davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
His Market Baskets Boom Trade;
Jones' Novel Idea Makes Hit.
By HINTON GILMORE.

- LII the retail merchandising brains are
~ not TO be found in the bright and spot
~ less city stores. Plenty of business
n acumen is exhibited in the country
store.
country merchant who happens to live
reasonably near the county seat, city of
5000 people, makes money out Of that cir
cumstance. During the early vegetable sea-
son the merchant buys the vegetable output
Of his entire neighborhOod and packs what
he calls " Jones' market baskets" In each
basket he puts some lettuce, a few radishes,
some early peas. and other early products
of the truck garden. In fact, each basket
contains a sort of an unboiled New England
boiled dinner. He sells basket and contents
for 80 cents, and the stock that he sends to
the city daily doesn't last long enough to keep
his agent half way busy.
Later in the year he works the same Idea,
using fruits, apples, peaches, berries, etc,
which grow in abundance In his neighbpr-
hood For his mixed basket Of fruit. which
il smaller than his vegetable basket, he gets
25 cents His only difficulty lies in getting
half enough TO go around.
In winter he srranges Jones market bas-
kets" These contain some fresh pork, spare
ribs, fresh pigs feet, sausage, country made
rnolasses, preserved fruits, and like edibles
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Auto Put in Expense Account;
Motor Talk Appealed to Buyer.
Bv WILLIAM BoTHo MAYER.

tell you the truth. I don't know whether my
brands are giving satisfaction-I'm certain
that they are In a measure
"Do you carry Monarchs? mentioning
our make.
No. he answered.
81 suppose you are aware Of the fact
that they are taking first honors in all con-
tests and examinations, besides having the
largest sales in six states west Of the Mis-
slssippI. The reason for this is twofold
The company manufacturing the Monarchs
gives the retailer a larger margin Of pront
than their competitors, thus encouraging
the dealers to handle them, and also gives
the farmer implements with exclusive
patented features that place them ahead Of
all other makes.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Led Up to Monarch Machines.

We completed the legal matters for the
transfer of the ownership Of the machine in
a few minutes. It began TO driZzle. Nordeen
asked me TO remain until the downpour
ceased Luck was playing into my hands.
But as yet had sold nothing. Worse than
that, I had bought
Gradually, ever so gradually. I swung
the train of conversation over to farming
implements.
Are you well satisfied with the makes
you are carrying at present. queried guile
lessly, a moment after introducing the topic.
70 be candid he answered, really
don't know whether l am or not. You see,
1 spend most OF my time motoring. I'm
merely selling the car have now so that
may get later model. For the last few years
I've used an inverted motto, 4" Pleasure be-
fore business" I've toiled for nearly forty
years. Now that my business is iourishing
and competently handled. can see no good
reason why l shouldn't enjoy the fruits Of
my efforts. I've earned my rest. So. to
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Bomb Exploded by Wireless.

A Salt Lake City inventor. urged on. he
claims, by a gang of blackmailers. invented
a new kind Of bomb which he planned TO
use to blow up his sweetheart. Just why he
should have wished to blow her out of ex
istence is not in the report OF the matter.
this stating that the officials of the govern
ment had taken over the invention as OF
promise in warning ships OF disaster. trains
OF open switches. and the like. The story
smacks very much OF publicity salve, but
should the invention prove the success
claimed for-It, OF setting OF bombs or light
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Little Courtesies Bring Trade;
Customers Remember Favors.
Rv VIM r MAYER
By VIM. B. MAYER.

order Of hardware, assuring her he would see
that delivery was made promptly.
Such courtesies are always appreciated and
remembered in a substantial way. The pro
prietor should not only endsavor to be OF as
sistance to his customers in every conceiv-
able way, but should also teach his clerks,
as did this merchant, to ever have their eyes
open and be ready and willing at all times
TO extend such favors as are apt to prove
trade bringers.
Personal service Is another factor OF high
grade merchandising which should have the
dealers attention. Personal service means
the handling OF each individual customer IN
the manner best suited to that particular per-
son. This is already prscticed to some ex-
tent by retail merchants. but in an altogether
too limited way.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
A Bargain He Couldn't Resist.

