The Green Forest tribune., 1909-07-16
RANDALL'S STORE
 CHANGED HANDS
RECORD-OF- STORY AS
 TOLD BY CREDIT MAN
FOR MANY MERCHANTS
Those Dropping Behind i'll Race fer Business and Others May Profit by MT. RandaIl's
 Experience

CTS for many years, and during this time I had watched the growth of thousands of accounts, their progress, their payment-sometimes their loss. It was some satisfaction to me to know that much of the success of our GUS toners was due to the quality of their goods, for the slogan of the "Big House of Brown Brothers was quality First" I knew these accounts as though they were human; they were like old friends.
 One of thousands of accounts 1 knew and watched was that of firm down State in one of the best known towns in it's section. We'll call it Randall City and the store Randall's, for it wouldn't be kindly or professional for me to use real names in this story-though you can put it down that out side of this it is a record of strict fact. Randall's store was the oldest established house in it's city. We had been selling 1t goods for years, selling it from $22,O00 to $50,000 year. Payments had been promptly met every year and the account of ledger had been made a model to please any credit mans eye.
 But now, for the past five months, not an entry had been made on the ledger, and the firm owed Brown Brothers just S14,S68 43-Ill never forget those figures. It worried me,
 l had two weeks vacation just then, and decided to spend part of it at Randall City. I knew old Ran dall rather well, having met him on his trip to market, and liked him. 1 T thought something might be done about it, so l caught the train to town without telling Brown Brothers or any body else about it. And didn't tell Brown 1 was coming, either. l just blew into Randall City that Saturday night, went to hotel and then took a stroll up the street to see how things looked.
 It looked like every merchant on Main street prided himself on the looks of his store. Their window displays were splendid, and though it was late at night their electric lights brightened up the windows and fronts attract ed the attention of strollers.
 RANDALL'S WAS THE ONE
 EXCEPTION
 But there was one black expanse in the bright portion of the business, dusty windows, evidently unchanged for weeks. looked at tho grimy sign overhead; it was Randall's"
 Ten years previously Randall's had been the big store of Randall City. with age and prestige and reputation for fair dealings. Now it was like funeral in contrast with it's neighbors. There was Evans and there was Greens, brilliant with electric lights. Both these stores were conducted by huseling young men, neither more than 35.
 Next morning I reached for the daily papers and took a look. There were big display advertisement of special sales at Evans on Monday. There were big displays from Greens up to date. But search as I would, could find no reference to Randall's. When put away the papers l knew why our account was so inactive, why it was in danger of being total loss. Randall didn't advertise, either in the papers or in the appearance of his store. It didn't take an expert to see the trouble-but the problem was to find the remedy.
 I dropped into the store Monday morning, bright and early, and had d quiet talk with John Randall I was anxious to learn just how badly involv- ed he was, and it didn't take long for him to turn loose his reserve and tell me the whole story. It looked pretty bad. The old man had trusted his friends and acquaintancos and their friends and relatives until his bo oks were filled with accounts not worth dime on the dollar. In addition to the Brown Brothers account the claims of other firms aggregated about $23 1000.
 "Im getting too old to look after the business, I guess" said Randall. "It seems hard, after all these years, to have to acknowledge Pm whipped; guess Pm getting too old."
 A CHANGE TO SAVE THE STORE
 He kept saying this until stopped him and told him to get his mind off of that. The way things stood, Brown Brothers stood chance to collect about 60c on the dollar, if Randall's creditors pushed him, and several anx- ious letters he showed me indicated that some of them were about ready to take action. 1 was puzzling over the safest way to protect our own account when an idea struck me, bold one, a freakish one, if you will, but Ihad a two weeks vacation and decided to use it.
 "See here, MT. Randall" I said "you are practically bankrupt. You can't lose much more if you take a chance. l am young man, but know the game. Eve dealt with you for years and know your faults. You are an old man. Business today is conducted on different lines than twen- ty years ago. If you'll do as I say, believe can save your business.
 "I want you to go to New York to- night, take this statement to your cre1- itors and the letter to them I will give you. When left New York nobody knew where was going, I'll take my vacation right here in your store and pull it out and put you on top again. Will you do it?''
 Judge Randall looked at me a mo- ment, and laying his hand on my shoulder, said:
 "I don't know what your plans are, but Pm gong to take your advice. I'll go tonight and stay two weeks. Whatever you do will be alllright with me, and l wish you success" And Randall packed his grip and left.
 l called all the clerks and department heads together right there and gave them little talk.
 1.-The store will be closed until noon tomorrow, after we close tonight" I said, "but I want all of you here at l:5O In the morning, and wearing your pest clothes and smile. Take a look at the newspapers in the morning and you'll see why. 1 may tell you now that Randall's store has changed hands.