The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1895-02-23
HOW HEGoT STARTED
a MERCHANT TELLS or HiS WIN
MING sV A SHOW or HONESTY

On thc nzsiaess Ma who Called iiim
:. sterling. uoa->t rsIio~-
-You wish 90 know holE l ent my
start in Chicago. ohs Well don't
mind telling you about IL Low. although
you may not iBdursn the meats adopt
ed"
Here tho merchant prince laughed
heartily, withdrawing lis cigar for the
purpsso After n momenf or two ho re-
sumed:
Il had come here from the country.
q gawky farmer boy. ignorant u the
ways OF tho world and disposed 20 re-
gard every city chap ~ = sharper. Be-
fore leaving home I had n settlement
with my guardian, who turned over TO
ms $500 in cash. all tho possessions
had in the world
The disrrtss of the panic q 1867 had
not passed. and things were avfuliy
dull here After rccuriug q modest
boarding house I applied myself with
diligence TO the seeking; " employment,
In the meantime aSslduuusly Studying
bookkeeping every evening. The -
years of my life ! NJ ilcfn srtft upon tho
farm, and was utterly ignorant - all
business methods. Hcrco I soaght hum
lie work. being viliiE. 60 bcgin at the
lowest rung 81 tire laGdcr. But sumo
how didn Z catch CD. ] must have bocu
what IL vulgariy called an 'orlCry' chap
-uncuuth in spcech. vulgar la manner
and easily abashesL sun pCrscvgrod.
Offering myself ns porter. coachmafl.
day laborer. gardener. helper in arocry
stores-in short. any kind 20 work that
demanded muscle without no much Cx
rerience. Once in awhile I Eot job Ci
saving wood. cutting grass aud tending
garden. hut l spent far more than
earned. although ! liv,-d very crunrn-
ically. Month after muugh rasscti IN this
way until nearly o.le-haif % iEy capital
was exhausted
MY nect ssities lgd irc Co much cu-i-
tation. and having made rapid rru-rzs
in my study ~ bookkeeping as well -
In knowledge q good English 1 q ially
concluded 20 aspirr 10 osomothiu- higher.
a Prerequisite 90 tilis step was tie doff-
ing Of my old jeans suit. which had be-
come decide'liy scctly. Tic tailor's hill
made big irrcad upon ny diminishing
capital. End tir thoucit % it st ms
teeth en- edge. Out l went day after dzy
among the merchants. OF. ring iuy serv-
ices ~ n bookLeeTcr. ncruuntauf. ship
ping clerk or salesman. Int I fuUEd nc
takers The mariCt WAS suffering fruui
an ovcrrrply of tho commodity. ami
the dein@uu Was nj
Finally I tss.t-i that something
had 90 b. done. J -o1'.l not gud yvuGld
rot b. PENNIES In a liscify. I ann rat
orally q n slueuiao temp .ramcut. let
Elk months - ct4f rrtsl iGl.ucsas % enc
whn loves vurk a-c enough q tcclrui
the suuricSt fcug,r. Eet fcu you az
rctiius, impatient. \ the1 fr cid Eiiai-
ly come. CEc tsv .'r. Lsvis. tEe hta,i
of tie tir jry Fns's s.osc "a Ike
s'sert. va4 ssTpr.lod cat of his u-us;
6quar unity s. t.c IN -islI.s. ia q IN cxcit-
a iiI,i,idu-l. u,y-.lf. hnlding ia lis
hand . small bundle agd saying lro-
ktuiy:
- lave fcrnd. sir. n package of
mCucy-a ..undrCd duilurs. I think. I
am a stranger Ia the city and wish yoa
10 keep it until !, on fii the owncr.
when DC fuE.d hrcath. Mr.. Davis.
who recalled me - one who had afp,i,.i
O. him more than once Tor employment.
demurrcd. insisting tliat should leave
IL in the hands q thc police.
That will not do. sir. / know yrrt
reputation and en- confidently leave the
sum with YOU ann desperately pD1f
and unemployed. and any imuufafio.
upon my honor would Kill mr. Ny ouly
wish Il that this moury may mach it.
Owner You viii h. sure % find him.
M FnursFa N.ssarrsr.s HrsHs~.-sHs.sH
Is there uav WAY of iieutify'us
hini-any name or addzcSs in tnc pack
ngcs'
! think not. sir. replied. hut tine
bills, n you will see. AZ done up In .
peculiar rod cloth-,lcbic-e think IL j.
called-and IL you would merely advcf
tisn the f3rt that n sum % money had
hccn found. and rcquirvd the applicant
70 Aane tho amount and the envelop
covering IL. yOu could not possibly mis-
t..e.
Ny Importantly finally overcame hi.
objections. and he took my address. and
after pruu0unCing mo n sterling honest
fellow, babe me come around IN tbs
norniug
Well. that was my start in life.
Mr Davis greeted me when / returned
In the morning meet efIusivcly.
We bcsn thinking over that matter
and c1nfess that / admire your honesty.
There's no reason an the world Why yuu
shouldn't have KIP; that Inonfy. Maus
men who are far better or than yun
wOuld have done so -
he ended By Offering ne place b
hind one Il the counters at e6 week.
and five years later was his partner
On. the money a uumler - par
ties answered tts advertisement. but
they couldn't pruee no. you sc. Tor the
best of all reasons Tho Inuury was my
own. and Mr.. Davis finally rcturned il
% me- ] ran MT the slightest risk AMI
was satisfied that the act would hriue
me under tire favorable notice q Mr..