River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-09-08

just turned 1s, he went to Mr.. Hope
81 am going to resign" said he.
Whats the trouble?" demanded
Hope. "Ain't you getting enough?"
ooh, yes, sir" replied Herman, that
part is all right-everything in fact, is
all right, but want to go into business
for myself"
go in for yourself?" exclaimed the
merchant. Have you got any CAPT
tal?"
About $500 that I've saved" replied
Herman. THAT will buy team and
wagon and give me something near
5000 to put into stock That amt 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-
ously until can make enough to buy
store"
ooh, come now, you are doing better
than any young man we have ever
had" expostulated Hope. Don't make
a fool of yourself You will be head
Of department in few years"
Thank you, sir" replied Herman.
II wouldn't stay for job as general
manager. I am going in for myself.
l have learned all I can as subordi-
nate"
And that was all there was to it.
Herman started out with his wagon.
He made good selections of merchan-
disc and his sales were beyond his
hopes. Within two years he had piled
up $4,000. Then he ran across store
in small town which was for sale.
The owner had made a failure, but
Herman thought he saw why. He
bought it, paying part down. In two
years he was out of debt and doing a
business that was the wonder Of all the
country about. The town had only
Is, 900 inhabitants and Herman chafed
at the limitations He found a pur-
chaser at fancy price, and at % went
back to the city with $4,000 in his
pocket.
He then started a jobbing business
in small way and by his indefatig-
able energy and application began to
make inroads in the business of the
larger houses. He did we'll from the
first, but his resources were so limited
that he could not move fast enough to
suit his ardent spirit. Then Norris,
Hopes partner, died and Hope sent for
him.
Corning, you are a wonder" he
said. II need such man as you. Be-
sides you are cutting into our business.
l will take you in and sell you quar-
ter interest, at whatever the business
inventories, take over your stock at
what it inventories as part payment
and your note for the balance. You
can pay out Of the profits. You can
handle the business as manager and l
will look after the finances"
This was a great lift, but it only fed
Cornings ambition. Still he was not a
dominating factor in the business world
and he found after year or so that
he must remain subordinate to Hope,
whose conservative methods drove him
to distraction. He wanted to lead,
Hope was content to run along smooth
ly on the old lines. Besides he was
not making money fast enough to suit
him. To be sure his share of the year
ly profits ran way lap in the thousands,
but he could not see how he ever could
become power in the financial world
at the rate he was going.
While he was struggling with these
problems, Hopes health failed. Know
ing Corning's daring disposition he did
not dare go away, as the physicians
ordered, and leave the young man in
charge of the entire business Finally,
threatened with death, he offered to
sell his interest at a very reasonable
sum if Corning could find a hacker,
While the sum was reasonable consid-
ering the value of the business, it was
q vast amount for young man to
raise. All of Corning's profits had gone
into paying for his quarter interest.
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 ad-
mired the young man for his business
talent. He had invited Corning to his
home several times and had presented
his daughter, a frail, rather pretty girl,
whose strength of character, if she
ever had any, had been elimin ated by
her fathers dominant methods.
Just about this time Peter Holdbrook
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 re-
sponsibility of the great estate fright
ened her.
To Herman came great inspiration.
He would marry this pale-faced 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 bust
ness world. There was sincere pang
at the thought Of Hannah, because, be-
sides having a real affection for her,
Herman had made her part of his
scheme of life and his nature revolted
at changing his plans. But he saw no
other way and within two months he
had married Lillian Holdbrook, and
soon after became absolute master of
two great stores, one wholesale and one
retail.
The rest the business world knows
well-how he reversed the old policies
and struck out into new methods with
. HI lob, 81, on