Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-09-18
A NAPOLEON OF FINANCE.

n ~ Al OLEON VI r lNANCE.
When an Englishman fails in bust
ness he accepts clerkship without a
murmur. The idea never occurs to
him that he can engage in any enter
prise unless he has capital behind
him. When an American fails he
accepts clerkship only as a last ex-
| pedient The mere want of capital
seldom doters him. however, from i'm
mediately having another turn to with
fortune.
Mr.. Biggs was an American. He
was an American who had failed in
business, | met him when he was
teetotally stripped of everything save
his consummate faith in his own abil-
ity. Mr. Biggs believed in himself
thoroughly. He did it so thoroughly
when | saw him that got to believ-
ing in him. too. |. believed in Mr..
| Biggs to exactly the extent of fifty
dollars. Shortly after that | went to
Europe. 1t was eighteen months be-
fore | returned
thought | would go and see Biggs.
There was no occasion to hunt him up
A dozen friends | had met on the
street had told me of his wonderful
success.
On the fifty dollars Mr.. Biggs had
succeeded in establishing on firm
footing newspaper property that
netted him four times that amount per
week. He was the proprietor of The
Family Footstool.
Biggs told me how it was done.
There is nothing like business.
How to invest your fifty dollars, "
said Biggs, was question which
vexed my soul for forty-eight hours
after you went to Europe. 1t was
sticky money. In the speculative
world money that is earned by real
hard, honest work is supposed to be
endowed with superior qualities. 1t
doesn't melt away like the other kind.
With us it bears about the same rela-
ton to other kinds as federal scrip to
confederate during the war. | looked
you up with the idea OF striking you
for FIVE but made it fifty when l
found you were flush. There it is.
Much obliged. You'll have to take it
in guesses, though"
Mr.. Biggs thereupon handed me
sundry rolls of silver, which contained
quarters. He seemed to revel in that
particular denomination of coin and
presently you shall know why.
After | left you pursued Mr.. Biggs
II cast about for the best way to get
start l determined to publish this
paper The Family Footstool.
What, without capital?"
Not without capital. had quite
deal of it. Cash isn't everything.
Cheek and credit are. i had these
rooms furnished as magnificently as
you now see them, for an immediate
outlay of 500, the rest OF the bill to be
paid on installments. The rest OF the
money held on to like grim death.
1t was expended quite judiciously in
improving my personal appearance by
the addition of new spring overcoat
and silk hat. A silk hat properly
worn, can be made an incalculable
source of credit.
Il sat down and drew up the follow
ing advertisements:
(Which Is FTP LAS White as a
Sheet" or LAS White as Snow?n Two
thousand dollars will be given in cash
as follows: To the person who first
answers this question correctly 81. 900;
to the second $3.50; to the third $3.50.
Each guess must be accompanied by
twenty-five cents, which will entitle
the sender to six months subscription
to the Family Footstool, the brightest,
newsiest periodical in America
Il took my advertisement to an ad-
vertising agent total stranger to me,
but man who knew about business.
He inserted this advertisement in 200
newspapers, and | went to the office to
wait
My $50 had dwindled to almost
nothing; the girls l had been COM
PEELED to hire to address wrappers for
my new paper, not having received
their pay. were growing more and
more insolent, when one evening got
letter from the advertising agent,
-" Your ad. was out in Rabbits list
yesterday. Look out for squalls.
Next morning there were signs OF
life in the Office of The Family Foot
stool. A message had arrived from
the postoffice.
Very large mail here for you.
Please send and get some
a sent Tom, the Office boy. He re-
turned empty handed. had been ex-
pecting great things. My face fell.
Where are the letters?'
" They want us to take 'em all at
onst says Tom. i guess / will have
to get wagon
1T didn't come quite 10 that; but
there were $4,000 letters. and each
one of them contained a quarter and
H. monde. .Ag White aS =. Chat -.