human
Indeed, continued Mr. George,
gpt
I think the best way is for travellers to do as merchants do. They know that it is inevitable that they should meet with some losses in their business; and so they make a regular allowance for losses in all their calculations.
human
How much do they allow?
gpt
I believe it is usually about five per cent., said Mr. George.
human
They calculate that, for every one hundred dollars that they trust out in business, they must lose five. Sometimes small losses come along quite frequently. At other times there will be a long period without any loss, and then some great one will occur; so that, in one way or the other, they are pretty sure in the long run to lose about their regular average. So they make their calculations accordingly; and when the losses come they consider them matters of course, like any of their ordinary expenses.
gpt
That is a good plan,