The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-04-20
A Night Affair.
BY CARL EDWIN HARTMAN.
DURING the period OF the civil war

company us ntdu DOOhkeepcT. MY
promotion TO the position occurred in
consequence of Thurber's enlist
ment in the Ninth Illinois cavalry.
The horrid conflict of those four
years cast its shadow upon my own
home as IL did upon thousands Of
other homes in this country and
date my mental and physical break
down from the publication of an adj
jutant's report In which the name If
my son Herbert appeared among the
killed. My collapse was complete ard
compelled my retirement from Office
work. For very long time lowered
between life and death. But finally
my condition had so much improved
that one morning / appeared at the
door Of the proprietor's Office, more,
however, to thank him in person for
his kindness TO me during my illness
than 20 state my readiness TO resume
my official duties.
"My dear Herford," he said, wheel
ing in his swivel chair and extending
his hand, al can't tell you how glad /
am TO know you're able TO be about
again"
/ thanked him as best / could and
thereafter listened 10 his words Of
sincere sympathy anent my personal
loss in the late war.
"I'vc been thinking of you," he went
on quite as kindly. ain fact within
the past two days ! have been consid-
ering your case and had just made up
my mind 10 write you of a PROPOSE
ton had decided upon which now I
may state TO you in person. What
do you say TO putting your old
are entirely well and meanwhile as
Stunning others that might only tend to
hasten your complete recovery"
81 feel able now TO do anything you
may set me to-" / said in as firm n
voice as il was possible for me TO as
sumo.
Then he went on, playing the
while with long steel envelope
opener. "How would you like 10 go
out on Green's trip this autumn"
Ny face must have lighted at the
prospect, for / remember he con-
tinued, smiling: "Iiis wife is not
well, and j think the change would
do you an immense amount of good;
you know his territory Missouri and
the southwest. Let me see" He
referred 10 little book which he
drew from pigeon-hole in the desk.
"Hc starts on the Goth of September.
This is only the 18th. lie can give
you his list and as for the work, Of
course you know the nature of IL as
well ms he does, or anyone in the es-
Enlistment, for that matter. Is the
proposition TO your liking?"
'Very much" / said 81. OF course,
would not have suggested IL, but !
have believed for some time that n
change-an entire change OF scene
would do more for me than all DR..
Tippeys medicine-a belief which the
doctor himself shares"
every well, then" he said, you'd
better see Green and have n talk with
him. There may be few little points
he could give you in the matter OF
connections and the like"
~ shall do so NJ once" / replied,
quite overjoyed, not alone ut his kind
ness, but at the prospect of com
plete recovery, which the trip offered.
"Come in again before you go. I'll
zee Warren in the matter at once.
You might tell him TO step in here as
you go out" So without further
words, and shaking hands with me
ngain he wheeled in his chair, and
glancing back over my shoulder as
opened the door l saw him fairly
buried in the work OF the day As
asked TO do, carried the chiefs mes
sage 10 Warren, and at this point u
may be well for me to state briefly
the company's way OF doing business.
In advance OF the sowing seasons
an army of agents set out from the
home Office for all parts of the coun-
try. IL was the business OF these
agents 20 place in the establishments
of all reputable grocers, general mer-
chants and agricultural goods deal
ers boxes Of the seeds. These boxes
contained certain numbers OF packets
OF seeds that In the aggregate repre-
scented values ranging per box from
IS 10 $500. The growth of the bust
ness, occasioned principally by the
growth of confidence in the firms
products, made IL necessary for these
agents TO visit every cross roads gen
eral store as well as city establish
ment dealing In seeds. Indeed, then
as aow, I'm the most obscure store NJ
the most obscure point-a point
often not designated on the map
stood on n shelf, q show ease or in
the window box of seed packets
The goods were not sold the dealer
outright. merely placed with him for
sale on commission. Thus dealer
would sell certain number OF packets
for five cents apiece and n collector
calling later in the year, would count
the packages remaining in the box
deduct the number from the number
originally there and hold the dealer
responsible for the balance represent.
ing the number OF packets sold. He
would turn over 60 the collector the