The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-18
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and with the balance he purchased some
common tools of trade Within two
weeks he went broke, having trusted
everything. He had only SIS in non-nego-
table non-available book accounts. He
was hopelessly busted By this time
his father by a second marriage, had
secured ramshackle little old farm,
worth about $50. With scrawny cow and
few razor-back hogs upon it. He came
| to Ben's relief by leasing the farm to him
on shares Ben worked there about
year and sold out his interest to his ven
cradle parent for a pair OF low-cut shoes,
two pairs of socks and wooden shirt.
Ben now conceived tremendous bus
| mess enterprise. He had discovered a
vacant little shack at the forks of road
in the neighborhood. He rented it. He
made a startling proposition to a tanner
whom he had never before seen, to the
effect that he wanted $50 credit at his
house. After some little talk the tanner
consented and Ben bought $3.50 worth of
goods on the spot He went 10 the sad
dler he first served under and borrowed
from him some tools. He built a con-
bench by day and a bed by night and
started. He prospered. He soon began
TO dabble in merchandise buying and SELL
ing tallow. feathers bees-wax and a little
of everything. He accepted these from
farmers who owed him and consigned
them TO the tannery which he owed. His
mind now turned TO the affairs of the
heart and marriage came into his head.
Like all boys he fell head over heels in
love with the first tidy girl he saw.
One night he was visiting the home of
his lady-love and somebody asked him a
simple question in. simple geography Ben
blushed to the roots of his hair and h6
girl laughed at his ignorance. Going home
that night TO his little shack he decided
TO sell out and go to school. There was
no one to buy him and he conceived the
plan of rafting off eeyrything he had.
He placed one winning ticket TO every
three blanks in box and advertised the
rattle. Nobody in that country had
enough to buy his business as a whole,
but everybody had a quarter to spend
for a lottery ticket. 1t was the greatest
day ever seen in that section of Canada.
affair ended in a dance and general
merry making. Ben still has some of the
rafle tickets which he exhibits with con-
siderable pride TO friends who visit his
home.
At q Ben Nc Lean entered a country
school. lie was larger then than he is
now and when he walked down the aisle
and sat in the seat assigned him. the
whole school was thrown into spasm.
He had picked up enough education TO
be able TO read in the third grade. He
had heard his father read the newspaper
to a whole parish of people and when his
time came to recite paragraph he
spoke as if he were addressing an over
flow meeting. This threw the school into
confusion and Ben wished he never had
been born. At the end of eighteen months
all of his money was gone, but he had
made a good start.
Having had a taste of education. he
wanted more. He conceived the idea Of
going to four rich men whom he knew,
placing his case before them and bor-
rowing $50 from each. He succeeded and
went to a business college in the state
Of New York. He BECAME bankrupt
before graduating time. and he was up
against il good and hard. but that great
old friend of man-Honesty-saved him.
IN college he refused 10 follow custom
Of getting other BOYS to help him out with
his tasks" but on the contrary sent his
papers to the professors with all errors
The faculty so appreciated this honesty
that they tided him over the balance Of
his term and gave him a graduates GER
tidcate. lie was talking one day with
a crowd of the students about the future
when Frank Hopkins of Westheld. n. Y.
said that he had cousins in Wichita. who
had written 10 him saying il was great
place for a young man. Put me down
for Wichita. then" said Ben. there is
where | am going" He called a meeting
of his chums outlined his intentions aud
asked each ore of them for a small loan
10 nav his way to Kansas. There were
boys in the college from everywhere and
when Ben loan was filled he owed
money in practically every state in the
Union Since then he has paid back every
dollar he ever borrowed and at his home
on The West Side he has the most peou-
liar assortment Of receipts ever seen BY
mortal eyes. Hopkins sister. when Ben
was passing through Westfeld. gave him
q box Of hard boiled eggs to use on the
road and Hopkins himself gave him let
ter TO his cousins in Wichita-J. c. and
Wilbur Jones.
Arriving in Wichita in 1884. he went to
the home OF J. c. Jones. who was then
living across from Col. Murdock's home.
He remained there three weeks and was
unable 70 find . Job. Mr.. Jones was very
kind % hin hui Ben felt thaf he WIS