Il called at the given address. It proved
to be a paIatial residence. The owner. a man
who was somewhat past middle age, took
me down the gravel path to the garage and
showed me the car. He spoke volubly with
a flow Of technical lingo which absorbed
in ecstasy.
OF course, I had no intention OF buying
the machine. Ny intended modus operand
was to find Nordeen when he was in his
auto and. as an ordinary pedestrian coax
him out Of his shell Of reticence. by engaging
him in conversation on his favorite subject.
and then-weI. I determined to let circum-
stances shape the rest Of my moves. So
I wanted to find out bit about cars. Further
than that I was not interested in them.
Have you ever heard the story Of the
con man being taken in by a member
Of the same profession? In this case the
owner as a salesman took in another sales
man: no other than yours truly. He sold
me the machine! Up 10 that afternoon the
idea Of owning horseless carriage had
never had the temerity to enter my mind
But in the short space Of an hour had
been inoculated with the motor germ and
was a helpless victim. This was such a
bargain couldn I resist-you know the friend
wife crates at the end of days shopping.
- Step in the house and we'll draw up
the papers the owner suggested. By the
way, my name is Nordeen. I'm interested
in the Dakota Supply company here
"Imentally grasped my knees to keep them
from shaking. stified gasp, and managed to
conventionaIly extend my hand and tell him
how pleased I was to make his acquaintance,
which wasn't a social lie this time. and in
form him that my name was MacGregor. 1
came nearly handing him my card. Wouldn't
that have spilled the beans. though?
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

SS plays a leading role in the life Of
every salesman" MacGregor, dean
of statesmen, observed. Then he
laughed-reminiscently II could
tell you of many cases apropos Of this state
ment, but there is one incident in my recol-
lections which stands out from the others
like beacon light.
Some seven or eight years back the boss
came to me and said: Dan. you undoubt-
edly have heard Of the Dakota Supply COM
pany. It's a big retail firm that sells prin-
cipaIly to farmers. They handle a great
deal of hardware and agricultural imple-
ments. Andersen has been trying to sell
them for the past year without results. Be
fore that Durborow had the territory; and
the best he did was to roll them so that they
have been hostile to all representatives Of
our house. A fellow by the name OF Nordeen
owns the controlling interest. want you
to get an interview with him. That's the
first thing; then, that obstacle overcome, get
an order Start as soon as you can linen
he turned and walked away. had my
orders.
The first thing 1 did was to get Andersen.
our salesman. on long distance.
Hes a crab.' Andersen doomed over
the wires He won't talk anything but>au-
tomobiles He's in a machine all day long;
never at his establishment except at rare in
rervaIs, and then it's impossible to see him.
he's so busy attending to accumulated work.
That was enough information. A day
later 1 was on the battlefield. On scanning
the advertisements of a local paper l found
the kind Of advertisement that was look
ing for. An automobile for sale. According
ly made arrangements to inspect the ma
chine. My sole purpose was to absorb
enough technical terms to be able to con-
verse fairly intelligently on the subject
with Nordeen. Nowadays the average per-
son, even though he is not a machine owner.
has a fair conception OF the workings OF a
car: but in those days. though not very long
ago, the contrivance was still in its en-
bryonic state, and was a closed book to
the bourgeois.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

A Portland man has perfected a new in
strument for determining the positions Of
ships at sea, etc. which he calls She But
terfield azimuth chronometer. This will give
the exact position at any time of day or night.
and is said to be the result OF twelve years os
figuring. A clock giving true sun time is said
TO be part Of the device and the inventor, at
least, is of the opinion that his instrument
will reyolutionize navigation.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Why Sam Forged Ahead.

