WILL REMOVE TAR, PITCH, PAINT, OIL OR VARNISH FROM YOUR CLOTHING
We cut the soap into small, equal sized cakes about three inches long, and a half inch square at the ends. We then cut small strips of writing paper, and after marking 25c on some of them and 50c, 75c, and $1.00 and $2.00 on an occasional one, we pasted a strip of this paper on each cake of soap, some prizes and many blanks. We then cut the tinfoil and wrapped it nicely around the soap and put it into the tin box. Then after borrowing a couple of boxes and abarrel from a merchant, put them out on the street and turned the barrel bottom side up on top of one of the boxes.
I then mounted the other box, and soon gathered an immense crowd by crying out, at the top of my voice:
"Oh yes! oh yes! oh yes! Gentlemen, every one of you come right this way; come a running; come a running, everybody come right this way!
"I have here, gentlemen, the erasive soap for removing tar, pitch, paint, oil or varnish from your clothing. Every other cake contains a prize from twenty-five cents to a two-dollar note."
We found no trouble in making sales and but little trouble in paying off those who were lucky. Our profits were sixteen dollars that day.
The next day we opened at Fort Wayne, Ind., where the show attracted a large crowd, and our profits were thirty-six dollars.
From there we went to Columbia City, where our profits were twenty-two dollars. Our fourth and last sale was made at Warsaw, where we were having excellent success, when a large, portly gentleman (whom I afterwards learned was Mr. Wood, the prosecuting attorney), came up to our stand, and after listening awhile and watchingthe results, went away, and in a few moments returned with the city marshal, who placed me under arrest for violating a new law just passed, to prohibit the running of gift enterprises. They took me before the Mayor, who read the charges against me, and asked what I had to say.
I informed him I had taken out city license, which I supposed entitled me to the privilege of selling.
He then read the new law to me, I plead ignorance, and asked the Mayor to be lenient. He imposed a fine of twenty-five dollars and costs, which altogether amounted to thirty-two dollars and fifty cents, which we paid.
The prosecuting attorney then explained to me, that such a law had recently been passed in almost every State.
This satisfied me that there was absolutely no money in the soap business. My partner and I divided up what little money we had left and there separated. He returned to Ohio and I visited a daughter of Mr. Keefer's, who had married a wealthy farmer, Smith by name, and was residing in Branch County, Michigan.
ELEVEN DAYS ON A FARM—HOW I FOOLED THE FARMER—ARRIVED AT CHICAGO—RUNNING A FRUIT STAND—COLLAPSED—MY RETURN HOME—BROKE AGAIN—A LUCKY TRADE.
ELEVEN DAYS ON A FARM—HOW I FOOLED THE FARMER—ARRIVED AT CHICAGO—RUNNING A FRUIT STAND—COLLAPSED—MY RETURN HOME—BROKE AGAIN—A LUCKY TRADE.
I was anxious to go to Chicago, but was a "little short" financially, and asked Mr. Smith to give me a job on the farm. He asked if I could plow. I assured him that I was a practical farmer, and he then hired me at one dollar per day.
ELEVEN DAYS FOR ELEVEN DOLLARS
He had a sixty acre field, in which his men had been plowing, and after hitching up a pair of mules instructed me to go over in the field and go to "back furrowing."
I wondered what the difference could be between back furrowing or any other furrowing, but rather than expose my ignorance, said nothing, preferring to trust to luck and the "mules." As there was no fault found, I must have struck it right.
Mr. Smith made a practice of visiting his menand inspecting their work, always once and often twice a day.
He gave me orders to go to breaking up a new piece of ground, which he had recently finished clearing, and which of course was a hard task.
One day he came to the field at noon, and after looking the work over, instructed me to take the "coulter" off before I commenced work again in the afternoon, adding that it would be easier for the mules as well as myself.
I looked the plow over carefully and wondered what the "coulter" was. After dinner I began work, hoping that some one might come along who could post me. In this I was disappointed. Realizing that there must be something done before Smith visited me in the evening, I decided he must have meant the wheel at the end of the beam, and consequently took it off and waited his coming.
