only address he had left was care of another wholesale firm in their
line in New York,--she supposed he could reach her husband there. Then
the Saint Louis man was wild. He put the wires to working at once and
telegraphed: "By no means make any contract anywhere until you see us.
Won't you promise this? Letter coming care of Imperial."

Then he was sweet as pie to the salesman's wife, took her and her
daughter to the matinee, a nice luncheon, and all that. In a few days
the salesman I speak of went down to Saint Louis. The members of his
firm took off their hats to him and raised his salary a jump of $2,400
a year.

[Illustration: "He tried to jolly her along, but she was wise."]

How much trouble they would have saved themselves, and how much better
feeling there would have been if they had only handled this man right
_in the beginning!_

There are some heads of firms, however, who do know how to handle
their salesmen. One of the very best men in the United States is head
of a wholesale hardware firm. He has on the road more than a hundred
men and they all fairly worship him. I remember many years ago seeing
a letter that he had written to the boys on the road for him. He had
been fishing and made a good catch. He sent them all photographs of
himself and his big fish and told the boys that they mustn't work too
hard, that they were all doing first rate, and that if they ever got
where there was a chance to skin him at fishing, to take a day off and
that he would give prizes to the men who would out-catch him. This is
just a sample of the way in which he handles his men. Occasionally he
writes a general letter to his men, cheering them along. He never