The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-23

to Nettleton that his drafts on nature would have to be paid
 The news came to him as a shock. but when he satisfied himself of its truth he prepared, so far as he could, to meet the condition and correct 1t. He determined to relieve himself gradually of his vast responsibilities and care for and safe- guard his health as be had his business.
 A trip abroad toned him up, but when he returned he found that things had not gone we'll in his absence. Men do not work with the precision of machines and Mr. Nettleton always had more trouble with men than with machines. He had acted partly from impulse when he bought the Great Device. He had acted on impulse in many affairs, so he acted on impulse now. He shook up the whole organization, discharging here, transfer ring there, and promoting in other places. Then he went away again. When he returned he was dissatisfied, so he put a new lot of men in as heads of depart ments. It did not matter that the busi- ness continued to grow. The trouble was that 1t did not grow so fast as Nettleton expected.
 But now a new and surprising condition developed to distress him. Various of his lieutenants who had been with him for years and had been discharged summarily had gone forth and started in opposition to him. They knew his business and the making and marketing of his device as well. almost as he. They knew how to make a new machine, different enough from the original to escape infringement of patents, and they were prepared to battle with him in the markets of the world But they did not know John Net tleton's fighting ability He entered into the struggle with ferocity. The. Standard oil pursued it's rivals no less pitilessly than did he. Trained men followed the salesmen of the opposition wherever they went. Never did the opposition make sale than one of Nettletons men was not sure to follow. They ridiculed the pur- chaser, offered to show him how he had been deceived, and when they were per- mitted to open the machine they cleverly fouled 1t and put 1t out of working or der, for they knew it as thoroughly as did the makers. Spies of Nettleton worked in the opposition factories, in the opposition office and in the opposition selling force. Every trick of the law was employed, too, to harass the opposi- tion Under the guise of the law ma- chimes of the opposition were seized, ruined and piled up in Nettleton's branch offices as horrible examples. The oppo- sition was crashed.
 But there was little rest for Nettleton. Somehow he could not get hmen to fit ex- actly into his requirements. His business had grown to colossal proportions. He employed coco persons. His sales amount ed to $1,0Oo,OO0 month. Ae was piling up big fortune. He was generous and paid we'll for every service, but although he could get any number of good operatives it was more difficult to get good mana gers. He made change after change. No one was more exacting than he; no one harder to please. Never did he get a man to meet all his requirements until John Templeton became general manager. Tenn pleton had been an office boy in branch office 1 the early days of the organza-
 
 a salesman, then branch manager. He had genius for selling and genius for managing. He loved the work. From one branch to another he was sent, and wher- ever he went the increase in business was startling. Nettleton, who watched over everything, watched the young man.
 In due time Templeton was brought to headquarters. First he was tried in one portion and then in another. Tn every department he showed the same fine ability he had displayed before. Then he was sent out in the selling field again, this time after big game. One day he came back with the greatest order Net. tleton ever had received. That day Net tleton made him general sales manager. From that day the sales of the concern, great as they had been before. increased. Nettleton had found his man. at last But sales alone did not satisfy Nettle- ton. He did everything his active mind