When he arrived he looked at the plow a moment and said, in an impetuous manner:
"Where is that wheel? I thought I told you to take the coulter off."
"Well, I did," I quickly replied. "I did take the coulter off, and as it didn't work well I put it back on, and thought I would take the wheel off."
"Where is the wheel?" he asked. I pointed to a stump some distance away, and said:
"It's over there."
He said: "You takethatcoulter off and I'll get the wheel."
"No," I said, "you take the coulter off; I am younger than you and will go after the wheel." And before getting the words out of my mouth was half way there. When I returned he was taking the coulter off.
I worked eleven days, and after receiving that many dollars left for Chicago, where I had an uncle residing.
He gave me a cordial welcome and said I was just the lad he wanted to see, as he had traded for a fruit stand the day before, and wanted me to take charge of it.
The next morning he took me to the stand, which was a small frame building—size, about eight by ten—which stood on the northwest corner of Halsted and Harrison Streets.
This was a very slow business, andtoo slowto suit me, yet I continued to run it about three months, when by repeated losses on decayed fruit, and the too frequent visits of relatives and friends, we found the business in an unhealthycondition and lost no time in looking up a buyer, which we were fortunate in finding and successful in getting a good price from.
After receiving my share of the profits, which was about enough to pay my expenses back to Ohio, I decided to go there.
On arriving home, my mother said she hoped I was satisfied now that I couldn't make money, and that I was only fooling my time away. She said she had told Mr. Keefer just how that fruit business would end.
I took Mr. Keefer to one side and explained just "how it all happened" and how the fruit all rotted, and how my relatives and friends helped themselves. He said they ought to be ashamed and it was too bad.
I borrowed a few dollars from him for incidental expenses, until I could "strike something."
My mother wanted to know what I expected to do, and said I needn't ask Mr. Keefer for money, because he shouldn't give me a penny.
Of course I could give her no satisfaction. She finally said was going to take me to a jeweler, with whom she had talked, and have me learn the jeweler's trade. I disliked the idea and rebelled against it. She was determined, however, and compelled me to accompany her.
The jeweler had a talk with me and told my mother he thought he could make quite a mechanic out of me.
I thought I was destined to stay with him, until my mother happened to leave the store for a few minutes, when he asked me if I thought I would like the business. I told him no, I knew I would dislike it. He said he wouldn't fool his time away with a boy who had no taste for the business, and so informed my mother.
I returned home with her, and that evening she and Mr. Keefer and myself had a long conference.
We talked about the past, and my mother suggested all kinds of trades, professions and clerkships, all of which I objected to, because I would not work for some one else.
Mr. Keefer said he believed I would strike something "yet" that I would make money out of.
My mother said she couldn't understand why he should think so; everything had been a failure thus far.
He explained his reasons by reminding her that with all my misfortunes, not one dollar had been spent in dissipation or gambling, butinvariably in trying to make money, and with no lack of energy.
I remained idle a few days until the few dollars Mr. Keefer had loaned me were spent, when one day I called upon a friend in town. Kintz by name, who was engaged in the bakery business.
In conversation with him I learned that he owned two watches and wanted to exchange one of them (a small lady's gold watch) for something else. I asked him to let me carry it and try and find a customer for it.
I called that evening on the night telegraph operator, Andy Clock, and bantered him to trade watches. He owned a large silver watch and gold chain.
"How will you trade?" I asked, showing him the lady's gold watch.
"Oh, I'll leave it with you."
"You ought to give your watch and chain and ten dollars," I said.
"I'll make it five."
"Let me take your watch and chain a few minutes."
"All right," he answered.
I immediately called on Mr. Kintz and said: "John, are you willing to give your gold watchand five dollars for Mr. Clock's silver watch and gold chain?"
He replied by simply handing me five dollars. I then returned to Mr. Clock, made the trade and also received from him five dollars.
Although the amount I made was small, it came in a very opportune time, and afforded me much satisfaction, as I argued in my own mind, that if I was able to drive those kind of trades in a small way, while young, I might be able some day to make similar deals on a larger scale.
