Show A collectors experience OF y HARD TIMES TIDIES y r q FORTHE for FOA forthe rhe the BY mare WARK EVELYN 14 AJ U 1 verily believe that the ilia plebeian occupation of electing the debts due a mercantile retail store Is I 1 I 1 hed bed host discouraging of all earthly employ empio y nitsa the vender of ol peanuts and one ce cent ut molasses corn balls at the thel bitae corners of the js eiris einis bu the park enjoys comparatively elysian ely slam siam rn aldre more particularly is it trying and disheartening 9 to 0 durl dun for or money during durin the tile present hard jimes limes shenone wh enOne short forenoons fore experience is to produce blues of the first degree in these littles when money is eo so hard to obtain by any customary method when banks will but sparingly discount when some men cannot possibly pay their debts and when some can but will not riot for sundry reasons one is they find it difficult to get what may be due them from others ind and another they experience a peculiar alon aion in knowing that they possess enough for any emergency and in n being able to sing the tune of hard phard times in their debtors ears many might pay before they do thereby allowing others to cancel their debts sooner and easier but nol noi no it is hard times I 1 am not to blame when others pay me ill pay my debts if any one would like an idea of hard times as a experienced by an humble bookkeeper book keeper and collector for a warehouse on washington street follow the record of a forenoons fore jaunt after the bariou various a debts due that establishment I 1 will nothing extenuate set down naught in malice a plain unvarnished calell tale taie ye YO merchants fittim sitting in your counting rooms easy chair awaiting awa itin the return of your collector in almost vain hope that lie he will succeed better than he did yesterday and whose ups and downs ili in obtaining portions of your money ye know but little pf af save bave perhaps by tha the dim reminiscences of tho iho triau of your clerkship salesmen with nothing to do thes these dull times that helped contract the debts but know nothing of the collecting all who wish follow it is a beautiful morning in january the sun bright and the air bracing and somewhat buoyant a lit tit in ili spirits and enlivened by the bustie bustling ing pan orama 0 of f life ilfe as seen about washington aglon st on such a morning we approach and enter down town with a handful I 1 of bills against various per hooges so oges amounting amoun ting ling to say five div hundred dollars here we stand in front of a magnificent edifice five or six stories high and occupied by numerous business firms and individuals what a sp splendid india building it is what massive granite blocks b e oc architecture unique the merchant doing business busness in such an enchanting seat of commerce certainly eelia ceita must be ili in t if fluent circumstances I 1 undoubtedly will the tile first presentation of the bill the first name oil on our list te to be bo dunned donned du nned is mr L 8 moody who keeps in this handsome building alt ait al theres his name one of th efim up in the fourth satorv Is mr moody loody in which mr moody dye want leisurely and crustily asks a clerk who perc perceives elves elvea our liand handful ful fui of bills therefore thinks us of but little importance i a nce nee 11 mr L LS S moody sir sit yes I 1 guess hes lies in ili the other room opening the ilia door and our beaver we enter titter and perceive through a dense depre mass of cigar smoke mr L SM S idy ody sitting at his desk busily engaged in ili smoking and writing Is this MrA mr ura moody loody yes my names moody you want to see seb I 1 me sir air yes sir bir ive called to see ifju if it is convenient to settle settie lord cos bill ff cf thirty seven dollars this t morning I 1 my aly dear sir sit are lord co in a failing condition di gi tion no sir sit im happy luppy to say they are not then dont ask me for any money I 1 dont ant pay bills unless people are in actual failing circumstances therea therefore fore my good sir sit cannot pay that small bill now out of all question good morning sir and we leave mr moody to enjoy his cigar jg dr without farther comment glad to escape the noisome atmosphere and down we vy w s go three bights fi of stairs with w atit our idea ae a of the rich and beautiful of that edifice at least feast its occupants one notch on the decline the next name is that of a gentleman who keeps on the street floor of the saine sama building banding andas reputed tole toha to ha very wealthy he certainly certainty will not refuse to pay this little bill of seventy three and a