The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-09-25
WITHOUT CAPITAL.
How the Refusal Of q Loan Led
to Success

'In spite of everything I can do, am
still penniless.- and Ralph Gorden
buried his faccin his hands
Ralph had sense, but he lacked capi-
tai Capital and he would have been
an assured success. For this purpose
he would consult Mr.. Horton the
banker.
Good evening. Ralph said the
elderly gentleman. looking over his
gold bowed glasses and exhibiting
very cordial and patronizing manner
Ralph was always respectful, and If
you viii study his career you viii read
lily perceive how important part po-
liteness played in his social and bust
ness relations.
Il wish to engage in business"
Have you capital?"
mo, sir; but"
s.Ahr''
s.If could secure loan from you /
could amaSs a for
Il beg your pardon. ! never lend
money without real estate security"
The answer was decisive.
First failures have been the sue
cesses of many, Ralph. Go try
Ralph was not discouraged. But on
the following morning. when the sun
rose in his old time glory, the birds
sang their wild familiar songs and
business resumed its wonted clamor,
he took little note rs he hurried along
the leading thoroughfarc Of the city.
..Win Won lend me one thousand dol
lars to set myself up in business" he
inquired of Mr.. Simpson. one of the
prominent men of the place.
What security?'
None / want IL as "A favor
Would be glad TO accommodate you,
Mr. Gorden. but business men don't do
business in that way
Receiving this all kindly, he sailed
out and entered the private family of
an esteemed friend
MIR Gartcn. can | negotiate a loan
of one thousand dollars"
For your sake i must refuse"
Ralph was turning; yet, notice that
the placid equanimity of his temper
remained inviolate. If ne possessed no
capital, he had suav:-y and forbear-
ance in happy abundance.
BE seated, Ralph" continued this
practical man, ''and ! will endeavor to
show You how / am your friend in
not being your friend. That sounds a
trifle paradoXical. But, listen, for
you are in no hurry. If you are in
a hurry you will not succeed anyway.
From what have heard and seen nv
self you appear to have an abnormal
feeling that you cannot succeed unless
you have capital Now, if you Will in
vestigate the matter statistically you
will find that nine hundred and ninety
men out of every thousand who have
made n success of business had abso-
lutely nothing to start with"
YES, sir"
And if you will take the trouble &c
pursue your investigation you will find
that n large percentage of business
failures are directly traceable to too
much assistance at the start"
Ralph Gorden was meeting new sur
prises-
Now for your own benefit, / will
not lend you red cent"
Ralph's countenance fell And vet
he had sufficient sense to understand
that all the advice received emanated
from the kindest business motives.
but, Ralph III tell you what will
do You strike right out in some direc-
ton, and if you fail, after an honest
trial, you will not be compelled to re-
pay an old debt"
BY George, that's so,'
proposition. II you will succeed with
out capital, will give you one thousand
dollars
Ralph was dumfounded.
81 believe You are right" and Ralph
returned to the street.
On his way through the chief places
of business, he said to himself:
Wonder how ali these men became
so rich!'' lie hesitated Il will ask
them
He knew Bangs, Barton & Co.
Il beg your pardon, gentlemcn; NAV
/ ask You how you became so rich?"
by being penniless at the start,-
He also knew the firm of Aldrich.
Page & Co, 10y reputation.
What made you so rich, gentle
men?"
by being poor at the start, and not
a cents worth of credit"
Walker & Co. had just failed; and
for the matter of that they had been
partial failures all along. They had
had plenty of money to start with.
so, so, - and Ralph walked thought
fully along. Then / am the capltali
II. and returning home, he rolled up
ms sleeves, so to speak, and went tc
work
People always said that Ralph was a
worker and industrious. But. ahr'
exclaimed the old heads. s'he can earn
money, but he cannot keep it!'
These same people were soon sur
prised' however, TO see a little, unpre-
tentous corner grocery started, with
Ralph as sole proprietor