The next day, when I met Mr. Keefer, I explained how I had made ten dollars. He laughed and said: "Well, if they are both satisfied I suppose you ought to be."
The next Sunday after I had made the trade, several of the boys, including Mr. Kintz, Clock and myself, were sitting in the hotel. I was reading a paper when Mr. Kintz and Clock began a conversation about the watch trade, when Kintz remarked:
"If that gold watch had not been a lady's size I never would have paid any difference on the trade."
"Did you give any boot?" quickly asked Clock.
"Why, I gave five dollars," answered Kintz.
"The d——l you did; so did I," replied Clock.
They immediately demanded an explanation, which I gave, by declaring as the "middleman" I was entitled to all I could make; and this was the universal opinion of every one there, including the landlord, who insisted that it was a good joke and well played.
THREE DOLLARS WELL INVESTED—LEARNING TELEGRAPHY—GETTING IN DEBT—A FULL-FLEDGED OPERATOR—MY FIRST TELEGRAPH OFFICE—BUYING AND SELLING DUCKS AND FROGS WHILE EMPLOYED AS OPERATOR—MY RESIGNATION—CO-PARTNERSHIP IN THE JEWELRY AND SPECTACLE BUSINESS—HOW WE SUCCEEDED—OUR DISSOLUTION.
THREE DOLLARS WELL INVESTED—LEARNING TELEGRAPHY—GETTING IN DEBT—A FULL-FLEDGED OPERATOR—MY FIRST TELEGRAPH OFFICE—BUYING AND SELLING DUCKS AND FROGS WHILE EMPLOYED AS OPERATOR—MY RESIGNATION—CO-PARTNERSHIP IN THE JEWELRY AND SPECTACLE BUSINESS—HOW WE SUCCEEDED—OUR DISSOLUTION.
The next day after making this trade and procuring the ten dollars, I bought an old silver watch from a stranger who had become stranded, paying him three dollars for it. This I traded for another watch and received five dollars as a difference. From this I continued to make trades until I was the owner of ten head of fine sheep, three pigs, a shot-gun, violin, watch, and a few dollars in money, besides having paid my board at the hotel and bought necessary clothing.
When I found a buyer for my sheep and pigs, my mother said of course I couldn't be contented until I sold them and lost the money. Iexplained to her that, in order to speculate, it was necessary to keep re-investing and turning my money often.
Mr. Keefer said I was right, but advised me to be very careful, now that I had quite a nice start from simply nothing.
After selling out, I one day called on the day telegraph operator, Will Witmer, and while sitting in his office, asked him to explain the mysteries of telegraphy. He did so, and I then asked him to furnish me with the telegraph alphabet, which he did. I studied it that night, and the next day called at his office again, and began practicing making the letters on the instrument.
He paid me a very high compliment for my aptness, and said I was foolish for not learning the business.
I asked what the expense would be.
He said his charges would be fifteen dollars, and it would take four months anyhow, and possibly six, before I would be able to take an office.
Two days later, after giving special attention to the business, I had become quite infatuated with it, and paid over the fifteen dollars to him and two weeks' board at the hotel.
My intentions were to try and sustain myselfby speculating and trafficking, but I very soon became so absorbed in my new undertaking as to be unfit for that business.
My mother was immensely pleased at the turn affairs had taken. Mr. Keefer was both surprised and pleased, and said he would help me pay my board, although he couldn't see how I ever happened to take a liking to that business.
During this winter, my associates and habits of life differing wholly from those of former years, I became what would now be considered "quite a dude." And having no income from business, and a limited one from Mr. Keefer, with a fair future prospect, I took advantage of my good credit in town, and bought clothes, boots, shoes and furnishing goods, and borrowed money occasionally from my friends, who never refused me.
Three months from the very day I began learning the alphabet, through the advice and recommendation of Mr. Witmer, I called on Wm. Kline, Jr., General Superintendent of Telegraph, and made application for an office. He sent me to Whiting, Indiana, sixteen miles from Chicago, with instructions to take charge of the night office, at a salary of forty dollars per month.
