The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-04-01
of retrenchment into his family and bu:
siness affairs, in order to keep his ex-
penses within his means.
CHAPTER III.


Another year had passed away in the
business experience of the young mer-
chants. TIE books had been balanced,
and the result stood in black and white
before them.
Ben had followed up the system Of
advertising through the year. He had
expended large gums, but had made the
outlay with judgement and discretion.
The result exceeded his most sanguins
expectations His store was crowed
with customers, and with but a small
portion of gadders and fancy shoppers.
The newspaper had bore to the best
families in the city and country full
decription of his stock. His name was as
familiar "as household words" in the
dwellings of the rich and poor, of the
farmer, the mechanic and the laborer.
Truly, the harvest was abundant,
and Ben rubbed his hands with delight
as he cast his eyes over the figures which
conveyed the pleasing result Of his
wears Operations. He had the means;
not only of clearing himself from debt,
but also of gratifying his wife by giving
her all the new furniture she required,
besides handsome surplus with which
to increase his business.
The new furniture was bought and
set up; every debt was discharged, and
the importers and jebbers were eager to
give him unlimited credit.
One day while he was eliminating up
on this pleasant state of things, Joe
Weston entered the store. For soms
months past the intercourse had not
been as cordial as formerly. Joe's nice
things had rather set him up; some of
the upper ten had condeseended to visit
him; and he entered the "Almack"
parties of the town with his wife.
He was getting ahead in his own esi
timation and cherished supreme oon4
tempt for the slow motions of his friend.
But when in the middle of the year he
found himself running down hill, and
discovered that Ben's store was crowed
with shoppers, while his own was empty,
feeling of envy took possession Of him.
Ben must be underselling, he concluded,
and sooner or later the consequences
must appear.
The prosperous merchant could not
but notice the sad and detected mein Of
his friend as he entered the store.
"How are you, Joe? You are all
most stranger, lately. Where do you
keed yourself ?" said Ben.
Business, Ben, business l'' replied
Joe, demurely.
"Goodl Business before pleasure"
Anything over to day ?" asked
Joe; but the query was not put in that
buoyant, eleetic tone, which had distin'
guished him in former days.
GA trife how much do you want3 "
returned Ben promptly.
"Te tell the truth, am bang up
have got note of four hundred dol
lars to pay, and have not raised a sim
gle dollar towards it."
"You are late; it is half past one
now," replied Ben, consulting his watch.
Ben, I am in tight place" said
Joe in a solemn tone.
"Indeed am sorry to hear it, y
aud Bsn's face wore an expression Of
sincere sympathy. Nothing serious,
I hope ?"
4" What can I do for you ?" and the
young merchant took down his cheek
book and examined the state of his bank
account.
"I can give you a check for three
hundred, if that will do you any good" "
continued he, taking up the pen to fill
the blank
"Thank you Ben, yeu arevery kind,
but [ don It know as I ought to take it. !"
| NJ - Wbv
off should pay this note, there is
hardly possibility that I could get
through this month.
$50 bad as that? "Pon my soul I
am sorry to hear it."
"Smith aud Jones advise me to
make an assignment.
How does it happen thought
you were doing well ?'
Business has been very dull for the
last elk months. Haven't you found it
so ?"
"Well no; it has been driving wifi
me-"
Joe knew it had; indeed his present
visit was not to borrow, but to prepare
his friend Nr the smash" which was
now unavoidable.
My sales have been light" contin-
ued he; "I cannot account for it."
al can look here joe"
Ben took down the ledger, and poin.
ted to the account of " Charges" where
the sums paid far advertising had been
entered. On slip of paper he had
footed them up.
"Five hundred and sixty-6ve dollars
for advertising, Joe. That's what did
the business"
Joe was astonished. 1t quite as
much as he had paid for iue things for
his house, and for parties and the opera,
but the Investment had been vastly
more profitable, iu as much as taken in
connection with his careful management
of business and his economical manner
of living, it had given him good start
in business, and good beginning IS
half the battle.
Joe Weston failed, and paid only
twenty cents on the dollar. His fine
furniture was all sold, and he was OBJ
liged to board out But in this extrem-
ity Ben was his true friend. He re-
ceived him into his house, and when his
business was settled up, he took him in
to partnership.
The firm is one of the most respecta-
bic end prosperous in the city. Joe,
ever since he was bang up" believes
in advertising; and any one who opens
the Journal, or any of the daily papers,
: cannot fail to notice the copspieous ad-
vertisement of WEsTo,s & Co,