half dollars mr davidson ca can n you accommodate lord co with a settlement of their bill rendered on the first of the month no sir sit positively impossible to do that thie before oret the end of the month hard timi time timy add now wow my dear sin sir but yon you on jut just tell lord lorck co hut adt that they fean fear for their moner money I 1 cant pay now lint ilat b at they stati stall have it worn lone long tu we leave with our idea building somewhat on ihei he decline and cross crosa fiver to AT phen sms an eminent ino fro importer porter with mith a ark 9 11 il of seventy five fi a caits for repairs on oil at bouse boube lir clr take takes the bv 1 04 i turns it oer and over and says 1 I ion dan lon t anew 1 now anything gaoat this thissie bir str str sIr ill take it home and ask my wout it and if its right why ill send my mcboy bet bey up 7 ead aad pay iv 1411 leaving the wholesale wholes de mm und uni who is afraid tila ilia retail man is trying to cheat him kt ot of seyed y five fire cents for lor repairs on articles at his hig hou houes houss ilett arid arld bd on whom w 4 shall shail have flave 0 a o call again probably r a month hence iwucz to jog his hi ti memory lemory about the tho thane adje sije bill we io moe maire our exit U and und stop step into office 1 Is I mr wright hr I 1 y f no sir sin sir will you vou be kind enough to me meat at what hour boug lie he is in this is the fourteen tit til lima lime ilma I 1 have been here during the 14 list t fortnight hand land have never lever yet been able to see ht him bim i well hes lies in a while rit tit tam tb aud lied a while in thi he afternoon that itola fact his sn s n and out ali all tila ilia he time no particular titia limo lime to und him here 11 w thank ithane van W J fiery mbel abel the tailors k beeb eeb webe next we have bove a bill of sis ss 1 I sir sur air llie ilie partner which bas bag been arment sixth time 1 r f toad good load morning mr pyerce ae you here bete again cant nt pay y liml to aly vly possibly note to pay lo to marrow marrow chaloge cant eltiy atly money v but my dair dear sir sit you me 41 that trat you would pay today to day without wiLho tat fali falt I 1 I 1 11 ll did I 1 well weil then I 1 will but I 1 witia ld hadiat promised 1 I 1 mean to we cadir cans collect any of owr ot bills uteric uti I 1 hue re tt tb depend on u what hut but we sell cell da dally eally liy I 1 and wid that md enough I 1 assure you hastily attach attaching ing 1 our auto autograph eroh groh tb the boffl for fear he will find some reason reabon n for nat now ilow paying paring it we tal tai take tahe ce the dollar doliar and a balf half from the hands quietly pocket it tle tte pier pierce ca bood morning morning heartily glad that alve we shall not Z again ia have luave to clil ll 11 for that beel and receive rec eive elve no adt more in 0 tem ter of mr P s excuses 1 a next call la A upon mr drew who base hase has promised s d many times to kiy but hasneuer ha sneer ye t pa iii lei 9 word w I 1 mr drew ive called to settle bettle aies Ales sri t lord b id aco co s bill 10 have you indeed art arl sir cant do itt itt but you promised to sod sta yott must P ff i but icart I 1 cant sir sit no money I 1 11 rf I r ve very ry well I 1 shail shall not nol 0 sanie thine thing ing of more illa ilia than n my tend to your case good sir vi pek 1 I wish to see mr hodges hhodges 0 r my name sir i r can you conveniently settle ottle lord moo pofi 1 stair lir tir of twelve and a liala dollar I 1 no sir sit I 1 want to td see mr lord about aboul my uny bill hes lies charged clr cli arged me too much for f wa articles arii arli eles cles ill call up ansee ancee and see gee about it soon viyer ivera very well welt sir k 1 wf cg good mr frain I 1 find on iford goa book books sla sra a raft boril bill against you gr str well weli leave it lt cant pay today loday lo to roday day ill lil ine ice iti it mr edmands 1 will yon yom 36 3 6 please settle lo 10 ru co cos s bill toddy to I t f there I 1 forgot that bill left lefi I 1 it t at the house ill bring it down and haveit settled 1 V 1 I knue anuw know the exact et amount sir und and will give you a receipt in full it is just two dollars A pinn K a ahall hal f well a no a I 1 rather see the li ball il again atkaln first 1 1 I 1 not particularly grained at our cur success inns far well weli step into ait air abercromble Abercrom bles s no promised a fortnight ego ago ta pay lody loday lo today dy day wit ibler fait fai it t I 1 1 rth 1401 well mr mi abercrombie abercrom bie bic the stated damom ter tir arnad 91 1 yes ye sir sit but im to say sas say sas my my a ants auts dil are in chan chaa