The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-23
pull down some buttons for Mir. Park ins. I'll be right back and give him

| prices"
 Parkins was from crossroads town l Herman pulled down the buttons tha, | never sold. He knew the prices. Ulti-
 mately Parkins bought half the entire lot.
 This transaction so pleased Hopkins | that Herman was called on freuuently
 to take a customer when the statesmen | were busy. Two years after Herman entered the place he was made a regu- lar salesman at $20 per week. He al- ways sold the things that stuck on the | shelves. Mir. Hope learned of this and complimented him on this point.
 Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to have buyer who did not load dead l stock on us?' asked Herman grayely. | A week later he was made assista mt | manager of the department and en- trusted with considerable share of the buying,
 l Shortly after this. when Herman was just turned 19, he went to Mir Hope. ! am going to resign said he. | whats the trouble?" demanded Hope. "Ain't you getting enough?" Oh. yes, sir" replied Herman, that part Is all right-everything, in fact, is all right but I want to go into busi- ness for myself"
 Co in for yourself?" exclaimed the l merchant. Have you got any capital 2" About $500 that I've saved" replied Herman. That will buy a team and wagon and give me something near s200 to put into stock. That aint quite enough. but you will trust me for two or three hundred more on my outfit" what are you going to do?" asked the merchant.
 Peddle." replied Herman sententi- I La a store" N' oh. come now, you are doing bet ter than any young man we have ever hao. expostulated Hope Don't make 1ool of yourself. You will be head or department in few years"
 Ihank you, sir" replied Herman. wouldn't stay for a job as general manager, I am going in for myself. nave learned all I can as a subordi- nate"
 And that was all there was to if herman started out with his wagon. lie made good selections of merchant disc and his sales were beyond hjs hopes. Within two years he had piled up s5'ooo. Then he ran across a store m small town which was for sale The owner had made failure. hut Herman thought he saw why He bought 1t. paying part down. In two years he was out of debt and doing a uusiness that was the wonder of all .ne country about. The town had only io'oVo lnhaoltants and Herman chafed at the Limitations. He found a pur- chaser at fancy price, and at 23 went pack to the city with sl00OO in his pocket. " '''
 He then started a jobbing business in small way and by his indefatigable energy and application began to make lnroads in the business of the larger houses. He did we'll from the first but his resources were so limited that ne could not move fast enough to suit hls ardent spirit. Then Norris. Hope's partner, died and Hope sent for him.
 corning, you are wonder" he said. I need such a man as you. Re sides you are cutting into our business l will take you in and sell you a nuar- ter interest. at whatever the business inventories, take over your stock at what IL inventories as part payment ana your note for the balance. You can pay out of the profits. You can handle the business as manager and VIII look after the finances"
 This was great lift but it only fed Cornings ambition. Still he was not nominating factor in the business world and he found after a year or so
 
 Hope, whose conservative methods drove him to distraction He wanted 10 lead, Hope was content to run along smoothly on the old lines Besides he was not making money fast enough to suit hlm To be sure his share of the yearly profits ran way up in the thou sands but he could not see how he ever could become a power in the financial world at the rate he was going.
 While he was struggling with these problems, Hopes health failed. Know ing Cornlngs daring disposition he did | not dare go away. as the physicians or dered, and leave the young man in l charge of the entire business. Finally. threatened with death, he offered to | sell ms interest at very reasonable | sum 1T Corning could find a packer. | While the sum was reasonable consid- | ering the value of the business. it was a vast amount for a young man to | raise. All of Corning's profits had gone into paying for his quarter inter- est.
 In the meantime Corning had made | one or two social connections One was Peter Holdbrook, wealthy retail mer- chant, with whom he had come into business relations and who had admir- ed the young man for his business tal- eht' lie had invited Corning to his nome several times and had presented his daughter. frail. rather pretty girl, whose strength of character if she ever had any, had been eliminated by her fathers dominant methods.
 Just about this time Peter Hold brook died and his daughter had called | on Herman for advice, knowing that her father had trusted him. The girl was the sole relative and heir and the responsibility of the great estate frightened her
 To Herman came a great inspiration. lie would marry this pale-fa girl who would be putty in his hands. This would give him money enough to buy out Hope, besides making him master of the great Holdbrook store. He would combine the two businesses and make himself the greatest factor in the business world. There was a sin cere pang at the thought of Hannah. because, besides having a real affec- ton for her. Herman had made her a part of his scheme of life and his na- ture revolted at changing his plans. But he saw no other way and within two months he had married Lillian Hold