"Mr. Stigler seemed quite provoked about you. I was telling my husband about it."
"What did he say?" I asked with a smile.
"He said that, when a man disparaged his competitor, he preferred to trade with the competitor!"
With that she left the store. I think she wanted to convey to me, without directly telling me so, that that was partly the reason she had decided not to trade with Stigler any more! And to think of the fool I was about to make of myself! When you come to think of it, it is bad business to speak ill of your competitor. Fortunately, I learned that lesson without having to pay for it.
Betty and I went to New York on a Sunday, slept there Sunday night, and the first thing Monday morning, at Betty's suggestion, we went up to the office of Hardware Times. There we found Mr. Sirle. He was a wonder, that man. He knew my name right off, for he came right up and shook hands with me, saying: "Is this Mrs. Black?" whereupon I introduced him to Betty. Some pleasantries followed, and he led us into his office.
"Well," said Mr. Sirle, "are you in New York on business, or is this just a pleasure trip?"
"It's supposed to be a business trip," I replied.
"I see," he returned, "a business trip with a little pleasure on the side."
"Yes," said I, "in spite of having brought the wife with me."
"Shall I throw him out of the window?" said Mr. Sirle, turning to Betty.