On arriving there I found only a small station, and one family, with whom I was to take board, and who were living in an old abandoned water-tank.
The young man whom I relieved from night duty was promoted to day operator, and as he was thoroughly disgusted with the place he kept continually writing to the Superintendent's secretary, who was a friend of his, to get him a better office, which he did in just six weeks afterwards.
I was then promoted to his position, with no raise of salary, but which I gladly accepted.
There was plenty of duck hunting and frog catching among the settlers there, but they didn't seem to understand how to find a market for them. I at once took advantage of this by getting a day off and a pass to Chicago, where I bargained with a commission merchant to handle all I could send him. I then returned to Whiting and arranged to have the settlers consign all their game to me, which I in turn consigned to the commission merchant. I had plenty of business and made money fast.
One day the Division Superintendent happened to get off the train, as we were loading on a lot of frogs, when he asked me who was shippingfrom that point. I told him I was. He looked at me a moment and asked, in a gruff tone:
"Does this R. R. Co. pay you to buy frogs?"
I answered: "No, they pay my board to watch the station, and I buy and sell frogs to make my salary."
The conductor and other employees who heard our remarks laughed heartily, and the Superintendent returned to his car with a broad grin.
As soon as the frog and duck season was over I began urging Mr. Kline to give me a better paying office. I also wrote home expressing my dissatisfaction with the business, and my contempt for the small salary it paid, and closed by saying I could make more money swapping jackknives than I could telegraphing, and that I never would be able to pay my debts were I to continue at it.
My mother answered; saying, that if I threw up that position and came back home she would leave the country.
In a few days I was transferred from Whiting to Swanton, Ohio, with no raise of salary, but better facilities for spending what I did get.
I remained there until the following spring, and managed to spare about five dollars per monthtowards reducing my home liabilities, and tight squeezing at that.
While there I made frequent visits to Toledo, where Mr. Kline's office was located, and never failed to call on him or his secretary, with a request for a better position. One day I wanted to be extra operator, and another day I would insist upon being placed in the train dispatcher's office, and again thought I would like the general freight office, either of which was considered a fine position.
Finally the secretary asked, one day, how I would like to have Mr. Kline resign in my favor.
I told him I would like it first-rate if the salary was sufficient.
As soon as the green grass and flowers of spring commenced to show themselves, I began to get nervous and anxious to make a change.
One day while several people were sitting in the depot waiting for a train, a young enterprising looking fellow came in with a small sample-case in his hand, and began talking to an old gentleman about spectacles, and very soon made a sale for which he received two dollars and fifty cents, spot cash.
After the train had come and gone, carryingwith it the old gentleman, I entered into conversation with the young man, and finally asked him, confidentially, what that pair of spectacles cost him. He laughed and said they could be bought for one dollar per dozen.
"That settles it right here," I said, and added:
"That settles the telegraph business with me. I'll send my resignation to Mr. Kline forthwith, by telegraph." And I did so.
After about ten days he accepted it and sent me a pass for home and the amount due me, which was sixty-five dollars.
On my arrival home a stormy scene ensued.
My mother said it was just like me to leave a sure thing and traffic around over the country, with no future prospects whatever.
Mr. Keefer said the business was too slow for me, anyhow, and he had thought so from the beginning. I explained that the experience was worth a great deal to me.
My mother replied that I had for years been getting nothingbutexperience.
Mr. Keefer said he'd bet I would come out all right yet.
"Yes," my mother said, "he will come out in the poorhouse, and drag you and me with him."
She then what I expected to do next, and I told her about the immense profits made in the spectacle business.
She laughed, and with much sarcasm remarked, that a dozen pair of spectacles and an old tin box to carry them in, would probably be the height of my ambition.
I told her that remained to be seen; but I would some day convince her differently, and show her how to make money fast.
The next day I received a letter from an acquaintance residing at Kirkersville, Ohio, in answer to one I had written him, in which I stated my intention of going into the spectacle business.
