Year: 1869

fact it is useful time and thought which
is spent con idering how to do it.


We are called a nation of traders
We were traders when in olden time we
traded or gave up in exchange one kind
of goods for another.


There is but little of this business now
done, we sell now more thanwetrdde, j. e.,
we place value in money upon some
article which we wish to dispose Of, and
then seek for person who will give us
that price. We leave this view of trad
ing to consider the matter of TASK and
take" which is known as shopping"


Webster defines shopping TO be the "act
of frequeDting shops" and shops he says
are "places where anything is sold," mind
he does not say traded.


Now we begin to understand one an
other.


1t is shopping that we are after. Those
people who frequent our stores daily,
looking about and asking to see goods,
prefacing the request "to see" with the
remark, "we do not intend to purchase,
but we brought our friend Cor we came,)
to see what pretty goods you have. This
class is very numerous. Store after store
employs two or three pleasant, willing
and afable clerks to wait on these "look-
ers to see, what the store contains. AS
they have an influence with some other
parties who do want to buy, they must
be accommodated and treated kindly,
lest they walk out of the doors, shaking
not only the dust off their feet, but con-
tempt and scowls from curled lips and
indignant faces.


And now, there is another class, too
large by far, who consider it a point of
skill to try the patience and pride of the
one who attends upon it. We Ameri-
cans are boastful of our keenness and
! judgement. Immediately upon seeing
a piece Of goods, the customer of this
class of which we are, begins to criticise
it. Too often we all forget to consider
what is the meaning of the word critic.
How many remember to "fnd out the
merits Of thing considered?' How
much oftener do we seek to find the
faults of everything? Our customer
Immediately begins to seek for faults
In return, why should not the merchant
endeavor to turn every attention to the
beauties only Thus both sides are soon
engaged in deep game. This is not
trading. 1t is contest of wits, as con-
Germs an article under consideration. The
merchant has placed value of dollars
and cents on the wares-the customer
does not exhibit in turn an articlefor ex-
change. He or she holds in handa purse
of money of already fixed value. Both
know exactly how much that money is
worth. 1t is not as though the customer
offered an article for exchange which had
been contrived or made by his or her in
dividual skill or patient labor. In this
case it would be a proper and pleasing
strife or competition of wit and brains.
The wants of both would Immediately


determine the value.


If we return to the first conception OF


the transaction, the effort of the mer.
chant to present the beauties of his goods,
as against the depreciating efforts OF the
buyer, we have an exhibition of more
than half the daily labors of our stores
But few customers say frankly to the
) merchant when they visit, 81 am in search
i of such an article" naming as nearly as
possible the thing, "and wish your judg
ment and taste to help me find it," We
do not believe that an obliging customer


such as we describe, will ever be cheated


knowingly by man who cares for hi


good name as q man. The word implies
/ too much worth and character to be solo
. for petty bargain for few dollars.
t Let sharpers go and meet sharpers
/ but good customers seek good merchant
i and very soon look into a store by {
+ stranger to it will be sure guide as t.
! !, whether the proprietor can be trusted o
!. ! not.


Many time we have seen wear,


merchant after patient humoring o
the impertinent and ignorant criticism


of his goods, turn at bay and offer som
9 article at far less than the cost, to tr,
: whether the man or woman, whom he j
! showing, does know bargain when Of
( fered. No, the customer don't know
q enough of what he or she asks for t
y y recognize it even though lying under hi
p p or her hand, and disdains it because il


thought wise and smart to declare it wa
inferior to his or her appreciation. Poo


fools both, the merchant to stand th
imposition and the customer to stand o


his wit.


y The days are coming when goo
il merchant will not allow many of the n
4. marks to be made Of his wares which al