trade,
if cunningly worded and audaciously and persistently stated in the
columns of reputable papers, will draw custom from thousands. One might
think that business on such a basis could not be permanent. It probably
could not in many lines; nor in this, without constant use of
advertising mediums and the one redeeming fact, that poor as they may
be, the diamonds sold are really diamonds, and to the indiscriminate
purchaser, serve the purpose of better stones. To illustrate the
nature of this kind of business with an actual occurrence: some years
ago, an acquaintance sat in the office of a jeweler, in a city of some
size, who was noted for his extensive and shrewd advertising, and
witnessed his methods. A man came in to complain that he had been "
stung," as he expressed it, in the purchase of a diamond bought of him
a few days previous. The dealer listened patiently until the irate
customer had expended his wrath. Then in a genial, good-fellow kind of
way, he began to expostulate and reason with him, finally offering as
proof of fairness, to trade the stone for anything in his stock.
Eventually, he got a' hundred dollars extra for another stone in the
exchange and the man left, smiling and happy. " You got out of that
very well," said the acquaintance. " Yes," said the jeweler, " and the
second stone is not much better than the first." " But how can you hold
your customers that way?" asked the acquaintance. "My dear boy," was
the answer, " I don't, but I do business just the same. There's a fool
born every minute and I spread nets for them. If I catch them once, I'm
satisfied. Let the others have a chance." That man is doing business
yet, and has made much more money
