The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-20
RRAseEmrsr,
The Beauty Soap
BY r. Franz fort Moore -
- BY r. Frank forf Moore. ).


very far in starting anything new, but it
might serve to buy some business that has
been allowed to fall away through the
want of energy. Now, you have plenty Of
energy. If you only have $500 cash"
believe that you have put me on the
right track, Nelly. Oh. 1 know that I've
only to get a start to make my fortune
our fortune. I'll look about me and see
what can do"
He did look about him during the next
few weeks. He examined the advertise
ments of businesses TO be disposed of, and
ne even went the length OF personally in
specting some OF the premises which were
to be let or sold-with the good will of the
proprietors. In this way he was brought
into contact with some very ingenious
frauds. One day. however. quite by acct
dent, he came upon an establishment where
at one time soap had been made on a
large scale. 1t now bore a decaying ap-
pearance. Energy-that quality which
Charlie felt he could bring to bear upon
any business-had clearly been absent from
the management of the concern.
He made inquiries from people who, he
knew. were conversant with the great
soap industries Of the country, and he
learned that the business in question had
at one time been in a f1ourishing condi-
ton, but IL had gone under owing to the
want OF energy on the part OF the sole
surviving proprietor-an old man without
children. He also learned that two other
persons were in treaty for the purchase of
the business. He was permitted to ex-
anime the books in the office, and Ii did
rot take him long to find out that the
amount Of business done was very small.
and the profits were in proportion. Still,
they were over hundred a year.
Il mind when over thousand was made
here" the foreman told him. "But there
has been no push in the business during
the past ten years, and now it's worth
nothing-beyond the stock. that no one
will buy"
What's the stock worth wholesaler"
asked Charlie.
1T should say not a penny less than a
couple of thousand pounds; but what's
that when we can't sell it? 1t needs push
to sell soap nowadays"
Speaking as man to man, is 1t good
soap?" Charlie inquired.
Good isn't the name for It; it's the best
article that has ever been made in England
or, for that matter, in any country. I'll
stake my reputation on that" replied the
man.
He did not quote any statistics to prove
how much his reputation was worth, but
Charlie believed him. Without consulting
any one. he bought the business. stock and
all, for e4OO, the half to be paid down, the
remainder by yearly installments of f10O.
Then he resigned the clerkship which he
held in the firm of Sowerby, Son & Lemon
and entered heart and soul into the bust
ness of soap-pushing.
There was no doubt about IL, the soap
was the best in the world. This fact was at
one time sufficient to sell 1t, but that time
had long gone by, and at the end of six
months Charlie found that all the energy
he could bring to his aid was not suf-
ficient to sell his soap. He had only made
ESQ profit during the six months, and he
saw no prospect of improving the business.
Then 1t was that he found himself one day
In the office of Mr.. Wilfrid Bates. company
promoter and general financial agent.
Wilfrid Bates had been his fellow-clerk
five years before at Sowerby's, but having
inherited a few thousand pounds, he had
set up an office of his own in the city and
was already well known in the world of
finance He had successfully fioated some
companies, making. of course, substan-
tial profit by each transaction, for COM
pany promoting can scarcely be called a
branch of philanthrop,c enterprise. 1t so
happened, however. that Mr.. Bates. in adj
dition to his natural cleverness, was clever
enough TO perceive that the possession OF
a name for promoting sound companies was
very much more valuable to a man than
reputation for being concerned in shady.
though profitable, transactions. He had,
consequently, declined to associate himself
with any except the soundest companies,
and was able to boast-which he did usu-
ally once day, at least-that he had never
made more than $4,000 by any fiotation.
He had always been friendly towards
Charlie and this was probably why he ad-
mitted him at once to his private room,
instead of compelling him to wait with the
dozen gentlemen who were anxious to have
an interview with the great financier- Only
kings and financiers nowadays can keep
people waiting on their convenience.
well, my friend. what are your pros
poets, and how can 1 forward them? Peo-
pie never come to me unless they think
that / can do something for them," said
the financier cheerfully-that Is, for a
financier.
II don't know whether or not you can
do anything for me-" replied Charlie. THE
fact is"
He lost no time in acquainting his friend
with his rather deplorable condition. and
his friend listened to him with great at
tention.
Lord High Admiral! You mean to say
that you put all your capital into a de-
crepit concern like THAR" cried Mr.. Bates.
Charlie had dwelt feelingly on the decrep-
ftude of the concern.
81 thought that soap was pretty safe"
said Charlie.
Safe, Why it's one Of the most slip
perry things you could TOUCH" said Bates,
solemnly. He did not mean to joke.
at saw that the business had gone down,
OF course" said Charlie, but 1 thought
that with energy. The soap is first
c,ass thing, Wilfrid-the best in the mar
ket"
What has that got to say to the mat
ter? What's the good of thing being
really good when it's not properly adver-
/