chancery cery found J t imossi ble tle to da any aff other otherl way ivay sir sorry borry but brt nevertheless eless A dirl d sow vow now yow weh diol drop into a a ad s and e quine quire how irowa the wil wll bl lih adest Mrs toms Coms 11 ll wll 1 01 heeps keeps deft a i blazing boarding bouef etsa arts aini albi th nt 1741 was pu 1 wo his lis ils hali hall habas for collection ani adf and there there as 1 that t lie tie lanriot get jet one cent ente every viry article yie fie 1 l ag ine lne ing to mrs air s collis wills being enort abed 1 I 1 I 1 rother lother another mall mail man odthe od on the same street owes twett twenty eight dollars collars and some soine cents 0 ff I 1 no cant clint pay tb 16 day dav sav pay it tile the gir fir of that month dont cate here again after it itu ity dil til pl 1 send it up never vas was dogged sa so about a dball kril hi I 1 I 1 my illy life but sir tir you ought to take lute inte anti inti consideration oration that ours is a cash business and that this work wore was ds done to accommodate you yon ou in a great hurry as us you sou ou had hd sick fickus sic kus nesa nesi in in your youn 5 our family wa we wedison isala pointed jointed other oilier customers for the sake of you husir ou sir sir cant help it cant pay till the first of the month no way leaving this ungrateful personage we call u upon p orl oil mr cloak cloah coakley ley who is i a lawyer and keeps up two lights bights in a 1 back office und and without t stretching the truth weve been after mr alt coakley thirty different times but have never found him in n arriving now at his door we find a notice upon de deciphering hering which reads as follows removed removed to illinois alvish to sea see mr wheelwright I the gentleman the further one biati mr wheelwright I 1 find a very small charge of or tir tift 3 cents against you sir oa on lord go co s books at tiie the same time presenting a bil 1 i 1 i ig es but bul that paid for when gal gat IlVo to sir sin I 1 think not net lib gib but t I 1 flunk it was I 1 think thinh mrs IV told me al she ghe owed nothing now and then again such a all ali she would never contract 1113 bu ili ill t sir sir sin she did contract it I 1 remember it well will and I 1 had bad a few reflections at the time up upon on the propriety of peoples buying fifty cents orth of anything and having it charged bookkeepers ook book ke keepers ers will reflect sometimes sir I 1 thou thought ailt alit then liow how much better the cash system was especially hi in small rifat matters 1 sald said to if leier leler I 1 ever eyer entered that state called wedlock I 1 w would ouid a always ways furnish mrs bookkeeper book keeper with the cash to buy articles or else mrs B would go without articles I 1 recollect it distinctly sir bir ill assure you vou well weil I 1 dont know ill ask mrs wheelwright our wr slightly indignant overflow of reflections a amounting io to naught oud and our probity in sucha thus doubted we left air dir wheel with etli the blaes bues 11 fast la luc inc creasing trey being ai in no way regarded I 1 ils its as wo we X possess assess an art extremely sensitive nature our next catl call aji ajl was u poca a gen gent I 1 t er eman n n who v ho doo dob doe not com 12 m ad and therides thence to mr turners Turner 3 with a bill blit to nearly two hundred d dollars who received it litif with a leave illnave J it si sir a and d ill lii I 1 have it 1 f dnny other instances occur before the fire fare noon is is over many being beins called pan aur and not found at their stores U buli bull eliou has been cited to show thilla is is aidt the most pleasant pheasant cc u Imag triable ardd ditl 1 flirea seeps we wen dour four our way to tile store glare ariu aria credit mr wi withal tl 50 that being the cash result of hat that forenoons fore work lit itt it seems that dunnings dunning I 1 is not avery pleasant libi lidi nor profitable profit ahlo ablo and belh being donned dunned I 1 d still less uma Uka sant ones to say no nothing t hing of profit would dictate pr practicing act icing tile the pay down principle and by that beneficial operation all who pursue a course so copiously w sq and U luit lugt just juit will I 1 of the 41 Ws JIs wilch which flesh W heir hein to the inhabitants P 1 utah have a chanco chance 0 to avoid the ther unpleasant and unprofitable system of debt and credit I 1 especially in lin dealing with non residents and it kl certainly prove most politic to improve it even en though it may ba bo at af the expense of a little self denial in a doing doieg without what wo w cannot pay for at the time of 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