The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-02-27

maps IL Will not be amiss to state here
that Shenandoah Pike is 1900 miles
long. LIS fine macadamized road all
the way from Winchester to Bristol.
Tenn. From Bristol to Knoxyille is
not so good. Well, as said before. ar
terldriving for about three miles Patsy
thought it about time to start selling
the soap. Somehow or other | had a
funny feeling in my lower extremiries.
especially about the knees, when |
thought of approaching house with
a view of selling my wonderful soap
so told Patsy the houses didn't look
good to me; they were too fine, and we
had better drive on until we came to a
locality where they were not so pre-.
tentlQns- In my heart I wished the
soap was in hades. Somehow could
not make up my mind to approach a
house. Scared to death! Talk about
our soldiers being scared the night of
Sheridan's ride, on that very same pike.
Why they possibly couldn't have been
one half as frightened as was. IL
nally made up my mind that if had a
little bi-prodIct of corn it would stiffen
up my backbone and give me enough
courage to at least make an attempt.
The moment I mentioned the su,.irct
to Patsy, he assured me there was no
use trying to sell any soap there.
and that as soon as We got to Stras-
hnrg (Which was twelve miles down
the pike) then we would lind good
locality TO do business. / guess the
reason he said that was because that
was the nearest place where they dis.
pensed that which 1 wanted and
wanted badly. So OH we drove and ar
rived about noon, Patsy unhitched our
team and | made bee line for the
drug store where Patsy soon joined me.
After partaking Of q couple of. doses
of that southern elixir of life and d
good dinner, we again started out.
After travelling for a couple of hours
finally decided to make my maiden
effort. We stopped in trout of typi-
cal southern farm house; before reach
ing there ] had put twenty cakes of
soap III a basket so as to be in readi-
ness. grabbed the basket and started
for the house. AS turned into the
yard looked back aud there was Patsy
laughing as If he thought it was funny.
1t made me angry, for l couldn't see it
in that light. IN
AT that moment my heart went
a humping as if it would jump out of
my throat. Finally reached the door
aud knocked; colored woman came
to the door. She looked me over care
fully, for a moment and before had a
chance to say word, she said, "we
doh't want nuffin." l told her was
selling the finest soap in the world,
twenty cakes for $1OO which was five
cents cake. All / could get out Of
her was, "don't want nuffin." gave
her up and hiked for the wagon.
After trying couple of more houses
without any success, commenced to
get little worried. Here | had in.
vested nearly all the money had in
the outiitand goods, but upon reflection
Was consoled, for our living expenses
would be nothing; we would live on
southern hospitality. That night we
finally induced farmer to permit us
to spend the night at his home. The
food was vile; all we had was pork. tea
and biscuits for supper and breakfast.
The next morning when we were
ready to start asked him how much
we owed him and he promptly replied
$500. nearly tainted, for expected
he would say it was a pleasure to &C.
commodate any traveller, and the latch
was always OH the outside of the door.
paid the money and we drove away.
| tried several houses but they all had
excuses and would not buy. For din
ner we stopped at another farm house
and that cost $175. l tried to get the
owner of the house to take soap for
pag but he wouldn't entertain the
proposition. by that time l was SO
frightened at the future prospects of
my venture that became sick and
told Patsy to drive to the nearest town
where there was hotel and we would
spend the night there and then decide
on my future course.
That night had 9 long talk with
ne owner OF the hotel. and he told me