped by the Hill Top Of to the southwest nestles the city of l Southbridge Church spires loom up l in the distance at many points. The panorama of parts of Connecticut and Massachusetts stretches out be- fore the eye in distances impossible to estimate.
 Not far from the entrance Co the pasture one spies a small. roughly made, cupboard. Opening it's unlock ed door discloses an assortment of ! jellies. preserves, pickles and some jars of tempting salted peanuts. i large. crisp and brown. Each piece of merchandise is neatly labeled denot- ing the contents and the price. On one of the shelves is little brown book. Open this and the secret of the business method of the invisible pro prieter is disclosed. Names of people from far and near appear in this little cash hook, for such it is. Oppo- site each name and address is written the item that was selected by the visitor and the price paid for 1t.
 We made three selections, two jars of jelly and one Of salted pea nuts. set our names down in the cash book, recorded our purchases and the amount of each, and deposited the cash beside the book which we again laid upon the shelf before closing the cupboard door. And so a mercantile transaction was accomplished by the buyers only.
 Proprietor III
 There were one or two neatly writ, ten messages tackled up. One told of the illness of the proprietor. this be- ing the reason why the stock was not more complete. One informed the purchaser that the product of the in- visible maker had taken prizes at country fairs. Another informed the reader that aprons and other articles not interesting to men, might be ob- tained by calling al the farm house an eighth of mile distant.
 How long this unique business has been carried on we do not know. Nor do we know how late in the season 1t is continued We do know that it Is worth an effort to visit the place for the view from the Top of the Hill is one of the finest in this section. It is also pretty well assured that if the visitor opens the little cupboard, and sees the tempting display he will be- come an immediate customer. Not only are the articles in stock attrac- tive but the thought of being ones own clerk and cashier as well as GUS toner holds an appeal.
 l One can net help but wonder what the proprietor of this business is like. ] She must have every confidence in the honesty of humanity. We believe it safe to say that she has never lost a penny in a business in which full trust is placed in the customer. Any one who would betray her confidence would indeed be a depraved creature. Is she little motherly looking wom- an in a white cap? We do not know. Is she just the hard working house wife ambitious to make few extra dollars? She may be- When you are on the Top of the Hill and see this little store and the way the business is conducted. back of it all one pie t,rae .,, ,snuauai character