St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-01-26
do(estoaro tbe Course Of empire takes its ao(ap.'


is far more economical to use one OF
these than to knit in the old fashioned
way, every woman thinks she must
have one"
Dick was decidedly of specula-
tive turn of mind he admired the
workmanship of the little article and
expressed himself accordingly. The
stranger dlatcd upon its merits, and
Dick vcntured to ask if he ever dis
posed of the right to sell it. II
"Oh, yes" said he, often 81 sell
the right for certain counties, and
have now twenty-five or thirty agents
travelling in various parts OF the
West"
Dick remarked that he had never
before heard of such an article.
81 presume not it is sold in pr'-
vatc way-not pulled by all the pa
pers in the Union its merits are It's
own advertisements"
He admired the machine, listened
to its operator, and finally purchased
right to sell it in one county for hun
drcd dollars, bought the elaborate
specimen from its owner and abandon
ing his book enterprise started with
the Patent Right, minus two OF the
five hundred dollars of his inheritance.
| He felt now that he had something
worth the labor-a benefit to society
in general, and with renewed zeal
started on his journey.
/ l,.t,,,,-lt 1,ip, ,cnlE nf tho
Fairs that were numerous at that time,
and rejecting that nearly all such
trades we're brisk at those places, be-
took himself to tue nearest one III the
vicinity.
Here, selecting conspicuous place,
he exhibited the mechanism and It's
wonderful operation to crowds OF gap
ing men and women, and talked hlm-
self hoarsc to an endless variety OF
listeners. But the men knew little
and cared less for such employment !;
if that their pedestals were carefully
cncascd in warm stockings 1t mat
tered little how they were procured.
And the ladies, though not less than
usually curious, had too many strange
things to examine to devote much
time to Dick 5 knitting machine. Thus,
on the whole, he found that trying to
dispose of it in such II manner was
rather useless. Yet he did not aban'
don that method in the first trial, but
meeting with no better success IN a
third and fourth, he resolved to adopt
IA different plan. He would visit tho
principal towns and sell to our mer
5 chants.
5 This too he tried, but those people
l were rather shy Of such inventions
: hinted at being themselves sold
and rarely could be persuaded to take
one on trial Such things were almost
. always humbng" and they never
patronized patents extensively. After
thoroughly trying this, Dick found II
, useless, and that to succeed he must
y 20 to each house, individually, anc
: present the merits of the case III the
; most eloquent manner, and appeal t.
X the ladies themselves. Not to be bal
y fled he tried the latter experiment
I But even these were exceptions, 10
:, he found the same objections among
X those who should best appreciate th'
d labor saving machine, as with tn
a other class, and seldom were his argu
If mcnts ctlcctual.
r At last he came to the very WIS.,
conclusion, that either he was who'll.
!, untitled for his occupation, or the artI
Il Gle had no merit in itself.
d He almost denounced the fellow wh'
c sold it to him as villain, and can
J. celed the debt by disposing of it him
t self at great discount to the tlrs
:; victim he encountered. Thus, and i
k his former enterprise, together wit
It contingent expenses, were three G
d the five hundred dollars with whlc
he started disposed of.
4 Dick began to look blue, to feel ST
n and perhaps not without some cause
A. Yet he was not wholly discouraged
d Two of the five hundred remained, an
t. this he resolved to invest on good 5,
d curity. For this purpose he took
y claim for one hundred and fifty of HI
5, remaining inheritance in Wcstcr
II lands.
b This, thought he, is safe. Land
At land the world over, and in the tlou
IN ishng town of Occidental, which WI
I'd in few years become as fine city ;
the West can boast, few acres, chca
re now, will then be invaluable. So
pocketed his papers pertaining ther
e, unto, and started for home well satI
IN fled with this latter enterprise. U
II. the way he formed the acqualntant
a of a gentleman who had himself bee
" purchasing land at the West, and
id whose narrations he felt great inte
if est.
| Dicks dignity was consciously c
81 larged he trod the ground with
on frmer step, and felt himself man
nc business, a iaad holder. lie also too
lis occasion to hint that fact to his col
rs panion.
ad GLOW much land do You own, sir
questioned the gentleman.
"Oh, not a great amount-on
se about an hundred acres but the |
culiar advantage is, that it is locat
lis in growing town which will
re- doubtedly become large city. Ie
ON said Dick, smiling significantly,
We am going East now to get tenant
de- the house | shall build next SUNNI
intend, sir, to have villa just {
wn from the noise and confusion of tov
rti- and with lawn in front and park
me the rear, think I'll have as fine sit
nit ton as any III the PLACE. Let me sh
pal you my plan, sir" (taking from
the pocket carefully folded papcr.)
md have already selected the location
est my dwelling" Dick unfolded the
yes per and displayed large map
,or. "The City of Occidental"
any Here, you see, is the Court lou
.elr and just across the park yonder,
bly, Bank. Those are the principal chur
es and here is the Academy: In
!. open space at the corner of Main
ON Washington streets, is vacant