Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-04-13
!. aAin,t you gettlng enough 2,

Hope. "Aint you getting enough?"
ooh, yes, sir" replied Herman, "thai
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 anC
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"
"Oh, 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 a job as general
manager l am going in for myself.
I have learned all can as a subordi-
nate"
And that was all there was to 1t.
Herman started out with his wagon.
He made good selections OF merchan-
disc and his sales we're beyond his
hopes Within two years he had piled
up $4,000 Then he ran across a store
in a small town which was for sale.
The owner had made a failure, but
Herman thought he saw why. he
bought 1t, 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
$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 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 we're 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. 81 need such man as you. Be-
sides you are cutting into our business.
| 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 1t only fed
Corning's ambition. Still he was not a
dominating factor in thebusiness 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,
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 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 very reasonable
sum if Corning could find a hacker,
While the sum was reasonable consid-
ering the value of the business, 1t was
a 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,-a 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, 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 Holdbrook
died and his daughter Gad 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 a 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.
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