A Man of Samples | Page 7

twice as readily the next time. I like to get him down in my
order book even though it is for some very trifling thing, because of the
influence it will have on the future.
I went to the hotel, copied off my orders, and mailed them, feeling that
I had done extra well, and then sauntered leisurely to the depot. On the
train a man behind me heard me ask the conductor about Rossmore.
He leaned over and asked, "Are you selling goods?"
"Yes."
"Then we'll go to Rossmore together. What line are you in?"
"Guns and revolvers."
"The devil you are! So am I."

CHAPTER IV.
I didn't fancy going to a town with a competitor. I have now been on
the road a good many years, and I do not fancy it to-day. If I can get in

there one train ahead of him I will strain every nerve to do it, but rather
than go in on the same train I would hang back and let him have the
first "go" at the town and take my chances for what he leaves.
When two men selling the same goods are in a town together the
dealers usually take advantage of it. They tell the first man that they
may want this or that, "if they can buy it right," and, after getting his
price, say he can come in later. He knows very well that this means his
competitor is to be consulted also, and he must have a very stiff
backbone indeed if he does not cut his own prices at once.
So when my neighbor on the train told me he also was going to
Rossmore and was selling guns and revolvers, I felt my courage ooze
out of my fingers. He handed me a card, with a good-natured smile, and
I read:
SHIVERHIM & GAILY, Philadelphia.
I don't like to hand out a card as an introduction of myself to other
traveling men, so I told him my name and that of my house, and we
considered ourselves acquainted.
"Is this your first trip?"
Now, why in thunder should he have asked that? Did I look different
from other traveling men? I felt as if he showed very bad taste in asking
such a question and I made a note to never do it unless I wanted to be
mean. But I told Blissam (that was his name) that it was my first trip.
"Then you'll find Rossmore a tough place to tackle."
I said we had three customers there.
"So have we; so has every dealer that ever went there. They buy a
handful of goods of everybody, and they buy most goll-darned cheap.
They'll lie to you until your head swims. First, there's Fisher; keeps an
eating room on the main floor and gun store upstairs. I'll go in and
quote him Remington guns at $36, when you call he'll ask your price; if

you say $36, he'll tell you that you're high, and he'll break you down in
spite of yourself."
"But when a fellow gets to the bottom he's got to stop," said I.
"Oh, there's no bottom to guns. It's the meanest business in the world,
and it used to be the best. In '70-'73 I could make big profits as easy as
a duck swims, but now it's all glory. I sold Simmons a bill of $600 last
week, and made exactly eighteen dollars.
"Oh, well," said I, "you can't expect to make much on Simmons, but
there are lots of places where you do make a good profit now."
"No, sir; it can't be done. Say, are you going to cut prices much at
Rossmore?"
"Not at all, if I can help it. I'm out on the road to make money, and not
to show big sales. But I'm afraid your house will overshadow mine."
"Oh, that's all nonsense; people don't go a cent on houses any more;
prices are what tell. I'll introduce you."
Not much. No competitor of mine ever introduced me or ever shall. I
prefer to introduce myself in my own time and way.
We reached Rossmore about 7 o'clock in the evening. Blissam took it
for granted that I was going to the Everett House, but my hotels had
been fixed for me by our old traveling man, and he had instructed me to
go to the Forest; a cheaper house, but in all other respects equal to the
other. I was rather glad, too, that we were not going to the same house.
Be ever so sociable with a competitor, still the fact remains that he is a
competitor, and his success means your failure. Under such
circumstances a man must be less interested in his business than I was
to