The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-12-09
A DRUMMER'S STORY.

started out to find work. Merchants all
told me that they were reducing their forces
sucC hded in few days in arranging TO sell
good bn commission for a house iuinsAius
goods establishment and also to write insur
Once. ! borrowed two dollars from friend
and took the road. The first town made
was only 20 miles distant, and on landing
there | had just Sl40 left. ! put on bold
front and went to the hotel | wrote three
policies of insurance and sold four bills OF
goods during my stop, and left with about
$50 Of my own money in hand. made three
other towns during the week and arrived
home Saturday night in fine spirits and a
neat little sum in my purse
had been on the road a few months when
| received a good proposition from large
wholesale dry goods house to travel for one
year. ! was never man TO hurry in mat.
tcrs of business. | made friends of all of our
customers. ! always made many inquiries
about the immediate families of my custom
crs, and Of their family connections. |
would enter their relatives names, and
where they lived, in book, and when |
would get around again in a month it would
be a pleasant surprise for me to say "Mr.
Brown, | saw your uncle, Mr.. Edwin, at
Hartwell last week, and he was delighted
to learn that knew you aud often saw you"
In June | found five customers unable to
meet their bills. They were residents of
different towns ] spent the night with
each of them. ! talked our business over in
their homes after their stores were closed.
One of these merchants owed our firm $500.
Two owed us 800 each. One owed 5000, and
the other 800. Now to each one of them !
granted an extension of six months and took
their notes in settlement, and after getting
Il. Al.
other creditors | advised them to write each
creditor and tell of the extension given by
Coal & Co., and ask that they grant the same
kindness. When this was done and had
summed up their liabilities and found them
to range from 81, 800 to -, O00, next looked
into their resources and told them that by
prudent management they could pull
through.
| did not fail with either of these men to
inspire them with hope and to convince them
of the real interest in their affairs. "Now
the next thing for you to do is to take ont
5000 life insurance" All had gone well un-
til brought up that issue Each of them
was fortified with an excuse, but met them
all, and skillfully The wife and children
were there, and pleaded with each man to
protect them against disaster. "Ah, but
how can We pay insurance when we cannot
pay you? ION the other hand" said /,
chow can you sleep at night with the
thought of leaving this debt for your dear
wife to pay?'
In little while had them willing to in.
sure if they had the money agreed with
each of them to take out 5000, and that |
would advance the premium, the policies
were to he made payable to me as executor,
and that | would at the same time write
their wills disposing OF the insurance, only
devisiug first that, in the event that the pol
icy because a claim, the premium be returned
to me- next that the debts then mentioned
be paid and the residue to 60 to their wives.
Before left | had their application, and
saw that each was examined by physician
arrived home July ., The next morning in
looking over my mail | found five insurance
policies for -, 600 each. The first six months
premium was $3.50, so after taking out my
commission had to go down in my wife
trunk for 1910 of our little savings.
When I went down to the store and gave
in my orders and the report of my trip, Mr.
| Coal thought had been most too lax with
| the five merchants. My July round was
made without any special incident of inter
est, and ] was nearing the end of my August
"trip when I received telegram at Thomas
packing my samples. boarded the train, and
the next morning reported. They wanted
me to go north to replenish their stock
! This was an unlooked-for responsibility
| About three weeks were consumed in this
trip, and when | returned found most un
expected intelligence awaiting me. -Four
out Of the five men who were indebted to us
and whose accounts | had extended, had met
sudden and accidental death, and the Other
was critically i'll with bilious fever Two ol
these were killed in the wreck of an excur
sion train going Co rybee island the third
was thrown from his buggy by runaway
horse and his neck broken: the fourth fel
into an uncovered well at night and his body
was pierced by sharp fragment of old curb
ing. Coal & Co. were much worried Aftel
listening to their story ! went to their safe
in which was allowed drawer for my pri
vate papers, and drew out the five insuranc,
policies son the New York Life Insurance
company. When they saw these, and tba
they were for 49, 900 each, and that they wer,
payable to me us executor, n great loaC
seemed lifted from them at once.
Well, there was no trouble with furnish
ing proofs of the death OF any of these four
nor of poor Ed Brown, either, for he sooI
succumbed to the fever, and all five of tn,
policies written under these peculiar circum
stances became claims, and were paid ever
before the usual 60 days notice had expired
All the debts of these merchants were paid
! got my full premium and made 500 b,
writing insurance, and the widows each go
from $500 to Sl,700 after their husband
debts were paid / got more thanks from
these five women and their children an,
friends than from the balance of the world
When | sent checks to the various creditor
! got complimentary letters from all, AM
several contained checks Of S25 stating tina
good business method and generous friend
ship like mine ought not to go unrewarded
Coal Co. gave me check for $500 an,
raised my salary to 5000 per month, and nov
my wife thinks I am just as smar. as DAME
Wehster.-I. Il, r., in Leslie's Weekly.
Intempernnce In English Arn'v.
Drunkenness is by no means as common
az it was formerly among the rank and III