The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-11-03
the congratulations

O. ~ school had grown cool
@e@aeexx Philip Conway was listen
ing to a business offer
from one OF his fathers old friends.
IF you accept this position" the
man was saying, you are to go from
place to place, all over the country.
wherever any unusual gathering is in
progress. You are to pitch your tent
in the most prominent spot You can
find, make tea with the apparatus we
provide, and distribute sample cups
and advertising matter to the crowd.
In each town you will need to hire
two neat young women by the day to
serve tea and wash the dishes. You
need do none of the actual labor your
self, but you are to keep things in
running order-to be the business man
ager, in fact. Of course we pay all
expenses. Will you do it,"
Il must do something" replied
Philip. IF you think I'm equal to it
If you're willing to trust NELL be
glad to try it.''
Professor Kendall says you have
plenty of executive ability, and that
you are trustworthy. Those are the
principal requirements. It's mans
work, but I believe you are capable
of doing it. Come to my Office to-mor-
row morning if you decide to under
take it, and I'll give you detailed in
Structions.'
/, The following morning Philip went
home jubilant. Forty dollars a month
and expenses seemed princely sum
to'the boy. He thought almost scorn-
fully of his classmate, Sam Peters,
who was tremendously elated over the
prospect Of earning FIVE dollars week.
"Of course" said Philip, grandly, ut
isn't the sort of thing a man wants to
engage in for life, but it's a good
thing While it lasts, and mother needs
every dollar I can earn. I know Mr..
Prescott is doing this solely because he
and father were such friends, but I'll
Just show him that he didn't make
any mistake"
Z With this noble resolve the lad start
ed out upon his new and unusual en-
terprise, pitching his tent from week
to week in strange and divers places.
he visited towns that were undergo
ing the agonies of street fairs, fire.
mems tournaments, Fourth of July and
other celebrations He travelled in the
wake of circuses and "Wild West"
shows-wherever there was a crowd,
there was Philip with his free samples
of tea.
He mastered the intracacies Of a
complicated gasoiine-stove, solved the
problem of serving the greatest num-
Der Of persons in the shortest space Of
time, and learned to hire, with careful
Judgment, his two white-aproned as
sistantS.
He discovered. too. that each town
possessed at least one small boy who
was willing. for the trihing reward of
q dime and few sample packages of
tea, to fill his big copper boilers with
water, and to keep the freakish gaso-
line stove from exploding or otherwise
misbehaving.
OF course Philip made mistakes at
Grst, but he profted by them. Mr..
Prescott, the tea-man, had reason to
feel that he had made wise choice in
selecting his friends son as his ad-
vertising agent.
Wherever the lad went he made
friends. He had a bright. attractive
face. he carried his handsome head
with a jaunty. self-respecting air, and
he was all business. His small boy
assistants spake of him as 1.-The pro-
prietor' and addressed him as ''sir.'
Moreover, his mother was a gentle
woman: therefore. her boys speech
was refined and his manners were IT.
reproachable. a fine boy" was the
verdict wherever he went.
The latter part of September found
him in northern Michigan, where the
Carp County Agricultural Fair was in
progress. He obtained permission to
pitch his tent between what the direct
ors facetiously called 1.-The jelly-and-
jam building" and the horticultural
department.. BY Monday noon his out
fit was unpackcd and everything was
ready for business; but the crowd was
not ready for tea.
The fair grounds were inoonveniently
far from town. Many OF the exhibit
ors who had no horses and felt too
poor TO patronizc the railroad, even at
greatly reduced rates. carried their ex-
hibitS from town. over two miles OF
dusty road.
The distance from the entrance gate
to :he buildings was considerable; but
It seemed never to occur to the loung
ing group Of men ard boys just within
the gate to offer, any assistance to tired
old women. who fairly staggered under
the weight OF homemade pickles
potted plants and rolls Of rag carpet.
His tent up, his samples unpaeket
and his helpers instructed, PhihI