why OdIn TOIRCo anSdo.
Sam stuck. That is the whole secret Of his
success. II he had jumped around as did Bill
he probably would have ended up even more
disastrousIy. But. as be said. " advancement
came to me in this business suddenly many
time when least expected il. Each time I
got a bigger job found out that knew
much more about this business than 1 had
thought. Making good in the new work was
almost every time much easier than had ex-
pected. Yet I worked hard, for as soon as 1
secured an advance could see that there was
something even better on ahead but that J
would have to wait patiently and work hard
for II. Then the first thing knew that job
ahead would come to me over night This
business has been growing the last dozen
years. Perhaps am lucky. think though,
that 90 per cent OF my luck was the good
sense showed in staying right here
"of course II had started in some lines Of
business I think that should have jumped
as soon as possible. But when landed in
another business I certainly would have
given that business good chance to show me
the possibilities for advancement in II. There
is where Bill fell down. All his hard luck Is
rooted in his lack of ability to see big things in
the work he does
That thing Is what makes big success.
II any man doesn't have visions of big things
ahead IN the work he is doing-well. he may
as well look for another job, for nobody can
succeed without great respect for the work
he Is doing"
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Products of Inventors Genius.

Corsets that can be loosened by moving
single lever on the steels have been invented
by aParis woman.
Concrete tiles with the upper portions
porous to freely admit water have been pat
ented by Texan for runderdraining.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Slab Reduced to Pencil.

The wood is sawed to the requisite size at
the mills and shipped to the factories. Each
tree is cut in slabs OF a width 20 accommO-
date six pencils.
The cedar slabs are fed into MAJ hine that
grooves them. six pencils at time, and the
finished lead then is laid in each groove.
which has been filed automatically with glue
The half pencils containing the lead then
pass TO another machine, which places over
the lead a grooved slab corresponding with
the frst half. and the two slabs then are
glued together.
After the leads are glued between the strips
OF cedar, and when thoroughly dry. the
stripe are placed in the molding machines
which cut them half round or half hexason,
as the case may be. By reversing the strips
the pencils are cut entirely apart
When they are cut apart they go to sand
paper machines. which polish them and take
OF the rough spots. The pencils then find
their way to the finishing room, where they
are subjected TO the hnal finishing touches
and colored the desired color. They then are
stamped in silver leaf or gold. the stamping
machines being equipped with hand engraved
steel dies.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Ready for Market.

Polishing OF high grade pencils. It may be
noted. is done entSfely by hand. No inventor
has yet been able to produce a machine that
will give the perfect luster that can be FRO
duced by hand. In hand polishing pencils
there Is a continuous high rubbing on the
part of the poIisher. the pencils in the mean
while automatically turning, 90 as to receive
an even coat over the entire surface.
The pencils then pass under the supervision
Of the sorters, who examine each pencil and
throw out any found TO be not up to spec!-
fcations.
They then are wrapped IN dozen lots aud
packed in cartons, the boxes are labeled. and
the pencils are ready for the market.
The lead pencil industry has made won
derful strides in the last decade. repre-
sentative factory has a capacity OF 5O0,OUo
pencils a day.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

A new brace is made so that holes can
be bored in corners with less trouble than
with common kinds. The handle is made with
a crank at the top and a bevel gear at the
bottom. Thus the hole can be bored from
position fiat against a corner wall or in out Of
the way places where an ordinary brace and
bit will not work. The brace takes all ordi-
nary bitslzes and is intended for electricians
and steamftters.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Powerful Motor Car.

The Pennsylvania Railroad company has
recently turned out a new vehicle which
looks like a cross between a motor truck
and an electric locomotive. 1t is really a
road locomotive and is to be used to draw
freight cars over tracks in factory districts,
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Packs Eggs Safely.

A Portland man has invented the egg case
shown. the drawing being from photograph
OF a man literally standing on eggs. With
this case it is claimed fifty dozen eggs can
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

Swedish chemists have invented way for
separating from coal tar the finely divided
carbon which 1t holds in suspension
To save the time taken for blue printing
camera has been invented for rapidly pro-
ducing prints from original drawings.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

