REPUTATION
"So you come from New York," said an English lady to a traveling American. "I supposed, of course, you came from Boston."
"Why did you think that?" inquired the New York lady.
"Because I supposed all cultivated, intelligent Americans came from Boston."
"But what in the world made you think that?" was the natural question.
"Oh, I don't know, exactly. I think it was a Boston lady who told me."
Having heard a popular make of motor-car highly spoken of, he entered the depot with the idea of purchasing one. The selection was soon made, and the customer expressed himself ready to buy if he could have a trial trip. That, the salesman explained, was impossible; the cars were sold on their reputation only. The customer declined to buy without a trial, and was leaving the store when the chairman of the company entered, and the situation was explained to him.
The chairman agreed that the salesman's attitude was correct. "But," said he, "as I don't like turning money away, I'll take you for a run in the car myself." The selected car was brought out, the chairman took the driving wheel, the customer sat alongside him, and the run began.