Evening Capital And Maryland Gazette

THE RIGHT THING

THE RIGHT TIME
By MARY MARSHALL DUFFER

BUSINESS MATTERS.

The materials of action are variable, but the use we make of them should be constant.—Epictetus.

IT IS just as important for a woman to have regard for the rules of good form in the transaction of her business affairs as in matters purely social. Sometimes a woman who is irreproachably correct in all social conduct, and who is courtesy and good breeding personified in her social relations, is careless of rules of courtesy and good breeding in her business transactions. In a small town especially, such duplicity of conduct is sure to lead to unpopularity.

What good is it if a woman is charming to Mrs. Smith, whom she meets in her club, if she is discourteous to Mrs. Smith's husband, who is cashier in her bank, or what good can it do to be punctilious in all her dealings with Mrs. Brown if she neglects to pay what she owes to Mr. Brown, who runs the grocery store.

Remember then that when doing any sort of business with any sort of person, you should begin the transaction with a courteous 'good morning.' If you ask a favor of a tradesman or anyone with whom you do business, do not fail to let him know that you regard it as such.

If you are not going to be able to pay your bills on the first of the month, do the courteous considerate thing about it. Go to the grocer, or butcher, or doctor, or dentist, and tell him that you find it impossible or inconvenient to do so, and ask him for the favor of extended credit. Do not simply neglect payment and then pretend when you do pay that it is simply a matter of carelessness or forgetfulness on your part.

If a tradesman is courteous enough to remember your name in doing business and addresses you by it, do not forget that it is just as considerate if you remember his name likewise.

Remember that it is just as inconsiderate to ask your grocer to make a special trip of his delivery wagon because you have carelessly forgotten to give your order till afternoon, as it is to ask a neighbor to put herself out to do some favor for you. If the grocer does accommodate you, then you should express your appreciation with just as much courtesy as though the transaction was one of a social sort instead of purely business.

(Copyright.)