Title: John Martin's clerks
Description: This a wonderful little book that was written as a training book for merchants.  It has a lovely and engaging story plot surrounding clerks, management and owner (John Martin) in a dry goods store.  Much of the lessons that the clerk's 'learn' stems from the Golden Rule - treating customers as you would want to be treated.  Oh, and best of all the good guy (steady and honest) ends up with the pretty and smart girl!  It turns out that Frank Farrington was THE writer of his day for this type of book.  I found old records on the internet where Merchants' Helps Publishers were swallowed up by Byxbee Publishing when Mr. Farrington moved his business to Byxbee.  He wrote a number of of very big sellers...the world of business books at the start.  Wonderfully fun to discover.
Subjects: business book, merchants, retail, customer service, management by golden rule
Places: central part of New York State, Millerton, NY
Time periods: 1907