Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-08-01
sleeves, so to speals. and went to


work.
People always said that Ralph was q
worker and industrious. "But, ahi"
exclaimed the old heads, che can earn
money, but he cannot keep i'll"
These same people were soon sur
prised, however, to see a little, unpre-
tentious corner grocery started, with
Ralph as sole proprietor.
sit wasn't much" some said, "but
1t was beginning, n beginningw
Curious people came in. Men with
''inquiring eyes" Men with their
arms thrust in cadaverous pockets.
Some sat on the cracker barrels and
looked on. They hadn't ever tried to
succeed, and dropped in to see how
such an attempt was supposed to work.
A lad came in.
"a penny's worth o. figs"
The article was handled as If it had
been twenty pounds of sugar for one
dollar.
''Five cents worth of peanuts"
These were neatly done up in a little
saw-edged paper bag. Ralph was
model of neatness and politeness, and
his white apron and square paper hat
gave him sort of dashy appearance.
IA half dozen eggs"
The orders were slight.
| 1.-TWO pounds of butter"
Ralph was encouraged.
lone barrel of Haxall flour!'
This was quite leap
"Will deliver it after dinner"
Yet his visitors were still far In ex-
cess of his sales. But one thing had
been demonstrated. He had got the
people to coming that way! Could he
hold them.
"a new broom sweeps Clean" he re-
fiected. "But time will tell"
"Well, Ralph's hasn't much in his
store, to be sure" said the skeptical,
''yit he's er risin', er risin', an that's
somethin'."
Ralph's horse and wagon consisted of
himself and wheelbarrow! He de-
livered his few goods in this unpreten-
tious manner. The boys called it
Ralph's lone hoss express"
The 'new grocer" said little, thereby
showing tact, but kept his sleeves
rolled up and attended strictly to busi-
ness. He had no capital, but earning a
few dollars, he secured little merchan'
disc on thirty days credit He had one
thing, he had manners, he had socia
bility, he had accommodation. He was
Just as sociable with the man that
bought a jackllnife as the one that
bought shovel With these as lead
ing elements of success, he met his first
bills, paid cash for his second order OF
goods.
Two months had gone. Six. Now
he had a clerk. But no horse. Sil
months more. He had second clerk
Ralph began to receive congratula
tions from all sides. The friend wht
would not lend him red cent, ant
who was to give him one thousand dol
; lars, came sauntering in.
"You don't seem to need borrowed
; money now, Ralph"
mo, thank you. 1 have a thousan,
to lend" he laughed.
"Ralph, you have won the first thou
> sand dollars. The rest will come cas-,
3 enough. 1t is the first thousand tina
decides the fate of millions"
Ralph was very happy His busines
increased His friends multiplied, an
young men came to him to borroy
their first thousand dollars. Time wor
on. The little corner grocery store be
l came too small. In more commodiou
1 quarters they were soon established
For it was "R. Gorden 8, Co., Grocers
now. And the young man who had n
capital was the leading grocery fri
of the city.
t $50 you could succeed without cap
r tai, Ralph" said his practical friend.
o "Yes; and it has been good lesso
: to me-"
(which you couldn't have learned if
S had loaned you a thousand dollars" IL
o terrupted the other.
n mo, sir. And to-day am saying
n the young men of my communit,
r You can succeed without capita
N Try"
:. And Ralph's face glowed. He ha
= been an assured success. And he sti
Il superintended his own business.-Ho
IS ace Walker, in Yankee Blade.
u A TELEGRAPHER AS KING.