The evening world., 1911-09-20


chant, while IN London, heard that a young man
living in that city had invented a machine which
assisted operators in making feather boas better
and more rapidly and moro economically than they
had ever been made before by operators alone.
The American merchant sought out this young
man and WANTED TO BUY II MACHINE.
The young inventor had constructed a machine that
was not at all complex in the details of its. mechan-
ism; in fact, it was Q very simple device repre-
senting only an idea WHICH THE INVENTOR
HAD NOT PATENTED.
He knew that if he showed it to the American
ENTERED INTO BETWEEN THEM, nothing
could prevent the American from making a ma
chine Of his own.
He stated to the American his views on the SUBJ
ject, THE AMERICAN BE-
CAME INDIGNANT. saying that he was a man
Of his word and that, besides, he could back it up
with money.
The young Londoner DID NOT DOUBT
EITHER E6T,n% = ; THE WORD OR THE MONEY
idea that he would not do business except upon an
agreement that would prevent the construction of
q machine exactly like his, WITHOUT GIVING
HIM SOME MONEY RETURN OR SOME
PLEDGE that it would not be copied if the Amcri.
can, after seeing it, did not wish to buy.
The American THEN BECAME MORE IN
DIGNANT and walked out Of the shop. Then the
young man commenced to soliloquize about as
follows:
"The demand for feather boas in London is dim
inishing-they are not selling here as they once
did-THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE H FASH
ION just now. THERE MUST BE A DEMAND
this American merchant would not be so anxious
to buy my machine. l GUESS MAYBE l HAD
BETTER MOVE TO AMERICA"
The next day the American again called on tie
YYSSHTR3S m suc cnf s AS xGRE RhiIiSh "A As sN HAD
BEEN OUTLINED TO HIM THE DAY BE:
FORE, but this time he was informed THAT HE
COULD NOT BUY THE MACHINE AT ANY
PRICE. That ended the negotiations.
Within q short time after this incident the young
to America. THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.
He only had two thousand dollars. HE WAS
THEN 20 YEARS OLD AMI MARRIED.
He brought along with him the machine for the
making of feather boas. He rented a very modest
place WHICH HE USED BOTH FOR A FAC
TORY AND A HOME: He made up some samples
of feather boas. Then he started out to call on the
buyers in the big department stores.
He went around the city every day for many
months. HE COULD NOT GET Az INTER
VIEW WITH A SINGLE BUYER IN A
SINGLE STORE. H did not know American
ways OF salesmanship-HE WAS o KNOWN,
SO he was sidetracked.
Besides, the buyers said among themselves, when
this young manufacturer sent in his card to them
and announced his business WHO is this man
who OFFERS TO SELL FEATHER BOAS At
as $50 for some OF our feather boas. II we put
in his stock, we will not be able to sell ours. Fur
thcrmorc, the public seems to be losing interest
in feather boas. We had better get rid Of the
stock we have"
SO THE DAILY TRAMP, TRAMP OF THIS
YOUNG MAN through the streets of the city,
in an effort to sell his merchandise, gradually dim
inishing his small amount of cash, every day max
ing more feather boas, until he had finally accu-
mulated u stock Of one thousand of them, went on
until he WAS WELL-NIGH DISCOURAGED.
Walking on Sixth avenue one day he saw a sign
in n window in a loft-"Old Feathers Cleaned and
Dyed He said to himself, since he was an OK
pert dyer that was the trade he had learned welD.
~ GUESS ! HAD BETTER ABANDON THE
MAKING OF FEATHER BOAS and rent a place
and start up the business Of cleaning and dyeing
old feathers, WHICH / CAN DO AS WELL AS
ANYBODY ON EARTH"
The ,ipshot of it was that he rented a loft at
500 Sixth avenue, near 23d Street, just around
from the James McCrcery g Co. store. THIS
WORKROOM AMI SOME LIVING ROOMS.
He immediately moved into this place with his
family, paying II rental of $50 per month. After
paving the first months rent. ALL HE HAD LEFT
IN THE WORLD WAS 5000.
HE COULD NOT AFFOR TO DO MUCH
ADVERTISING, but he started to use in ONE
THEATRE PROGRAM a space which COST
women commenced to drop into the shop with
their old feathers to have them cleaned and dyed.
He DID Ills WORK WELL. The feathers
were cleaned and dyed so thoroughly THAT
THEY LOOKED LIKE NEW FEATHERS,
so much so that many of the women who brought
them in COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THE
FEATHERS WEIR THEIRS These women,
lad been done for them, PASSED AROUND
FRIENDS, telling them that if they had any old
feathers they wanted fixed up, they had better take