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 pa.s.s 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 my horse 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 had received 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 completely _turned my head_, that I was unable to return to my former 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, a.s.sured 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 pay me 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER X

GREAT SUCCESS AS AN INSURANCE AGENT--SOLD OUT--ARRIVED AT CHICAGO--SELLING GOVERNMENT GOODS--ACQUIRING DISSIPATED HABITS--ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED--BROKE AMONG STRANGERS--HOW I MADE A RAISE--MY ARRIVAL HOME.

One day I met James Forster, an old acquaintance, who was engaged in the insurance business. He asked me if I didn't think I would make a good insurance agent.

I told him I had never tried it, but I knew I would.

He asked how I knew so much, if I had never tried it.

"Because I am no good at anything else," I answered.

He asked how I would like it. I a.s.sured him I ready to try it, and that I owned a horse and buggy to travel over the country with.

He then took me to his office and after giving me a few instructions, gave me the necessary papers and sent me out.

The very first day I took three applications. The company insured on the installment plan, by issuing a policy for five years, the first payment of forty cents a hundred per year, was to be paid when the application was taken, and the balance made payable in equal annual installments.

The agent's commission was the first installment, or twenty per cent. of the gross amount.

I was not long in learning that the rate charged by this company was just double that of any other in existence, but the people readily fell in with the idea of paying their insurance by installments.