OF which Is set a sapphire die the diameter
Of the lead to be made. Enormous pressure
is exerted In forcing the lead through the de-
from which It emergss in the shape Of a
pliable black string.
After the lead has been air dried for sew
eral days 1t is then laid on boards and cut
to length. after which 1t is placed in cru
cihles, which are sealed and put in furnaces.
where they are subjected to temperature
OF over 1000 degrees. This process tempers
the lead. and the length Of burning has also
some effect on the degree of hardness. Seven
inches is the standard length Of a lead pencil
While the graphite and clay are being
treated the wood is being prepared. Cedar
Is used almost exclusively in the manufac-
ture OF lead pencils. The cedar forests OF
the south furnish the greater portion Of this
wood. The red cedar comes mostly from the
states Of Tennessee. Alabama. and Georgia;
the Florida supply now is practically ex-
hausted.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

be packed in q space formerly taken by thirty
dozen eggs. a case so packed was loaded
on to an express wagon. hauled rapidly over
a rough plank logging road. and then dumped
as any ordinary box might be upon the
freight platform. But one of the fifty dozen
eggs was broken.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

- CERTAIN Arkansas hardware man
A i; q; :5:.:: :: :. !: :;:;::: Il: '::;:: ~:
he renders. The little courtesies, he
says, do more toward establishing
good. permanent trade than the average re-
taller imagines. The writer can readily be-
Heve this dealers service is all that is claimed
FOR it, being an eye witness to one incident
which strongly confirms this belief. Awoman
entered his store and placed an order for
a number OF bulky articles. requesting that
they be delivered. The clerk who waited on
her noticed that she was carrying quite an
arnful Of parcels which she had bought at
other stores, and be politely suggested that
she leave them to be sent along with the
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Couldn't Stick to One Job;
Borrowed from Man Who Did.
By DONALD SCOTT.

Am stuck to his job, and he now earns
enough to enjoy q high priced touring
car. The other day his old chum Bill
~ borrowed $40 from him.
Fifteen years ago in the house where
both these men worked Bill was judged the
brighter and more capable man; and. in all
probability. he was. Why the difference
after fifteen years?
The answer lies in the fact that Bill had
jumped around and worked at eleven differ
en-; Jobs during that time, while sam had
sruck TO one place.
Each time Bill jumped he got q better job,
gauged by pay. Yet. as Bill jumped from
place to place, he failed to see the money pos
slbilitIes Of his current job. Somehow, the,
fact that he was working for a certain arm
Germ. 1t probably was bred by familiarity.
BIZ had a keen sense OF the opportunity
awaiting him in another job. He found it
ca sIer at least he found II a more rapid way
Of advancing. 10 get higher salary in a new
Job than wait for the advance where he hap
pened to be working.
Bill was a bright had. New jobs at higher
pay came easy He started out as a CORES
spondent, and within four years-during
which time he had held five Of his eleven Jobs
he landed squarely in the seat OF the adver-
turing concern, where his opportunity was
ideal But Bin was not half prepared to
make good in this job. which netve and a
mighty good front had placed within his
sTasp.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

.lEHfl]
For Detecting Iceberss.

On the old theory that the water about ice
bergs was colder for several miles distant,
story believed by seamen for years. an east
ern man has perfected micro-thermometer
to be fastened to a ships bottom which will
tell the difference OF one-ffth Of a degree Of
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

sales manager Of the great - concern.
Then he omitted all reference to this connec-
ton. with the result that he was even less
successful in his calls for interviews and in
the many interviews he did get. Days and
weeks would drag by without results.
Bill lost some of his good nature. Along
with 1t his self-respect gradually began to
dribble away. although he did not realize it
until he finally was forced to take what he
could get-and he should have been thankful
but he was just the reverse. Consequently
he lost that position. poor as it was.
Bill by degrees became full 1edged bum
1t was entirely his own fault. not the fault OF
the business world. as he thought. and still
seems to think. He was the victim Of impa-
tience, for one thing. But the really plain
reason for Bilrs failure is the fact that he
could not see the possibilities right under his
nose. IL he had worked and waited for them
as did his old chum, Sam
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Mixture Forms Lead Rods.

