Part 3 (1/2)

But there was worse to come! McTavish, the accountant, found that the average sales for the last two years were only $22,000.00 in round figures, and I had estimated at $28,000.00.

”My,” I said to him, ”that will bring the profits down to about $40.00 a week!”

”No,” he replied, ”they'll no be mooch over half o' that.”

”Why?” I asked in amazement.

”Because,” said he, ”you based your estimate of pr-rofits on the percentage of expense. Therefore, Meester Black, the less your sales are, the gr-reater becomes the percentage of expense.”

I didn't quite follow this, but he continued:

”Ye should set a dead-line of expense and departmentize your costs.”

I looked quite mystified by this, and he explained:

”Do ye noo compr-rehend? I mean ye should have only a certain percentage of expense for rent, salaries, advertising and se-emilar items, and then plan your expenses not to exceed these percentages.”

”I see,” said I. ”Will you help me with that?”

”I surely will. I can give the matter some attention in aboot a week,”

said he.

”Then,” said I, ”so far as you can see, the business, instead of showing me a profit of about $60.00 a week, will show me only a profit of about $25.00.”

”Just aboot that,” he replied. ”Indeed, it will approximate somewhat less. There is one other matter, Mr. Black, I would suggest you do at once, and that is, let me see the agreement you had wi' that mon, Simpson.”

”That's at Barrington's,” I said.

”Well, can we no get hold of Barrington noo?”

”Surely. I'll introduce you to him.”

”Don't fash yoursel',” said he with a smile, ”that'll no be necessary, for he was in the store while ye were at yer lunch to-day and I had a convarsation with him.”

”What's the trouble, then?” I asked.

”Merely this,” said he, and he put his arm on my shoulder very kindly.

”That mon, Simpson, left $527.00 worth of accounts which he did no pay and I believe by the agreement ye made wi' him that ye're liable for them.”

I was too thunderstruck to say anything! What a hash I had made of my first week's business! So far as I could see, I had given up a good job for one with very little more real money, but a lot of care and worry; I had been robbed of about $1,300.00 in stock and $500.00 in unexpected liabilities. My first week's business, then, showed me a loss of nearly $2,000.00! I began to think I was not so all-fired clever as I thought I was!

Betty was a little brick! When I told her all about it, she said:

”Well, I don't see anything so _very_ dreadful in that. If you have it in you to make a business man, you can soon increase the sales of the store so that you will be making all you thought you would, and perhaps it won't hurt you to lose a little money at the beginning. Even now, you are much better off than a great many other people are. If only Simpson doesn't demand his $3,500.00 at once, so that you don't lose the farm”--I s.h.i.+vered at the thought--”you'll pull through all right.”

When I figured up the sales at the end of the week there was nothing like the $560.00 that I was figuring on. It was only $281.15. I had more respect then for proprietors of retail stores than I had a week before!

I hoped that next week I would have that division of expense worked out so that I could know just what my expenses were going to be.