pay it."

Solomon, as may be supposed, was not popular with traveling men. His
contempt for them was expressed openly, and his opinion of their being
a curse to retailers was usually the first thing he told them, after
be had looked at their cards. Some of them argued the matter with him.
Some of the more independent members of the profession told him he was
a blank fool. But those who called regularly let him say his say and
then squeezed an order from him, keeping their opinion of him for use
outside his store.

His peculiar opinion of traveling salesmen was not his only
peculiarity. Most of "the boys" on the road mentioned him as "Smarty
Smart," because of certain tendencies he had of making reductions in
prices, of marking off charges for cartage or boxing, or of returning
goods because he had changed his mind after buying them.

Solomon didn't intend to be mean; he fancied he was only standing up
for his rights, and if he occasionally took a little more than his
conscience told him was his "rights," he soothed that by saying to
himself that the house wanted to sell him so mighty bad they would
stand it.

Let a man be constituted as Solomon was and his "smartness" grows on
him. He has an idea that every house he buys from is trying to get
unfair advantage of him, and that he must present a bold front or he
will be imposed upon. He always magnifies his importance as a buyer,
and fancies that every order he sends in is met with a hand-organ and
treated to champagne.