Tales of the Road

are his samples. His enemy is his competitor. He figh

e lives of other men and the success of his country; but he does have at stake-and every day-his

rp practice with his customer; another time he will fight shrewdly against his competitor. Sometimes he must cajole the man who wishes to do business with him and at the same time, especially when his customer's credit

he is on a trip. On every train every night are told tales of the road which, if they were put in type, would make a book of compelling interest. The life of the traveling man has such variety, su

w. My old customer had quit the town. He couldn't make a 'stick' of it somehow. I had been selling him exclusively for so long that I thought I was queered with every other merchant in the town. But the season after my customer Hodges left there, much to my surprise, two men wrote into the house saying they would like to buy my goods. My stuff had always given Hodges' customers satisfaction.

tid bits. Both of them were new in the town, one of them having moved into Hodges' old stand. I said to myself that I didn't wish to do business with either one of these pikers. 'I'll see if I can't go over and square myself w

. Pretty soon afterwards I heard one of them say: 'Well, Andy, as you want to get away in the morning, I'll fall in after you clo

to get out of the way. The boys, you know, especially the old timers, are mighty good a

as a good fellow but he had lots to learn. He trailed right along after Andrews as if he had been a dog led by a string. He stood around up in the office for a few minutes without having anything to say. Had he been an old-timer, you know, he would have made his speech and then moved out of the way. After a few

iness, get your stuff up and do it quickly. If he doesn't come to lo

ss I will,' said h

-a- half shirts if he would only get out of my way and give me a chance to talk business. Just about the time that Andrews wrapped up the shirt, back came the new man again, having had his trunks brought up to the hotel. I knew then that my cake was all dough. So I skippe

good deal better tonight after eight o'clock than any other time. I haven't put on a clerk yet and am here all alone. If you like, we'll get right at it and take sizes on what stock we have. Then you can get your supper and see me at eight o'clock and I'll be r

rritory makes a great big mistake. If I'd known that this man had been buying so many goods, I wouldn't have overlooked him. As it was, I came very near passing up the town. And I'll tell you another thing: A man never

ore again. The suspender man was still there. He had taken my tip and brought in some of his samp

that doesn't seem to satisfy him, and I'll give you a tip, too-you've been so kind to me-I heard him say to his buyer that he wasn't going to look you over. He said to let you come around a

I did thank the suspender man for the tip but I made up my mind that I was going to do business with Andrews a

bit out came Andrews, his buyer and my other traveling man friend. He asked me up with them to have cigars. He was wise. Only that morning we'd had to double up together in a sample room in the last town. We were pretty much crowded but were going to 'divvy' on the space. The boys, you know, are mighty good about this sort of thing; but when I went down the street I learned that my

his hat. As he dropped it on the cigar case, he rubbed his

, in a second, that it was a poor one. Getting the brim between my fingers, I said to Andrews, 'Why, yo

r. Then I gave the brim a few more turns, ripping it clear off the crown. In a

aid Andrews, as everybody

ck,-for my train and his left at 11:30. This would give plenty of time to do business with him if we had any business to do, as he was a quick buyer when you got him intereste

d I, 'but I'm not such a bad fellow, you know, and I want

on one and then the other. He finally said, 'I guess I'll ha

lot better than the one that you're buying from. If you think more of the babies of the man you are buying your hats from than you do of your own, stay right here; but if you

you one, old man

e I changed cars, he said, 'Well, good luck to you. I guess you'd

u landed the man that didn't want to buy your goods. The new man l

merchant for a good many years, but I could never get him interested. I went into his store one morning and got the usual stand-off. I asked him if he wo

'I'm sotisfite mit de line I haf. Sell 'em eesy und maig

headlines I read, "G

Chicago paper just as we were five steps from the door. What do you suppose stared me in the face? In big head lines I read: GREAT FIRE IN CHICAGO in big type. The paper also stated that flames were spreading toward my house. I at once excused myself and went down to the telegraph office to wire my house exactly where I wa

ll fake a telegram and see if I can't work my old German friend with it.' I wrote out a message to myself, 'All garmen

am I walked into the ol

oos?' s

e just received,' said I, ha

he old man, 'Vell dey g

ook ad yo

had laid out on one side of the sam

get rid of. When I got back to the old man's store, he was pacing the

iving me a chance to speak

saw. It didn't take me more than t

t on afterwards?" a

e bill had been shipped, and do you know, the old man got onto me and returned a big part of the bill. O

ially if he tries to find out things from you that he really hasn't any business to know. I was once over in Indiana. I had on me a pretty good line of six per cents. They were issued by

e was quite an old gentleman, always looking for a little inside on everything. I didn't wish to waste much time on the bankers before I'd taken a crack at the old man. I knew he'd just cashed in on some other bonds that he had bought from my firm and that he was probably open for another deal. I merely went over and shook hands with the bankers. One of them-the long winded one-asked me if I had a certain bond. I told him I didn't think I had,-that I'd 'phone

fretting inside to beat the band! My competitor saw me from the hotel porch. He came over and shook hands-you

he, 'you seem to be t

have been go

-but it had really been

nd eat,'

een in. I'll see you afte

n up. Pretty soon out came my competitor over into the park where I was. I knew that if he got his eyes on Reidy I would have to scramble for the old man's coin. So I managed to get him seated with his back tow

ything in town for me, W

old man's horse jogging s

o some business. I was in there this morning and they asked me for a certain kind of paper that I haven't any left of. If y

white horse and that I'd never get him to budge an inch until he had spoken with R

I hate to leave you out here all alon

nner, keeping his back toward that old white horse, and walked him around the corner to the

ding along the old man. Luckily he went down about a block to hitch his horse. I met him as he was

to go over here to the bank and talk to one of my f

d, 'I'll drop over there myself in a few minutes and have the papers all with me. We can fix the

the banker around the corner was long winded, it was about time for him to get through with Richards; but the old man went into the

" said he, "you seem to be t

ght. I want to run into the hotel a few minutes, if you'll excuse me, and get into my grip. Sa

bank door. I hit a pretty lively pace to get in where he was. By that time, he had investigated my bonds and found that he wanted them. I took his check and gave him a rec

old man's buggy was just crossing the bridge, out came R

ow is it the firm can afford to pay you to go around

take a lay-off once

get through so that I could go and see the other people where he was dickering. Pretty soon he came out and he was swearing mad. He said, 'I've been wrangling with these people for a

over and take a crack

passed out by old man Reidy's house, where he was, of course, too late. I went in where he had not been ab

l, Woody, you've got one coming on me. You weren't so idle

car," drawled out the white- aprone

we all go in?

ok luncheon pretty late today. I think I'll wa

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 str

he 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 f

ll, if I can't get this old codger to go down to my sampl

ith him and offered him a cigar. He said, '

r a clerk who, in truth, doesn't smoke, and have him put it aside and hand it to somebo

ice. He shook hands pretty frien

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 t

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 pat

d he, 'but I can't get

, somebody must be h

idle now. There isn't a customer in the store. Things

said the old man. 'I'

eeng op a le

Brother Mondheimer, suppose a man were to come into your store and

fe tollars

ourself, spend on that man, t

led him go until I

, said I. 'Can you give m

ut two ten doll

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,

the ten-but he did get his hat and h

for dinner," called th

one of the boys. Then, stretching a little