Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-11-17
parpirs was from crossroads town

never sold. He knew the prices. Ulti
mately Parkins bought half the entir
lot.
This transaction so pleased Hopkin
that Herman was called on frequentl,
to take customer when the statesmen
were busy. Two years after Herman
entered the place he was made a regu
lar salesman at 500 per week. He al
ways sold the things that stuck on tn,
shelves. Mr. Hope learned of this anC
complimented him on this point.
Wouldn't 1t be easier and cheaper
to have buyer who did not load dead
stock on us?" asked Herman gravely.
A week later he was made assistant
manager of the department and en-
trusted with a considerable share OF
the buying.
Shortly after this, when Herman was
just turned 10, 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 a team and
wagon and give me something ne&T
$500 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 ssntenti-
ously. until can make enough to buy
a store"
"Oh, come now, you are doing better
than any young man we have ever
had" cxpostulated Hope, Don't make
fool of yourself. You will be head
Of department in few years"
Thank you, sir" replied Herman.
II wouldn't stay for job az general
manager. am going in for myself.
l have learned ali 1 can as a 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 a 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
business that was the wonder Of all the
country about. The town had only
$4,000 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 tobbing business
in a small way and by his indefatig-
able energy and application began to
make inroads in the business of the
larger houses. He did well from the
first, but his resources were 80 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 q wonder" he
said. 81 need such a man as you. Be
sides you are cutting into our business.
1 will take you in and sell you a 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
Corning's 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 up in the thousands,
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 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,
with death, he offered to
sell his interest at very reasonable |
sum if Corning could find a hacker,
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 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 adj |
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 eliminated by |
her fathers dominant methods.