He informed me that he was the owner of a fine horse and carriage, and suggested that I take him in partnership with me; he to furnish the traveling conveyance and I the money. This I agreed to, and wrote him my intentions to start for Kirkersville on a certain day, where I would expect to meet him, and we would drive to Columbus, a distance of twenty miles, and buy our stock.
On my arrival at Kirkersville I found him ready to start. We drove to Columbus and called on a wholesale jewelry firm.
After looking their stock over I decided that there was more money in cheap jewelry than spectacles. I had about forty dollars in cash, and after buying one dozen pairs of spectacles, for one dollar, invested the balance in jewelry, after which I prevailed on the firm to give me a traveling sample case. In this we displayed our jewelry nicely and started down the Portsmouth pike.
My first effort to make a sale was at the toll-gate, a short distance from the city. Finding an old lady in attendance, I introduced the spectacles. She declared she never would buy another thing from a peddler.
THIS, MADAM, IS THE STEREOSCOPIC LENS
I told her I had not asked her to buy, and said: "Madam, I have here a stereoscopic lens."
"A stereo-what?" she quickly asked.
"A stereoscopic lens," I repeated.
"Well, my!" she ejaculated, "they ought to be good ones, if the name has anything to do with them," and began trying them on.
She very soon found a pair which suited her and pleased her exceedingly.
While she was looking my glasses over, I picked up her old ones, and while examining them the thought occurred to me, that as mystock of spectacles consisted only of a dozen pairs it would be a good idea to try and trade spectacles each time instead of selling outright, and by so doing always keep my stock up to the original number.
Acting on the suggestion, I remarked to the old lady that her glasses must have cost at least three dollars, and if she so desired I would give her a trade.
She asked the price of my glasses.
"Four dollars," was my reply.
She said she didn't just remember how much she did pay for hers, but it was about the price I had mentioned.
She then asked me how I would trade. I offered to allow her two dollars for her glasses on the deal.
She said she would if she had the money. On counting it she found but one dollar and thirty-two cents, all in pennies. We made the trade, as I had a great deal of sympathy (?) for her, and knew she had never before found a pair of glasses so well suited to her eyes.
The third house we stopped at I found a young lady who was very anxious to see my jewelry.
After opening my case she selected a veryshowy set, ear-drops and pin, which I sold her for one dollar. When she paid me I noticed she had more money left, and said to her:
"See here, my young miss, I hardly think the set you have selected is good enough for you. Let me show you a handsome set of jewelry such as you would be proud to wear at a fashionable ball, or entertainment of any kind. It will of course cost you more money, but I know it will please you better."
I then took from the bottom of the case a set which was nicely put up in a small paste-board box (although they all cost the same), and offered it for inspection. She was at once infatuated with it, and after asking the price (which was five dollars), expressed her regret that she had made her purchase before taking notice of that particular set. I then very kindly offered to exchange for the set she had just bought, and allow her the same as she paid, when she remarked, after reflecting a moment, that she couldn't do that as she hadn't money enough within one dollar to pay the difference. But when I offered to trust her for the other dollar until I came around again, she traded, remarking, as she counted out her last three dollars:
"All right, I'll do it, and if you never come again I'll have a dollar the best of you anyhow."
We had excellent success during the first ten days, after which we experienced four days of probably as poor success as ever attended a "Yankee peddler."
We stopped at every house, and never sold a dollar's worth during the four days. Doors were slammed in my face, and dogs were set upon us. Yet I insisted that success must necessarily follow, sooner or later.
My partner, however, was not so hopeful. He became impatient and disagreeable in the extreme. At every house we would come to he would sullenly remark that there was no use stopping, they didn't want to buy anything; and finally went so far as to insist that we make no more stops.
As I considered myself the senior member of the firm, I ordered a stop made at every house.
This led to unpleasantness, and brought out a few personal characteristics of his which induced me to think he had been raised a "pet" and was accustomed to having his own way in everything.
But as I was not one of the "petting" kind,and rather inclined to have my way about things in general, we gradually grew into a controversy.
He declared the horse and carriage was his, and he had a right to stop when and where he pleased.
