THOUGHTS ON BUSINESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 151, 17 June 1908, Page 4

THOUGHTS ON BUSINESS.

ll is always unkind to treat lightly any useful occupation, in which another must cam his living. A man stood one day in a little shop where souvenirs and trinkets were sold and watched the diJlVn-nt persons who came up to the counter to examine the goods. A young woman behind thy counter was doing iie r be-i to .serve the customers salis-tar-torily and to give them the best lnT liilit* stock all'orded. To thousand* of pcr-on-, doubtless, the little stock ol novelties had an interest which warranted the conduct ol' the business, tine couple he observed came up to the counter and east a hasty glauee over the stock. 'Die. salesgirl'-- face lighted up with interest as she *leppcd forward to serve them. The woman then turned to her husband, aud. with a Junk ol' ntter disdain tor the little stock ot trinket*, walked on. remarking aloud so that both customers and ilie girl could hear it. "There's nothing here I'd have as a gift.*' The girl's face fell, and she seemed saddened. Others might walk on in their supercilious superiority, but she must remain and earn her living by .selling those little trinkets to • such as wanted them. The observer could 1101 help thinking how this spirit o) disrespect for the humbler work of another lias wounded the feelings ot uunumljercd workers and made them lose respect lor the tasks at which they must, earn tneir living.

The ipiestion is often asked: "lias the employer a right to -,ay what an employee -hall do outside oL* working hours': If a man report- lor duty on time, who-e bu-ine-s i-, i; where he wa- the night before':" When an employer engages a man. what does he employ': Does he say to the man: "You bring your body down here at nine o'clock and take it home at -i.\, and you can do anything you want to with your mind.'' Js it not the mind that he really employs': And ha- ~e no right to s;iy .something about the condition of that mind during working hours? If a man -(n-nd- the day'vitality the night before he doe- iioi have that dnvS \itality to give hi- employer. even though he prMcmN J" put in a I'll) day'- work, lb- is not delivering what he is paid lor. and the employer has a right to remind him of Ihe fact. When a man goes to a barber he has a to expect that a barber v ill use a -harp razor. When an employer pay- a man t<> put hi- mind on - a -harp mind, one thai, has not been dull'd by too many oiit-ide inlcre:-!-. and i mperially hy dissipation. It i- t hinking w hilcon work ' hat really count s.

||. i- lo know Hull 111 or.;, no lianUliip in llii>. lii-rjiiix- -i.it N for llio i.|o|»loyi-i' i- ( r ::v> lor I lio i l llllll o\i ■r. .Many a m-o'ilioi !'■—on i- rlriM'll liollH- lo IS li.V lilt llof t l 7 ~ii r of l)usim'*3.