The upright and model man of business never commits any of the following sins:—
Never tells a falsehood, even though at times it may offer a temporary advantage. In the end it will not result happily—neither to conscience nor to the till. It is one of the fixed laws of compensations that a wrong entails evil, sooner or later; hence, even in a selfish view, it is best always to tell the truth.
Never creates false expectations to effect a transaction.
Never represents an article to be what it is not. The secret of the success of A. T. Stewart, and other merchants of eminence, is that they never would allow any deception to be practiced upon customers. A child can buy of them as safely as an experienced person.
Never breaks appointments, and never fails to keep good his word to the hour and the letter, if there is no just cause to prevent.
Never is absent from his business, except when absolutely necessary.
Never allows others in his employ to do what is not perfectly intelligible to him. Always understands his books; always keeps the run of the entire day's transactions; always knows the exact state of his bank account; always is acquainted with the doings of each one in his employ.
If called upon by any person he is polite; he gives no curt answers; he keeps none waiting unnecessarily; he is solicitous of doing what will most please.
In a word, the secret of business success, and the true criterion of action for the business man, young or old, is to be found in that blessed Golden Rule, which will forever hold good, viz.:—