I gave him that privilege, but also gave him notice that I owned the goods and carried the money, and as "the walking was not all taken up" he could drive as fast and as far as he pleased, but I was going to stop at every house, even though I might lose a piece of my unmentionables by every dog on the road.
At last I was successful in trading spectacles with an old lady, receiving two pairs of old glasses and two dollars in cash for the pair I let her have.
This enlivened things up for a while, but only temporarily. We drove back to his home at Kirkersville, where, after invoicing and dividing profits, we dissolved partnership.
CONTINUING THE JEWELRY AND SPECTACLE BUSINESS ALONE—TRADING A WATCH CHAIN FOR A HORSE—PEDDLING ON HORSEBACK—TRADING JEWELRY FOR A HARNESS AND BUGGY—SELLING AT WHOLESALE—RETIRING FROM THE JEWELRY BUSINESS.
CONTINUING THE JEWELRY AND SPECTACLE BUSINESS ALONE—TRADING A WATCH CHAIN FOR A HORSE—PEDDLING ON HORSEBACK—TRADING JEWELRY FOR A HARNESS AND BUGGY—SELLING AT WHOLESALE—RETIRING FROM THE JEWELRY BUSINESS.
After dissolving partnership I returned to Columbus, replenished my stock, and started out alone. I took the first train out from the city and stopped about ten miles distant, at a small country village, and commenced operations. My success was gratifying. I walked through the country, peddling from house to house.
After my third day out, I came to a spacious looking farm house just at nightfall, and asked the lady if she would keep me over night. She said she had no objections, but her husband was prejudiced against keeping peddlers or agents, and she was sure he would object. I asked where he was, and she said he was away on a horse trade.
While we were talking he drove up with a handsome bay mare, and called his wife out to show her what a "bang up" trade he had made, adding with much ardor and excitement that if the fellow he had traded with was horseman enough to get the other horse to pull a pound he would do more than any one else had ever done.
I asked him to keep me over night, when he turned on me with a volley of oaths sufficient to color the atmosphere blue for some distance around.
I assured him, in the blandest manner possible, that I was no horse thief nor burglar, and that I had plenty of money and expected to pay my bills.
His wife reminded him that they had plenty of room, and as it was late he had better let me stay.
He then consented, asking at the same time if I was a good "story teller." This of course gave me an "inkling" as to the best means of getting in his good graces. During the evening I lost no time in arriving at a point in our conversation where I could relate a few of my latest stories, which pleased him greatly. He became so much interested in me and my business as topropose to go into partnership with me, he to furnish the traveling conveyance and half the money, and I to do the selling.
His wife ridiculed the idea and laughed at his foolishness.
He then leaned forward in a very familiar, friendly manner, and took hold of a long neck chain I was wearing, and asked what I would take for that chain.
"Oh," I answered, "I don't want to sell it."
"Well, but youwouldsell it, wouldn't you?" he asked.
"A man would be a fool to refuse to sell anything he owned, if he got enough for it," I replied, "but I have no desire to sell this particular chain."
The next morning, while I was trading with his wife, he again mentioned the chain, and remarked that he would rather have that than all the jewelry in the box.
I said: "I should think you would."
He then said: "Look here, young feller, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give you that bay mare I traded for last night, even up, for that chain."
I asked if she was sound. He assured me that she was.
"Well, then," said I, "oughtn't she to fetch two hundred and fifty dollars?"
"Yes sir, you can bet on that," he answered, excitedly.
THOSE KIND COST ME $10.00 PER DOZ
"Well then," said I, "if you will throw in a saddle and bridle I'll trade."
"I have no saddle," said he, "but I will give you a blanket and bridle."
"All right, it's a trade."
We bridled and blanketed the mare, I delivered the chain to him and mounted, ready for a start.
"Now, young feller," said he, "the trade is made and there must be no 'kicking' on either side. You agree to that do you?"
"Yes sir," I answered, "I'll never kick if the old mare dies in five minutes from now."
"That's right," said he, "you're a dandy, and just the sort of feller I like to deal with."
"Well, I'll bid you good day"—tipping my hat.
