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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
WITH TH£
TRAVELERS,
Some Varies.
may talk about your Georgia Crack-
ers if you want! "growled the man
who represents the "gents' " furnishing goods
firm, as he crossed his legs and began picking
yellow clay from the cracks of his shoes, " but
I'm here to tell you that the Eastern Kentucky
hilligan is a dodo compared to them ! "
1
' What's soured on your appetite now ? ''
grinned the shoe-house drummer, as he affec-
tionately patted his pile of sale bills, and looked
at the C. & O. scenery through the gloom of
Friday evening.
" Well," said the g. f. g. man, sourly, " I left
Greenbrier Monday for some new territory, which
I had been told was very promising. It was—
it promised—and that's all it did ! Nothing but
hills and mud—high water had wiped out the
roads so completely that we were lost half the
time, and worse than useless to seek information
from the natives, their ' general intelligence ' is
so densely ignorant that they don't know in
which direction to look for the seats of their
breeches. At first I thought it was simple, un-
adulterated cussedness, but at last I had to list
it as sheer density
"
" W h y ? " said the shoe-house man as the
speaker paused.
" Why ? Why, by Joe ! I was recommended
to call on a merchant named Giles at a little
plade halfway between Webbville and the other
side of nowhere, and when I reached the place
I stopped at the first house I came to and asked
for lodging, as it was raining and dark as a
stack of black cats. ' All right,' said the man ;
' come in,' Supper was ham and eggs and bis-
cuits yellower than the butter. And then I
asked if he knew any one by the name of Giles
thereabouts ? ' No—o,' says he, with a puzzled
drawl, as if he were trying to recollect some-
thing, ' I ain 't heard of nobody hereabouts bein'
called by th' name of Giles—leastwise I don't
think I has— but take a cheer and rest your hat
a bit and I '11 go ask the postmaster or some of
the folks,' and off he went through the rain,
scratching his head as if bewildered about some-
thing. In—well, say about fifteen or twenty
minutes, he came back with a look on his face
of the blankest amazement I ever saw on a
mortal man. ' Why,' said he, with a foolish
grin and a sheepish tone, ' Postmaster says as
how my own name is Giles, and, come to think
about it, mister, danged if I don't believe it is !
Well, this is a h—1 of a go, ain't it ? "
The drummer paused and kicked his sample
case savagely, and then remarked with an in-
flection that defies description :
' ' And I was recommended to sell that man a
bill of goods ! ''
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Just now all the commercial travellers of the
city are telling hard time stories. Business on
the road has been wretchedly poor this season.
Many of the men have not had the courage
to start out and those who have done so have
in nearly every case wished that they had
remained at home.
One of the tales which is just now amusing
the dry goods trade is narrated of a man who
in August last started south. He stopped at
city after city without making a sale, until
at last he became so discouraged that instead
of entering his customers' stores with his usual
self confident air, he walked listlessly, as though
never expecting to sell another bill in his life.
Leaving New Orleans he proceeded to Mem-
phis and sold nothing; to St. Louis and met
with the same result. Kansas City and St.
Joseph, Omaha and Sioux City told the same
tale, until at last he found himself in a cus-
tomer's store in Minneapolis with his sample
pack by his side.
As he was engaged in loosening the straps
preparatory to displaying his print cards, dress
goods and cotton goods, the buyer of the estab-
lishment came forward and said somewhat
sharply:—"Don't open that case here, I don't
want to see your samples. I won't buy a case
of goods. It won't do you any good to show
them."
'' Well who asked you to look at them, or buy
anything?" replied the drummer. "Not I."
As he said this he opened his case.
" Then why do you open that case? "
"Just because I 'm interested in these
samples. I haven't seen them myself for ten
days, and I want to find out if they're all right. "
His dejection struck the buyer as so amusing
that he relented, examined the samples and
finally made a fair sized purchase.
*
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A New York lawyer traveling in the South-
west one day last winter, found himself one
evening in -the smoking compartment of a
sleeper, the other occupants of which were
drummers.
The traveling salesmen were, as usual, friendly
and communicative. They talked of trade and
of averaging expense accounts, and at last all
became very well acquainted.
The lawyer, however, remained silent, com-
muning with himself. He had been retained
upon a delicate case and was traveling toward a
city, the objective point also of the commercial
tourists, to attach a stock of goods. He did not,
therefore, care to reveal his identity.
After a while one of the drummers attempted
to open up a conversation. His first remarks
were civil enough and were promptly answered.
Then the drummer made bold enough to ask him
his business.
" What line do you carry ? " he asked.
" I beg your pardon, I don't understand
you, " replied the lawyer.
" Traveling from New York ? "
F. MUEHLFELD & Co., New York, are getting
up some new styles of pianos which are decid-
edly handsome. Their new style B, which can
be seen at the warerooms of Jack Haynes, is
very attractive.
Presto of last week was a very interesting
number. It contained a special World's Fair
supplement, " The Fair of the Fair."
MR. ERNEST ALFIERI, who for many years
past has been editor of the Piano, Organ and
Music Trades Journal of London, will sever his
connection with that paper at the end of the
year. Mr. Alfieri is a gentleman of wide ac-
quaintance in the music trade field in London.
ALBERT BEHNING is on an extended trip
throughout the West.
THE business of the late Junius Hart, of New
Orleans, will be continued under the same name.
THE Edna Organ Co., Monroeville, Ohio, re-
port most encouraging trade conditions with
them.
L. H. BATTALIA & Co. of New York have
opened a piano store in Augusta, Me.
MR. EDWIN HEDGES, manufacturer of church
organ pipes, has moved into his new factory on
Elm street, Westfield, Mass., which has just
been completed at a cost of $io,ooo. The build-
ing is 66 x 36 feet.
THE Treasurer of the International Piano
Makers' Union, New York, has resigned. He is
going to move out of the city.
MR. OTTO L. BRATJMULLER, New York, head
of the Braumuller Piano Co., has begun suit
in Superior Court for absolute divorce from his
wife, Luetta E. Braumuller.
CALENBURG & VAUPEL, piano manufacturers
of 53 W. 426. street, New York, have had
Robt. Godson appointed receiver in supple-
mentary proceedings in the suit of Martin
Rehbein.
THAT the '' Black Band is still at work '' is
illustrated by the fact that David H. Dunham,
piano manufacturer of 128th street and Park
avenue, New York, received a postal from Am-
sterdam, Holland, and signed by " Pp. Du Chat-
tineer, Van,'' requesting that Mr. Dunham ship
them at once two upright pianos. As no reference
was made regarding the payment of same, Mr.
Dunham decided to make inquiries and learned
that the firm was not responsible.
"Yes."
"What house? "
" Oh, I am in business for myself."
Then came a long interval, in which no one
spoke. Finally in desperation the drummer
asked : " May I inquire what you sell ? "
" Certainly," replied the lawyer, " I am sell-
ing brains."
Another long interval and then the drummer
turned to one of his more communicative friends
and whispered : " I say, Tom, that fellow carries
a deuced small lot of samples."
THE LOGAN PIANO CASE CO., of Paterson, N.
J., has purchased land in Valley Stream, N. Y.,
and will erect thereon a factory that will give
employment to 200 hands when completed.
MR. CHAS. A. SCHEIREN, Republican nominee
for Mayor, Brooklyn, N. Y., visited Freeborn
G. Smith's piano factory recently and spoke for
some time to the workingmen there.
CHAS. L. WHEELER has opened up a music
store at Little Falls, N. Y.