Part 13 (1/2)

”Boys, shall we all go in?” said Woody.

”I'm not very hungry,” spoke up Leonard, ”I took luncheon pretty late today. I think I'll wait a little bit unless you all are in a hurry.”

”You know what you were telling me about running your compet.i.tor into a bank around the corner,” spoke up a necktie man, ”goes to show this: That you must have a man's attention before you can do business with him. I really believe that your friend, Woody, would have done business if he hadn't struck his man at the busy time of day. I know that I can usually do business if I get a man when his mind is easy and I can get him to look at my goods.

”But I b.u.mped into the hardest proposition the other day that I've put my shoulder against for a long time. There's a merchant that I call on, over near Duluth, that is the hardest man to get into a sample room I ever saw. I have been calling on him for several seasons but I couldn't get him away from the store. Once he had a clerk that stole from him and after he got onto this fellow he never leaves the store unless one of his own sons is right there to take his place. Even then, he doesn't like to go out, and he only does so to run up home and back right quickly for a bite to eat. I had sold him a few little jags by lugging stuff in and was getting tired of this sort of business. I wanted either to get a decent order or quit him cold. It is all very good, you know, to send in one or two little jags from a new man, but the house kicks and thinks you are n. g. if you keep on piking with the same man.

”This time, I went into his store and said to myself, 'Well, if I can't get this old codger to go down to my sample room, I'm not going to do any business with him at all.'

”When I went into his store I shook hands with him and offered him a cigar. He said, 'Vell, I vont smoke dis now. I lay it avay.'

”If there is anything on earth that makes me mad it is to offer a cigar to a merchant or a clerk who, in truth, doesn't smoke, and have him put it aside and hand it to somebody else after I have left town; but, you know, you b.u.mp into that kind once in a while.

”The old man was back in the office. He shook hands pretty friendly, and said, 'How's peezness?'

”'Best ever,' said I. It's always a good thing to be cheerful. All traveling men who go around the country saying that business is poor ought to be knocked in the head. Even if they are not doing a great deal, they should at least say, even in the dullest of times, that business might be a 'lot worse.' It's these croakers on the road who really make business dull when there is every reason for it to be good. I never kick and I don't think any up-to-date man will.

”Well, sir, when the old man had asked me how business was and I'd told him that it was strictly good, I went right square at him. I said: 'Now, look here, Brother Mondheimer, I have been selling you a few goods right along and you've told me that they were satisfactory, but I haven't been doing either myself or you justice. I want you, this time, to come right down with me and see what a line of goods I really have. My stuff is strictly swell. The patterns are up-to-date and I've styles enough to line the whole side of your house. Now, don't let me run in with just a handful of samples and sell you a little stuff, but come down and give me a square chance at a decent order.'

”'Dot's all ride,' said he, 'but I can't get avay. I must stay hier.

Ven cost'mers com in, somebody must be hier to vait on 'em.'

”'That's all right,' said I, 'but all your clerks are idle now. There isn't a customer in the store. Things are quiet just now. Suppose you come on down with me.'

”'No, I can't do dot,' said the old man. 'I'd like to but I can't.

Von't you breeng op a leedle stoff?'

”I didn't answer his question directly, but I said, 'Now, look here, Brother Mondheimer, suppose a man were to come into your store and want to buy a good suit of clothes. How much profit would you make?'

”'Aboud fife tollars,' said he.

”'Well, how long would you, yourself, spend on that man, trying to make a sale with him?'

”'Vell, I vood nod led him go until I solt him,' said he.

”'All right,--by the way--', said I. 'Can you give me two tens for a twenty?'

”He handed me out two ten dollar gold pieces.

”'Here' said I, slapping down one of the slugs and shoving it over to him, 'Here's ten dollars for ten minutes of your time. That's yours now,--take it! I've bought your time and I dare you come down to my sample room. If you do, I'll make that ten back in less than ten minutes and you'll stay with me an hour and buy a decent bill of goods.'

”Well, sir, the old man wouldn't take the ten--but he did get his hat and he's been an easy customer ever since!”

”Second and last call for dinner,” called the dining car boy again.

”Guess this is our last chance,” spoke up one of the boys. Then, stretching a little, we washed our hands and went in to dinner.

CHAPTER IX.