"See here, one moment," he yelled, as I had gotten well on my way. "Say! the trade is made and no squealing on either side. How much is this chain actually worth?"
"Well," I answered, in a loud tone, "thosekind cost me ten dollars per dozen, or eighty-odd cents each."
He staggered and fell back against the fence. His wife yelled in a high pitched voice:
"Well there, John,youhave been taken in for once in your life." I raised my hat and cantered away.
I traveled on horse-back all day, and found it up-hill business, as it was difficult to mount and dismount, and very hard to carry my sample case and valise on horse-back.
That evening I arrived in a small burg where I put up, and determined to turn my horse out to pasture, until I could deal for a buggy and harness.
That night while in conversation with some men at the hotel, I learned that one of them was a carriage and wagon maker. I asked if he had anything in the way of a light second-handed buggy, which he could sell at a low price.
He said that he had one that he had just been repairing and it was all ready to run out. I prevailed upon him to take me to his shop and show it by the light of a lantern.
I asked his price which was forty-five dollars.
On re-entering the hotel, I took him into the sitting room and showed him my jewelry. He was pleased with it, and I asked him how he would like to trade his buggy for some of it. He said he wouldn't care to take it all in jewelry, but if I had any good watches he would take one, and some jewelry on a trade.
I then showed him the watch I was carrying, and was not long in making a trade. I gave him a bill of sale for the watch and jewelry, and took one from him for the buggy.
I retired that night feeling that I had made fair progress towards procuring a traveling conveyance of my own. When morning came, my only desire was to deal for a harness. As soon as breakfast was over, I took my jewelry case and "hus'led" around among the business men, as well as at different residences in the town. I gave but little thought to selling goods, but inquired, wherever I called, if they knew of any one who had a harness for sale.
At last I called upon an old couple who were in need of spectacles. I succeeded in fitting both of them, when I suggested the idea of taking their old glasses in exchange for mine, andletting them pay the difference. The old gentleman said I would have to trust them for the difference, as they had just paid out the last money they had.
Almost the last thing I thought of, was to ask them if they knew of any who had a harness for sale, as I had become so interested in the spectacle deal.
"Why bless you," the old man replied, "I have got a nice single harness up stairs that I will sell cheap." He brought it down, and I traded the spectacles, a very nice pair of sleeve-buttons, and a handsome set of jewelry for it.
I was now ready to start with my newly completed torn-out, which I lost no time in doing.
I traveled in the direction of Kirkersville, where I arrived a few days later and promptly exhibited my horse, harness and buggy to my late partner and his acquaintances.
After a careful scrutiny of the turn-out, and a look at the goods I had left in stock, he remarked that "some one must have been taken in."
I continued peddling for some time, meeting with splendid success on the average, with occasionally a poor day.
I never lost an opportunity of trading horses, and as a rule, preferred to keep trading for a better one each time where I would be obliged to pay boot, which I invariably manipulated so as to pay the difference in jewelry, instead of the cash. I also traded buggies frequently in this way, and in a very short time I was driving a first-class turn-out.
My early boyhood experience with horses had given me a fair knowledge of them, and the blemishes they were subjected to, which enabled me to pass reasonable judgment on them, when making trades.
My best deals were always made with professional horse-men, who generally seemed to think they had a "soft snap," and I never attempted to convince them differently, except when I could do so at their expense.
Peddling jewelry and spectacles was the business I gave my special attention to for sometime, and it proved a very satisfactory one. With the exception of a few disagreeable features which are sure to attend any business of that nature, I found it very pleasant.
One day I drove into a small country village and stopped at a blacksmith's shop to have myhorse shod. While waiting, I happened to drop into a large general store, and very soon entered into conversation with the proprietor, who was a jovial, good-natured fellow. He told me his latest story, when I thought to try and amuse him with one or two of mine, which I was very successful in doing.
In a few moments I mentioned that I was in the jewelry business, and before I had time to ask him to look at my goods, he said: "Bring in your truck, let's see what you've got, anyhow."