Varying propor-ions>of this prepared clay
and graphite are mixed with water and re-
duced to a pasty substance greatly resem-
bling bread dough in consistency after it has
repeatedly been passed through hydraulic
presses. 1t is then that the mixture is
adaptable to the formation of lead rods.
The wet mass OF mixed clay and graphite
is placed in a heavy cylinder in the bottom
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Pencil Making Huge Industry;
Took Centuries to Perfect 1t.
By H. B. STRUBLE.
IchicaEo manager Eberhard Fabsr.l

ICHoLAs J. CoNTE, q French me-
M chanic, was the first person to devise
q process for the manufacture OF lead
pencils by inventing the process OF
mixing clay with graphite to form
pencil leads. This was in 1875. For many
years prior to that time agencies Of various
kinds, such as sulphur. gums OF different
sorts, etc. had been utilized as binding me-
diums for holding the particles OF ground
graphite together. None Of them really was
successful, and the invention Of Conte revo-
lutionized the pencil making Industry
As early as 1885 men who foresaw the mag
nitude OF this industry, once perfect pencil
could be produced. worked the famous Cum
berIand graphite mines OF England in an ef-
fort to produce lead Of the proper purity and
consistency. These deposits produced won
derrully pure graphite. and It was used by
saving into slabs and resawing into thin
pieces suitable for pencil use.
These mines were not worked out for some
thing like hundred years, and IT was after
they had, been exhausted that serious atten-
ton was given to the problem OF using the
powdered graphite. The graphite found in
the Cumberland strata was the purest ever
, found. containing about ss per cent pure
graphite.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Mexico Has Richest Deposits.


Graphite is found in ali parts Of the world
in a greater or less condition Of purity.
II is found in New York. Canada. Penn
sylvania, and Alabama. but that found In
America is too fiaky for good pencils. Aus
tria. Ceylon. and Siberia have yielded mag
nihcent deposits, the purity OF the graphite
taken from eash' averaging from 20 to so
per cent pure graphite. In Sonora, Mexico,
are to be found the richest deposits in the
world. and these mines supply American
pencil makers with most Of the graphite used
in this country.
Graphite when brought to q pencil factory
is passed along though a series Of what are
known as settling tanks. As 1t floats through
each OF these tanks the heavier ingredients,
such as sand. grit. and other foreign par
ticles, sink to the bottom Of the tank. the fine
particles being carried over 20 the succeed
ing tank. The material remaining in the
last tank is practically pure graphite.
This product then is ground for about six
weeks and is reduced to an irnpalpable pow
der. II then Is mixed with a high grade Of
clay The clay before being mixed with the
graphite. however. must undergo treatment
Of the same character TO which the graphite
hrst is subJected-that is, IL must be ioated
through a series Of tanks and freed from all
iron sand. and gritty particles.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Jumps from Pillar to Post.


: Bib fell down, and It took him six months
to get another position. He could have
had during that time any number OF jobs Of
the kind for which he was really qualified;
but that sort Of Job wouldn't do. He wasted
nearly all the time during those six months
replying to advertisements for men to fll
big jobs. Plenty Of that kind OF men seemed
to be wanted. but for some reason he could
not persuade employers that he was that sort
of man.
He found that his one failure was generally
known. Mentally he harangued business men
for being so narrow minded. Just because he
had fallen down in one good job was no rea
son why he would do the same in the next.
He argued himself into believing that this
one experience would only serve as tonic for
big success in the next place. At'first he let
it be known that he had been advertising and
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

temperature Fahrenheit and sound a warn
ing OF approaching bergs. The instrument is
on the thermopIle principle and sensitive.
It has recently been proved. however. that
the water about icebergs often shows no
change in temperature up to within few
feet Of the berg. which would render the de-
vice Of no effect.
q
Chain Crate Stoker.
In plants using automatic feed for fur
naces the CRATES work automatically. The
drawing shows a type that feeds the fire
and unloads its own ashes The top part or
crate moves to the right, fed with coal from
the hopper and driven by outside power. At
the right end nothing but ashes is left As
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
- Among Men with Hand Brain ME#Azl

X +
Y :
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

n HAVE always contended that luck
plays a leading role in the life OF
every salesman" MacGregor, dean
j of statesmen, observed. Then he