The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1904-01-12
Forethought can
be grown like wheat
after we know how.
A HuNDRED-DoLLAR DINNER.

| couple OF years ago there came to
me a beautifully printed invitation
reading as follows: 1.-THE committee
OF management requests the pleasure
OF your company at dinner on Thurs
day evening. Important plans will be
| presented relating to the approaching
celebration" | went, | saw and was
conquered. The banquet was in the
interest of an old debt. During the
dramatic appeals and after the many
courses OF gastric endangerers, re-
marked that | thought the friends of
my department would give them a
hundred dollars. The two secretaries
in charge of the subject replied that
they would help me If necessary get
that amount.
Failure.
BY experience | found my plan for
getting the money did not work. One
young man told me that would be in
better business If ! were collecting
money for the debt on his new house.
Nearly every one seemed to think |
was holding him up.
Then came the following: "I am in
structed TO write you with reference
to your pledge of one hundred dollars.
shall be glad to have an expression
from you within few days so that |
may report to the committee. We are
in special need of funds at present,
and of course nothing would be more
acceptable than the money. Very
truly yours, Secretary" To which |
replied: "The plan / had for getting
that hundred dollars has been ratified
and it is not wise for me to promise
when | can pay it. though l have not
abandoned it."
Trouble.
When the secretary saw me he twit-
ted me of repudiating my signature.
At another time | limited that he was
using the lowest form of commercial
promotion. jollying, in securing sigma
lures. We had plenty of arguments
pro and con. Finally we decided that
he should write me letter such as he
thought that l should have written
him. and then | should reply to it as
thought he should have written me.
This Is what he sent me: MIR. Secre-
tary Dear Sir-I write you concern
ing the pledge | made to give or raise
one hundred dollars toward removing
the floating debt When made this
pledge, about year ago, | thought |
had plan whereby the amount could
be easily secured. The plan has
fallen through. however. and | only
succeeded in getting three dollars.
regret very much that am unable to
comply with the conditions of my
pledge and must confess somewhat to
feeling of chagrin that have fallen
so far short of meeting my obligations.
| still consider myself bound to keep
the agreement, however, although am
Obliged to ask you to grant me an ex-
tension of time 1t is impossible for
me to say just when | will secure the
money but as | am troubled very much
about the matter you may be sure that
1t is my purpose to do this work at the
earliest possible moment. Please tell
me what you think of this, and |
should also be grateful for any sug-
gestlons you may make as to how |
could go about raising such a sum of
money | have not had much expert
ence soliciting money and not being
very well acquainted with your work
and the reasons why business men
should contribute to it. found myself
handicapped to considerable extent.
Trusting you win appreciate the spirit
in which l write this letter, l remain.
very truly yours"
The Other Letter.
In the sample letter sent him there
were blank spaces left for special in
formation for me from him. The fol-
lowing is the complete letter. Dear
Sir-Your favor of the 9Th inst. won-
corning your pledge of one hundred
dollars to the debt fund is received.
We are simply experiencing what
many others have been through, and |
am as anxious to assist you in making
your plan to secure one hundred dol
lars succeed as | am to get the one
hundred dollars. In reply to your
question concerning the Indebtedness
which now rests upon us the most Of
which is funded, would say this was
created as follows: The present
building was erected on the site of the
old building. During it's erection our
f~,& i -