I brought them in and began quoting prices. He began picking out and laying to one side. I was worried to know whether he expected to buy on credit or pay cash.
He kept picking out and I told another story. He laughed heartily and said that was "the boss" and laid out more goods.
Finally he said: "What are your terms anyway or haven't you got any."
I answered: "No, I have no terms, everything net spot cash."
"What! Don't you give any cash discount?"
"I never have given any yet," was my reply.
"Well then, I suppose there is no use in my trying to get any."
In a few moments he directed me to make out my bill, which I did on a piece of brown paper. It amounted to a little over eighty-two dollars.
I threw off the extra few cents and he paid me the cash, after which I receipted the bill.
This particular sale was the ruination of my jewelry business for the time being, but as will be seen, proved to be the key-note to a very successful business in after years.
Having turned wholesaler, I was wholly and entirely unfitted for the business of peddling. My thoughts were completely turned from the latter and absorbed in the former.
Although I readily understood that it must necessarily take large capital to conduct such a business, I yet determined to give it a trial with my little stock.
I therefore telegraphed for more goods, and began driving from town to town making a few sales to the merchants, but none equal to my first one. I never found another merchant so anxious to look at my goods, nor so ready to buy. However, I readily understood that I must be persistent in showing to them the same as I had always been at private houses, and in many cases more so. I came in contact with one merchant whom I failed to understand perfectly well.
I called at his store and found him reading the paper. After introducing myself and explaining my business, he simply said he didn't want any jewelry.
"Well," said I, "I don't suppose you will object to looking at it, will you?" He made no reply. I then began laying my trays out on his counter.
After displaying them nicely, I stepped back to where he was sitting and still reading, and said to him: "I have them ready now, sir."
He stepped behind the counter, gathered up the trays, piled them in a heap, stepped to the front door, pitched the entire outfit into the middle of the street, and returned to his newspaper without a word.
My first impulse was to "have it out with him, then and there," but I suddenly thought of my stock in trade lying in the middle of the street, and "hus'led" to gather it up.
It took me a whole day to clean and re-card and get it in good shape, which work I did at the hotel, in the same town. I remained there over night and prepared for a new start the following morning.
The more I thought of the treatment I hadreceived at his hands, the more I felt like having the matter settled before leaving. So after making all preparations for a start, I drove to his store, and just as I stepped from my buggy, he came around the corner from his residence and was about to enter the door.
I headed him off and said, "Mr. ——, I am about to leave this town, and before doing so, I propose to have a little settlement with you. Now, sir, you can have your choice of three things. Either make an apology for your beastly conduct yesterday, take a good thrashing or look my goods over in a gentlemanly manner. Now which do you prefer?"
At this I began laying off my coat.
He said he had no desire to look at my goods and didn't crave a thrashing, and guessed he would rather apologize, which he did, and I went on my way rejoicing, and I dare say in much better shape than I might have been in, had he shown as much fight as he did meanness the day before.
On account of my extremely small stock I found it up-hill work to succeed as a wholesaler. My first large sale had so completelyturned my head, that I was unable to return to myformer successful plan of peddling from house to house and continued on as a wholesaler, wending my way homeward.
On arriving there I drove to the old farm, and with much pride related my experience and success to the folks.
My mother said she wouldn't give fifty cents for all the jewelry in the box, and in all probability the horse would die or something happen to him sooner or later.
Mr. Keefer said he didn't know about the jewelry, but one thing was sure, the horse and buggy were fine.
I saw the utter foolishness of trying to be a wholesaler, and began searching about for a customer for my entire lot of jewelry, whom I soon found in the person of a young man, whose note I took for two hundred and fifty dollars, and his father as signer, payable six months after date.
The next day I drove down town, and as was my custom after arriving home from a trip, my creditors were the very first persons I called on, and as usual, assured them that I was still alive and "hus'ling."
I also showed them the note I had and offered to turn it over to either of them who would payme the difference between its face value and what I owed them.
They said they would rather take my individual note for the amount of my indebtedness, which I gave, drawing interest at eight per cent., all of which footed up to several hundred dollars. Now I was ready for other business.