The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-02
pY RIoHARp spILLANE,


B1r. Pierson had not been president
of the Dover-Harris Speciality Com
pany moro than a month before he
had reason ito think he had made
mistake. A fow weeks later he was
sure of It. but he did not appreciate his
blunder in its fulness until he had been
in office three months.
He had accepted the presidency nj
the solicitation of Mr.. Dover, and had
believed implicitly what Mr.. Dover had
said regarding the company Mr.
Dover was candid about his own In
ability to manage the business. Ho
was not good executive. did not
know how to handle men. did not
know how to direct to advantage tho
factory end OF the concern, had only
general knowledge of ,salesmanship,
and. In addition, had no taste for the
multitude OF worries aud the mass OF
detail that fell to the head of tho
company. To FREQ himself of all this
and to get the business on q sound,
good basis he had approached Mr..
Pierson. The salary he suggested was
alluring, the outline he gave of the
company's condition and prospects was
reasonable. and Mr.. Persons examina-
tion. cursory as 1t was. bore out what
Mr.. Dover had set forth.
Probably II Mr.. Person had been
entirely happy in the position he filled
previous to receiving the offer from
Mr.. Dover no would have hesitated. But
Mr. Dover was SO charming and needed
Mr.. Persons help so much that Mr.
Plerson gave UP his old position as
early az he could with good grace. To
move his family to Chicago. furnish
new house and get settled there cost
quite sum. He begrudged the money.
because he was not able to take SO
many shares in the Speciality Company
as he desired. Mr.. Dover had agreed
to let him have 100 shares at SIS
share. and he had been able to pur.
chase only eighty. He had been SO
sanguine OF making a SUCCESS Of tho
management that he had prevailed
upon one OF his friends to take some
shares at the same price.
Every man has at least ono weak
ess. In Mr.. Persons case 1t was
faith in any person for whom he en-
tertained high regard. The FIRST time
he met Mr.. Dover he was attracted to
him strongly. Few persons could make
better first impression than Henry
Dover. He was SO kindly. spoke SO
interestingly and had SO charming g.
manner that ne won confidence at
once. His eyes we're wonderful Even
II his voice mad not been SO smooth and
melodious his eyes would have added
strength to anything he said. They
C.
been big and robust they would not
have suited him so well. but he was
small. delicate looking and slightly
lame.
sympa thctic men like Pierson got an
idea when they met Dover that he had
bit Of the poet or touch of genius
about him. Later on they knew hs
had little or no poetry IN bis make.
up. but they were certain about the
genius. His particular kind of genius
was In making people believe
what he said. He had no more bust.
ness ability than a cat, but he would
have made great success as pro.
moter.
Mr.. Pierson had been surprised and
then shocked to find things different
from what he had expected. Mr.. Dover
had lied. Mr.. Pierson became alarmed
He sent for Mr.. Dover and taxed him
with having misrepresented the situa-
ton. Mr.. Dover looked SO wretched