A Man of Samples | Page 9

in Ohio had a man in Illinois selling shears in this way. In one town he sold the dry-goods man a case, at 45 per cent, off retail prices, and gave him the exclusive sale of the town, and then sold a hardware man across the street at 50 per cent, discount, and gave him the exclusive sale. When each party opened up his stock and made a display they soon discovered how the land lay, and, furthermore, the way in which the dry-goods man swore when he saw the other's bill at so much less than his, would have made your hair stand up. He boxed up these goods and sent them back by express, and I thought he did right."
I went down to my hotel and sat a while in the smoking-room. There were several traveling men there, and they seemed to be very much interested in some "she," but I was never a good hand at making acquaintances, and I made no effort here, but went to my room and soon fell asleep, to dream all night about selling goods at 100 per cent profit. The next morning I was out bright and early to see Jewell & Son. The clerk said neither of the firm was in, so I made myself as pleasant to him as I could, and posted myself as to the goods the house was handling, and the prices they were paying. By and by the elder Jewell appeared, and as I introduced myself he said:
"Gun men are plenty to-day; my son has just gone to the hotel with a Mr. Blissam to look at his goods."

CHAPTER V.
When I found that Blissam was ahead of me, notwithstanding my being out so early, I felt as if I should be glad to get away from him as soon as I could. He was altogether too numerous for me. He had told me he wasn't going to cut prices, and I was very sure I did not want to do it, but I made up my mind I was going to get my share of the trade, cut or no cut.
I began with talk to Mr. Jewell about a single-barrel breech-loader our house was controlling, and quoted it at $7.20, sixty days.
"Is that the F. & W. gun?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Why, Blissam quotes that at $7."
The deuce he did! Yet he was the boy that didn't intend to cut.
"Was his price net?"
"No, two off, ten days."
"Well, that brings them $6.86. We make 5 off in case lots, bringing them down to $6.84, and there is 2 off that, ten days."
This was so mighty close to what the goods were costing us that I felt like crying as I made the figures; but my back was up, and I didn't propose to let Blissam walk over me, even if he was from Philadelphia.
Mr. Jewell was a very pleasant man to meet. He had no hobbies, no crotchets. He was as pleasant with me as if I was buying instead of trying to sell to him. This is a pretty good test of a man. One that meets a strange traveling man pleasantly and gives him a patient hearing is bound to be pleasant and kind-hearted clear through.
I gave him quotations on revolvers and cartridges, and tried to get him to say he would not order of Blissam till I saw him again; but he would not promise, for the reason, he said, that his son might even then be buying at Blissam's room. Still, he said, it was the son's custom to do no more than make a memorandum at the hotel and give the order after consulting him.
I then started off to see Billwock, and squeeze some money out of him. His wife and seven children (or more) were there, but no Billwock. Where was he?
He was down getting a boat ready to go fishing with Mr. Blissam that afternoon, she said.
Confound Blissam!
Had Mr. Billwock left any word for me?
"Nein; not ein wort."
I found where he was and started for him. He wasn't at all pleased to see me; in fact he didn't seem to care whether I had gone from Rossmore or not.
"Going fishing?" I asked. "Yes; I dakes a leetle fish."
"Don't you need some goods?"
"No; I dinks not."
"How about money? Haven't you got some for me?" "Not a tollar now. You see I pay Plissam last night ery tollar I haf."
"Why didn't you divide?"
"It was not wort' w'ile."
"But I must have some money; your account is long past due and we need it."
"W'at you do? I got no money, I told you."
"You must get some. I don't care how you get it or what you do, but I must have $50 to-day." "Well; if I get it I gif it you."
"But you are